'Lisa Frankenstein' (2024)

PG-13 | February 9, 2024 | 102 mins

If you can't meet your perfect boyfriend…make him.

In 1989, a misunderstood teenager has a high school crush — who just happens to be a handsome corpse! After a set of playfully horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a murderous journey to find love, happiness…and a few missing body parts along the way.

Cast: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse [+]
Director: Zelda Williams
Writers: Diablo Cody
Producers: Mason Novick, Diablo Cody
Cinematographer: Paula Huidobro
Editors: Brad Turner
Music: Isabella Summers
Distribution: Focus Features

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Name

Character

Lisa

The Creature

Taffy

Michael

Dale

Janet

Tamara

Lori

Release Date

February 9, 2024

Runtime

102 minutes

Production Companies

MXN Entertainment, Lollipop Woods

MPAA Rating

PG-13

Language

English

Country

United States

Filming Dates

August 8, 2022 – September 16, 2022

Filming Locations

University of New Orleans Nims Center Studio

800 – 824 Distributors Row, New Orleans, Louisiana

Sound stage for interior scenes.

Private Residence

2552 Cypress Lawn Dr., Marrero, Louisiana

Lisa’s house.

Private Residence

12565 Patterson Rd., New Orleans, Louisiana

The house where Taffy and Lisa attend a party.

Brechtel Park

14401 Lennox Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana

Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery.

Belle Chasse High School

8346 LA-23, Belle Chasse, Louisiana

Taffy and Lisa’s high school.

Carrollton Cemetery

1701 Hillary St., New Orleans, Louisiana

The location where Dale and Taffy visit Lisa’s grave.

Fantasy/Magic Elements

Lisa: You like cool movies and music and stuff, but only for you! You want to be the smart one who likes cool stuff, and you don’t want your girlfriend to like cool stuff. Do you know how uncool that is?

Taffy: Does he have more of a basketball bod or a football bod?
Lisa: He doesn’t play sports, he’s cerebral.
Taffy: He’s in a wheelchair?

Taffy: Well, I heard the Heschers do witchcraft over there. And I also heard that Gina Marzack dedicated her unborn child to Satan. And that’s why the baby has to wear a helmet now!

Lisa: When you cry it smells like a hot toilet at a carnival!

Lisa: People are so afraid of death, because they don’t know when it’s going to happen to them. It could be an axe murderer, could be the flu, but they don’t know. And they hate that, so I’m not afraid of death anymore. But I don’t want to die a virgin.

Taffy: Lisa, you have no idea how scary this is. You don’t have to worry about anything because your mom’s already been murdered.

Taffy: It’s just, guys usually only want me for one thing.
Lisa: Yeah, and you just gave it out like a cheese cube from Hickory Farms!

Janet: I knew. I always know. I’m an IP: Intuitive Person. Took a whole seminar about it.

The feature directorial debut of Zelda Williams, daughter of Robin Williams.
In one scene, Lisa refers to her “aunt Shelley”. An obvious nod to Mary Shelley, the author of the novel “Frankenstein”.
When her stepmother, Janet, returns home, Lisa exclaims, “Dammit! Janet!”, a song title from The Rocky Horror Show stage musical, which is also based on Frankenstein.
There are two police officers in the film, Officer John and Officer Waters, an obvious nod to the king of camp, director John Waters
According to Diablo Cody, the movie is set in the same universe as her earlier picture, Jennifer’s Body (2009). Both movies’ soundtracks feature covers of the song “I Can See Clearly Now.”
As an easter egg, there is a Robin Williams album on the floor when the main characters first interact: Throbbing Python of Love.
Lisa’s name comes from Weird Science (1985), which also contains references to Frankenstein and features protagonists who bring a love interest to life.
The revivified corpse is called “The Creature,” the name the being had in Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein novel. Popular culture has given him the name “Frankenstein’s monster,” or “Frankenstein” for short, which was not used in the book.
In the first scene after the beginning credits, a headstone is shown while zooming in on Lisa that reads “Frances Owens”, which is the same name as a character from the film Practical Magic (1998).
Director Zelda Williams is the voice on Janet’s self-help tape.

Awards

Year

Recipient