The 1931 Frankenstein, which remains one of cinema's most iconic horror films 95 years after its release, is being restored to its fullest artistic vision with a newly composed musical accompaniment. Composer Michael Shapiro, who wrote a complete orchestral score in 2001, will conduct it alongside the film for the first time in London next month at Cadogan Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This addition is significant because the original film featured dialogue but no continuous musical score, and Shapiro's accompaniment will enhance the film's emotional depth and impact.

The film, directed by James Whale and based on Mary Shelley's novel, tells the story of scientist Henry Frankenstein who accidentally creates a creature with a criminal's brain. Boris Karloff, born in Dulwich in 1887, delivered a performance that gave the monster unexpected humanity, particularly evident in the poignant scene where it befriends a young girl. Sara Karloff, born in 1938, did not watch the film until she was nineteen, but came to appreciate its cultural importance. Composer Michael Shapiro, who idolised Karloff as a child and received a response to a fan letter written at age nine, now pays tribute through his score, which emphasises the creature's soul and emotional journey throughout the narrative.