Category Archives: Reviews

Benedict Cumberbatch as THE Monster — “It’s ALIVE!”

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Benedict Cumberbatch as Frankenstein's creature in the National Theatre's 2011 production.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Frankenstein’s creature in the National Theatre’s 2011 production.

Close-up of Benedict Cumberbatch as the creature of Dr. Frankenstein in 2011.

Close-up of Benedict Cumberbatch as the creature of Dr. Frankenstein in 2011.

Last week saw the third encore cinema screening of the amazing 2011 Royal National Theatre production of “Frankenstein,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller (directed by Danny Boyle). Cumberbatch and Miller, each a star/incarnation of a version of Sherlock Holmes, alternate nights in the roles of Dr. Frankenstein and his creature. My partner Elliot and I saw the October 31 screening (at Symphony Space in New York); we saw Benedict as the monster — AMAZING! Having been warned by a friend that this production “is neither the book nor the Boris Karloff movie,” we were ready for a new interpretation of the Mary Shelley classic but this far surpassed any hopes or expectations we might have had.

This version includes the blind recluse, the dead child in the water, and the tortured hunt through the Arctic but the creature that Frankenstein creates is both more organic and his environment more a wasteland of the Industrial Revolution than ever before. As the creature learns to control his body, to speak, and to read he struggles to become human but realizes at last that the only way to become truly human in a way that the world at large will recognize is to embrace his own worst, most vile instincts.

Many writers try to draw parallels between Frankenstein’s creature and the Golem said to have been made by Rabbi Judah ben Lowe in Prague but the two are at radical odds with each other: one can speak, the other not but the one who can speak remains nameless while the speech-deprived golem is given the dignity of a name and a valued place in the rabbi’s household.

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In September 2014, the most visitors to this site were from the USA, the UK, Canada, Spain, and Australia.

In September 2014, the most visitors to this site were from the USA, the UK, Canada, Spain, and Australia.

The monthly data for September is now available! There were 845 unique visitors to this site, with the most coming from the countries highlighted in the map above. The posts that most people visited were about emerald, sage, daffodil, diamonds, and marigold. It’s always interesting to see which searches bring people to visit and what other pages/posts they look at once they are here.

Were these 5 subjects what brought YOU here for the first time? Please share below what you were looking for when you discovered www.stephenmorrisauthor.com!

Red City Review Announces 5-Star Review!

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Come Hell or High Water: Part One: Wellspring by Stephen Morris

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In 1356, an entire town turned against one woman. Driven by religious fervor, they proclaimed her a witch and put her to death without a proper trial or formal sentence. But, as Fen’ka inhaled the smoke surrounding her on the stake to which she was affixed, she issued her own verdict – and with it came a punishment that would endure for centuries… until justice, however harsh, was once and for all served. ‘Come Hell or High Water: Part One: Wellspring’ by Stephen Morris carries readers back in time to witness this age-old injustice and follow the consequences, and culmination, of Fen’ka’s curse on the city of Prague. The chapters alternate between this fourteenth century storyline and another, set in 2002, centered on a young girl named Magdalena, whose fascination with the occult and determination to do more with her life have inexorably drawn her into Fen’ka’s post-mortem quest for justice. As Magdalena comes to terms with her otherworldly assignment in one chapter, the ways Fen’ka’s final words came back to haunt the villagers of Prague is explored in the next – and, so on and so forth it goes, masterfully, until the end of this, the first installment in the Come Hell or High Water trilogy.

‘Wellspring’ is an entirely enthralling, incredibly intense novel that seamlessly weaves together elements of history, folklore, popular culture, and religious, spiritual, and occult practices and beliefs – among other things. Author Stephen Morris’ passion for, and commitment to, his cast of characters is evident in his prose, which is fluid, dynamic, and absolutely haunting at times. As eloquently told as it is informative and thought-provoking, ‘Wellspring’ is a title worthy of standing on the shelf alongside acclaimed works such as those in The Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches series penned by the mother of all things occult, Anne Rice. It’s definitely a page-turner and will hold your interest from start to end, though its end isn’t really and ending, but, rather, an invitation to the next book.

RED CITY REVIEWS also hosts an annual book award contest, that includes cash prizes in five different book categories, including Science Fiction/Fantasy. The Red City Review Book Awards offers a grand prize of $500, that also includes other great prizes that will help promote the winning book so that it receives the attention it deserves. Finalists will be announced October 10, 2014.