Hi!
Here's another Name That Trauma for the gang; Frankenstein fanatics shouldn't have much trouble with it.
I remember catching part of a Frankenstein movie on T.V. as a child (many, many moons ago) in which the Monster and one of Frankenstein's friends/assistants were bouncing a ball back and forth between them. The Monster becomes overwhelmed with joy, and hugs his new friend–unfortunately crushing him to death. It takes the Monster a few minutes, but he eventually realizes he has done A Bad Thing, and he decides to cover up his grave error by opening up a furnace and pushing the body inside.
It was a scary and depressing reminder that the "innocence of childhood"–and the Monster is very childlike and innocent at first–masks a cold-blooded instinct for self-preservation that does not mourn friends.
Hope someone can help me relive that moment!
Thanks in advance,
Grokenstein
Could be Dan Curtis' TV version of Frankenstein from 1973.
Just seconding Taylor's call – I think you nailed it.
This is what I thought also!
Thanks, guys! It could very well be that I'm mix-and-matching memories, stapling them together like Doc Frankenstein stitching body parts…the "play ball" bit from Dan Curtis' "Frankenstein" certainly brings back memories, but it lacks the disposal-by-furnace moment.
I very distinctly remember the monster (resembling the traditional Universal Frankie) looking very sad as he realizes playtime's over forever–then a certain cold resoluteness falls over his face. He opens the furnace–the light of the flames flickering over him (he's obviously learned how to deal with fire by this point)–then picks the body up and feeds it inside, the music growing very dramatic.
Might the Dan Curtis version have pinched its scene from an earlier film?