Culture
Frankenstein on film: Three movies that grapple with the mad scientist
By: Gordon Briggs
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The new adaptation of Frankenstein is just one of several films that have been inspired by the story or are direct adaptations.
While Boris Karloff’s ’30s version of the monster has become infamous, other versions, such as the Hammer Horror films with Peter Cushing, revolved less around the Creature and more around the corrupt actions of the mad scientist Dr. Frankenstein.
Still other versions of the story, such as Young Frankenstein and Rocky Horror Picture Show, were flat-out musical comedies. More postmodern versions of the story, such as Gods and Monsters, emerged in the ’90s.
Here are three different films that explore the myth of Frankenstein.
It’s a story of two men trying to scientifically create the ultimate female, which has reverberated through film history for good reason. For my money, Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, 1935) is one of the finest horror films ever made. The Frankenstein follow-up expands the world, refines the original’s vision, and adds even more memorable characters. Visually, the movie tops the original with its lavish sets and Gothic trappings. Specifically, the film borrows heavily from German Expressionism, using stark lighting and dramatic angles to create an eerie, distorted, and moody atmosphere. Not only is the Creature more empathetic in this film (The scene where the Creature befriends a blind man is still quite touching), but Bride adds odd touches of humor that make it into something of a dark comedy. The entire cast is uniformly strong, but the standout character has to be Dr. Pretorius, played by the incomparable Ernest Thesiger. Stealing every scene he is in, somehow, that man manages to be even more mad than Doctor Frankenstein. I don’t care if it’s 80+ years old and in black and white; the film remains a masterpiece. ★★★★
If you throw a dart at any scene in this movie, you will hit a hilarious moment. In what could be Mel Brooks’ funniest film. The Son of Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder proving he is terrific at both deadpan and physical comedy) returns to his father’s castle to continue his father’s work of reanimating the dead. A different movie would have just condescendingly mocked Frankenstein movies, but Brooks is smarter than that. Young Frankenstein works because the filmmakers genuinely love the films they’re spoofing. More specifically, the black and white cinematography (including ’30s-style scene transitions – wipes, irises) and even original laboratory props to lend authenticity to the setting, perfectly capture the look of the old Universal monster movies. For my money, the best bit is when Wilder finally takes his father’s name, exclaiming … “My name is FRANKENSTEIN!” ★ ★ ★ ★
Gods and Monsters holds up quite well as a haunting story about a figure from Hollywood’s past. Focusing on the final days of Frankenstein director James Whale, Gods and Monsters crafts a complex and unabashedly queer work about the relationship between movies and memory. As usual, Ian McKellen is outstanding as James Whale, the witty gay director who has a figurative storm brewing in his mind. I love how the film portrays him as both a clever director and a dirty old man, and adding Lynn Redgrave as Whale’s religious housekeeper is a clever touch (she adores her employer, but still thinks he’s going to Hell). Plus, the friendship between him and a gardener who subtly resembles Frankenstein is quite touching. However, the real star of the film is the incisive script by Bill Condon, which uses references to classic Hollywood monster movies to take us inside the emotional fallout of being an outsider. ★ ★ ★½