Jacob Elordi and Guillermo del Toro dominated Venice Film Festival with Frankenstein success.
Del Toro brought his life-long passion project to Italy for its world premiere and earned rapturous response.
When the film ended and the credits rolled, the audience responded with a 13-minute standing ovation, the longest of the festival so far.
During the lengthy ovation, Oscar Isaac, who plays the titular mad scientist, and Elordi, who embodies his monstrous creation, couldn't hold back their tears as the crowd continued to applaud.
Del Toro waved to the crowd and shared multiple hugs with Elordi and Isaac. A visibly emotional Elordi also got a kiss on the cheek from Isaac as the two embraced.
Frankensteinis an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, centres on a brilliant but egotistical scientist (Isaac) who brings a creature (Elordi) to life in an experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Del Toro in his director’s statement said, "This film concludes a quest that started at age 7, when I saw James Whale’s Frankenstein films for the first time. I felt the jolt of recognition in that seminal moment: Gothic horror became my church, and Boris Karloff my Messiah."
Isaac and Elordi were joined at Saturday night’s premiere by co-stars Mia Goth (Dr. Frankenstein’s love interest Elizabeth Lavenza), Christoph Waltz (wealthy arms merchant Harlander) and Felix Kammerer (Dr. Frankenstein’s younger brother William, who is engaged to Elizabeth).
Frankenstein will be released in theatres for limited time on October 17 and will release on Netflix on November 7.