# Anyone seen Danny Boyle's "Frankenstein"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638 "2014-03-01T23:39:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/1 "2014-03-01T23:39:22Z")
So I am getting tickets to see an encore performance (National Theatre’s HD broadcast) of “Frankenstein” and I have the option of either cast. Trying to get a general feeling for whether I should opt for Johnny Lee Miller as Frankenstein and Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature, or vice versa. What I’ve read is along the lines of they are both fantastic, with people who have only seen on version saying they cannot imagine it any better and people who have seen both giving a slight edge to Miller/Frankenstein Cumberbatch/Creature. So, in the interest of anecdotes, do any Dopers who have seen it, either live or HD, want to weigh in with an opinion? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/2 "2014-03-03T20:36:35Z")
::Googling what National Theatre broadcasts are:: This sounds awesome. How does it work? Movie theaters carry a broadcast of a stage play? Yes, I see by the website that that’s how it’s done. The only theater near me is in San Francisco, and only has _King Lear_ and _War Horse_. Drat. I’d like to see _Coriolanus_ with Mark Gatiss. I had read somewhere about _Frankenstein_ and heard that it was particularly awesome - frightening and visceral. Please report back and tell us how you liked it. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/3 "2014-03-03T21:47:06Z")
And here I was wondering if I was the only person who had ever heard of it. Yes, the National Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera now do live and encore HD showings at some movie theaters, which is a great way of getting the next best thing to being there for not much more than the cost of seeing the latest Adam Sandler crapfest. I’ll be catching an encore performance of _Coriolanus_ the weekend after _Frankenstein_. I have to travel a bit for both but I’m good with making a weekend out of it. Still less than paying for one of the tickets live, even if you could get it. The utterly amazing _Frankenstein_ trailer, if anyone is interested: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmB3nT55da0) I opted for version one - Miller as Frankenstein and Cumberbatch as the Creature. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/4 "2014-03-03T22:32:53Z")
::Watching video:: Brilliant. I hope you have a great time. I’m going to try to check on the SF theater selections every few weeks to see if something comes up to tempt me. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/5 "2014-03-04T01:48:21Z")
Here’ the link to National Theatre Live if you wanted to get on the mailing list > **[National Theatre Live](https://www.ntlive.com/)** > > Search for screenings at your local cinema for National Theatre Live. See upcoming titles, release dates and trailers for the best British theatre screening at your local cinema. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/6 "2014-03-04T22:57:32Z")
No opinions on Frankenstein (please let us know how it was), but Coriolanus was really lovely. Not earthshattering, but the cast was collectively amazing, the energy was brutal, and the staging was really interesting. I studied it in college, and it was nice to see it staged again, and staged (overall) really well. Just a note, if you like Mark Gatiss, be sure to bring a tissue. I am looking forward to the Dog in the Nighttime - such a neat looking production, and so many familiar faces. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/7 "2014-03-05T00:58:51Z")
I got to see NTL presenting_Macbeth_ (Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston) - just amazing. Worth seeing, if there is an encore performance. When I went, everyone was dressed up like they were going to live theatre, and there was a distinct lack of popcorn. We all stood and applauded at the end, too. I do hope to see an encore of _Frankenstein_ - and because I am indecisive, I’ll aim to see both - there isn’t such a thing as too much Benedict Cumberbatch. ---
**Author:** ![MN\_Maenad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MN\_Maenad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MN_Maenad)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/8 "2014-03-05T20:09:59Z")
We saw the same version of Frankenstein you’re thinking of going to, and loved it. Very well done. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/9 "2014-03-06T18:52:20Z")
I would love to see both versions but will have to wait until the next encore performance to catch #2, assuming it is anywhere reasonably close. I do wonder if at some point in the future these will become available to own. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/10 "2014-03-06T21:18:20Z")
I hope so too. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-danny-boyles-frankenstein/682638/11 "2014-03-07T07:50:49Z")
> [@MN\_Maenad](#): > > We saw the same version of Frankenstein you’re thinking of going to, and loved it. Very well done. Gets my vote as well.