A Romance to Die For: “Lisa Frankenstein”

With Valentine’s Day in the rearview mirror, there are plenty of us sighing and hanging our heads with the loneliness that comes with such a warm, pink, and red explosion of a holiday. All hope is not lost, though, especially if you are a misunderstood goth teenager. All you need to do is reanimate a Victorian corpse who becomes a love-sick zombie, use your annoyingly chipper step-sister’s tanning bed (and ear) to put him back together, and fall deeply and grotesquely in love.

At least, that’s how “Lisa Frankenstein” puts it.

Released Feb. 9, 2024, the film stars big names like Kathryn Newton in the title role of Lisa, and Cole Sprouse as her lethargic lover, lovingly referred to as “The Creature.”

Lisa Swallows is a typical lonely teenage girl who is still processing her mother’s death from two years prior. Lisa starts to spend a lot of time in the nearby Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery after her father remarries a narcissistic woman with a popular daughter, Lisa’s now step-sister. 

As a result, Lisa starts speaking to the grave of a young Victorian man who passed away in 1837, saying that she wants to be with him. After Lisa leaves, a lightning strike to his craving brings “The Creature” back to life.

Though the movie has the occasional use of over-the-top violence and adult content, overall, the film has the potential to become a cult classic.

Though many viewers disliked its campy, ‘80s horror movie look and slumber party film vibe, I believe it was purposeful. As we move further into a generation that prioritizes Indie and contemporary works, “Lisa Frankenstein” is a goofy, rambling, and lighthearted dark comedy that is more concerned with supporting adolescent oddballs and paying homage to beloved ‘80s horror comedies than it is with coherent storytelling. 

It’s a somewhat low-budget film, but it’s stylish and has remarkable self-awareness without being corny. The movie is outrageous, well-performed, a bit tacky, and a lot of fun.