(Harneet Singh / Fourth Estate)
Director Guillermo del Toro delivers his vision for Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’
BY HARNEET SINGH, STAFF WRITER
Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro’s new film “Frankenstein” debuted on Netflix last fall. I was looking forward to the film, and was not let down.
The movie is based on the original 1818 version of Mary Shelley’s classic novel of the same name. Del Toro is no stranger to adapting the mysterious and paranormal, such as secret societies of vampires in “Blade II,” or monsters such as the Amphibian Man in “The Shape of Water.”
(Harneet Singh / Fourth Estate)
“Frankenstein” respected its source material, keeping the core events and themes of the novel at its forefront. However, it was not a one-to-one adaptation, and some changes may be jarring to those familiar with the book.
None of Del Toro’s changes affect the overarching messages brought from the book. Themes such as motherhood, generational trauma, nature, God and the hubris of man are all given time to flourish in the film.
More modern interpretations are made as well. The lead character, Victor Frankenstein, and his motivation for creating life draws many comparisons to the tech industry and its development of artificial intelligence.
The performances in this film were incredible. Oscar Isaac captures the selfish and pompous attitude of Victor Frankenstein, while Mia Goth excels in an on-the-nose double role as Victor’s mother and Elizabeth Harlander.
Elizabeth’s role is expanded compared to her role in the book, and Goth’s empathetic portrayal serves as the perfect foil for the apathy Isaac channels in his portrayal of Victor. Christoph Waltz convincingly plays original character Heinrich Harlander, Victor’s benefactor, who wants to cheat death.
Jacob Elordi is unrecognizable as The Creature. From his ability to convey the uncanny physicality of a dead man walking to the gradual loss of innocence from his eyes as The Creature realizes how the world will treat him, Elordi ensures that the viewer is able to understand the character’s actions — both right and wrong.
The film is also visually stunning. Cinematographer Dan Lausten captured incredible shots, showing the beauty of the world that The Creature is so enamored by. Composer Alexandre Desplat delivers a very moving score. The costume design, done by Kate Hawley, takes the silhouettes of the 1800s and applies colors and details that help us understand the characters onscreen.
Like many other students, I was introduced to Mary Shelley’s original 1818 text of “Frankenstein” in high school English class. The 1818 novel, compared to the widely sold 1831 version, captured the highs and lows of humanity. I became consumed by the intricacies of the text, and over time, I have reached for the book again and again.
Every time I reread it, I see a quote on the top right of the cover from Guillermo del Toro, which describes The Creature as “the most beautiful and moving of all monsters.”
I was interested in this movie and looked forward to it once I saw that del Toro was set to direct, knowing he shared a similar reverence for the novel as I did. He and his team put together a great film.
I would recommend the “Frankenstein” movie to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the book. It is hopeful and shows us the beauty of life amidst all the tragedy, a wonderful reminder for the modern age.
