Frankenstein

Title: Frankenstein
Year: 1931
Director: James Whale
Writer: Peggy Webling, John L. Balderston, Francis Edward Faragoh & Garrett Fort, based on the novel by Mary Shelley
Starring: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff
Music: Bernhard Kaun
Distinctions: currently #223 on IMDb's Top 250
Synopsis: a mad scientist creates life
Length: 71 minutes
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), September 2008
Subjective Rating: 7/10 8/10 (Great).
Objective Rating: 9/10 (1 point off for dialog) c. 3.5/4 (Very good).

Now this is how to adapt a novel: just take the bits that are essential, re-write the story so they work in the new context, and end up with a short movie. Brilliant. I was unimpressed with Karloff's performance, but everyone else was surprisingly good for a movie from this period.