NORTH BAY -- Just in time for Halloween, a North Bay filmmaker has started production on a new horror take on the famous story of Frankenstein's monster.
The film features well known Canadian horror indie actor Anthony D. P. Mann, who stars as the maniacal scientist, Dr. Frankenstein, himself.
"Tonight, his greatest creation will live again. That's right, a dead man will be brought back to life," said Mann assuming his role.
The film is called 'The Abominations of Frankenstein' and its being entirely shot and produced in North Bay.
It's not an adaptation of the novel. But rather, it will pay homage to what are called "bizarro exploitation films" that it inspired.
Dr. Frankenstein is portrayed as an immortal alchemist who has lived on since his first creation and has discovered life again, building a new monster. It's a different take on the wild scientist.
"I played Dracula on film. I've played the Phantom of The Opera and Sherlock Holmes and now I get to play Baron Heinrich von Frankenstein. This is the natural progression of my life," said Mann.
It's the second time Mann is on the film scene in North Bay, having come up last year to star in director Sebastien Godin's take on a vampire flick. Godin is directing, producing and will also play the creature in his new film.
"There's no better way to celebrate Halloween than by creating a horror movie," said Godin.
"Anthony has been very integral in this, in both developing the story for this and his crazy take on the character."
Godin has been making films for three years. He always wanted to create his own take on the famous Frankenstein's monster.
"Frankenstein has been a story that's been near and dear to me for as long as I have been able to read and watch anything," explained Godin.
"So, it's very fulfilling to add my own little footnote to the mythos."
Besides acting and directing in films, Mann has been also been a voice actor working alongside other TV and film talent like Malcolm McDowell, Tony Todd, Sir Derek Jacobi and Brian Blessed.
Last year, he became the official voice of several characters in an audio revival of the series 'The Hilarious House of Frightenstein' originally created by Billy Van for TV.
"It's great to see and meet all these people creating films, the way films should be created. They're very, very organic and very practical people," said Mann touching on all of the film and TV crews he has worked with over the last few years.
Godin is hoping to release 'The Abominations of Frankenstein' to the public between mid-winter and next spring.
