Today Frankenstein’s creature is instantly recognizable. But over 200 years, his image has evolved. Here are some of the monster’s notable looks.
This piece — the earliest illustration of the monster — is the frontispiece from Mary Shelley’s 1831 edition of her novel.
1931 “Frankenstein” movie
Boris Karloff filled the role’s big shoes — and thus was born a monster’s enduring image. Bonus: Check out these behind-the-scenes images of Karloff in makeup.
1964: “The Munsters”
In the mid-1960s, monsters were sitcom gold, and Frankenstein (Fred Gwynne) was spotted sporting something new: a smile.
1974: “Young Frankenstein”
The laughs continued into the 1970s. The movie “Young Frankenstein” eschewed the creature’s flat-topped image of old. The chrome dome helps the monster (Peter Boyle) look more like a regular Joe and less like a looming threat.
1994: “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”
Kenneth Branagh went for a more visceral look for the monster (Robert De Niro), emphasizing his scars and misshapen features.
2017: Artist rendering
Last year, Emory University released a new depiction of the monster by artist Ross Rossin. “Unlike all other portrayals before, I prefer to see the Creature as a young man,” Rossin said in a release.