Man ol’ Henry (David Call) came back from a tour of duty with two things; the knowledge of a field surgeon and a ragin’ case of PTSD. So what does he do with all of that swirlin’ around in his noxious noggin? Why he stitches together rando body parts and creates a walking cadaver named Adam (Alex Breaux) in his Brooklyn loft…as one would naturally do. Henry then spends his days giving his creation a well rounded education in everything from science, to music, and beyond. Soon Adam must deal not only with the stormy nature of his father and the machinations of his rival Polidori (Joshua Leonard).
Obviously Depraved is legendary horror maestro Larry Fessenden’s take on the tried and true terror tale of Frankenstein, and what a take on the material it is! Rather than going the normal over-blown full on horror route, the film takes it’s time exploring the dynamic between the creator and his creation which gives the material a sense of gravitas, and a real father and son dynamic absent from most takes on the story.
Speaking of that dynamic, as with a multitude of children, this re-animated corpse develops some “daddy issues” as Henry grows darker in mood…of course Polidori is quick to pick up on that and becomes the “cool step-father” (there is booze and strippers involved) just waiting to turn the creature into his instrument of vengeance fueled by his jealousy of Henry and all he has in life.
Adding to the atmosphere of the affair are sets and locations bathed in warm colors and light. Kudos to Fessenden and his team of April Lasky (Production Design ) and Natalie Hoffman (Art Direction) for utilizing oranges, browns, and other rich colors to emphasize the human, living elements so integral to this version instead of the crumbling castles and cold laboratories these films usually put on display. This is all aided and abetted by Fessenden’s editing and the solid Cinematography of James Siewert and Chris Skotchdopole.
Also of note is the excellent creature make-up provided by Adelina Atashi, Pete Gerner, Brian Spears, and Ashley K. Thomas is a thing of beastly beauty indeed. Adam is a roughly constructed, yet ultimately more realistic, take on Frankenstein’s monster and his body bares all the evidence of his creation with angry wounds and stitches.
On the negative side of things, this is a nearly two hour long, slow burn type of affair, so if you go into this flick looking for a high energy horror show you are going to be sorely disappointed. Of course the film was never intended to be that sort of picture, instead playing out as a dramatic character piece that will reward those looking for a thoughtful take on Mary Shelley’s masterpiece.
