Movie Review

 Frankenstein 

Hello everyone this blog is a response to a movie review which I saw as part of a syllabus task assigned by Megha ma’am. 

Frankenstein is a novel written by Mary Shelley. This novel tells the story of  a young scientist Victor Frenkenstein who creates a creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821.

Director Kenneth Branagh's Frankenstein is a visually stunning film, with gothic architecture and enormous settings, huge special effects. It is highly sumptuous in both costumes, cinematography, and production design, capturing the darker, more moody atmospheric Shelley produced. The overall style for the film has been that of a broad, elaborate direction on Branagh, which lends itself to that sense of urgency and tragedy that permeates the tragic emotional content of the plot. In a way it is grandiose but turns into melodrama.

*Use of Symbolic Elements:

1. Light and Darkness:-  Branagh often uses light and shadow to explain the themes of creation and destruction. The duality of Victor's pursuit of knowledge could be described by the contrast of light and darkness—his seeking the light of understanding but embracing the darkness of his own ambition and moral blindness.

In this picture Red colour symbolized Elizabeth’s love to victor  and Black colour of victor it described downfall of himself. His over ambitious and over-education responded to his own downfall. 

This picture symbolized the darker side of victor and elizabeth’s life.

2)  The Creature’s Physical Appearance:- Both in its appearance and as a symbol of the failure of Victor as a creator and for the monstrous product of an unbridled scientific ambition, it counterpoises his grotesque features with human emotions. These contrast with the theme of appearance versus reality, and the consequences of rejecting a creation because of its appearance.

3) Nature and Isolation:-  The desolate landscapes of the film, particularly the icy wilderness, show how isolated Victor and the creature both are. It reflects in the setting their emotional emptiness and moral implications because extreme environments point to their inner turmoil.

*Dialogue:

Victor’s monologues about the pursuit of knowledge and his obsession with overcoming death convey his deep internal conflict. The creature’s dialogue, in contrast, reflects his growing understanding of humanity and his increasing bitterness toward Victor and the world that rejects him.

Victor:- Victor's dialogue often highlights his hubristic nature, his belief in the power of science to transcend natural limits, and his responsibility for the creature’s suffering.

“I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body,”

"I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart."

Victor says this after the Creature comes to life. His dream of creating life quickly turns into revulsion when he faces the reality of his creation.

Monster:- His dialogue shows his tragic self-awareness and desire for love and acceptance. His  dialogue  reflects his growing understanding of humanity and his increasing bitterness toward Victor and the world that rejects him.

“I am your Adam, but I am also your fallen angel,”

"I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind?" 

*Costume: 

Monster’s costume highlights his nature and  humanity Such contrast the physical deformation that the creature has on himself with the vestige of humanity in his countenance through ragged clothing and inhuman movements, all that makes him a very sad and tragic figure.

Elizabeth’s gown often describes innocence and weakness, a contrast to which is victimization and sacrifice that characterize this role by Elizabeth in her story.

Costumes in the movie are rich and period-appropriate, with the characters' clothing reflecting their personalities and statuses. Victor Frankenstein is seen in sophisticated, tailored outfits that symbolize his scientific ambitions and his social status.

*Set Design: 

The sets are sumptuous and gothic, replete with massive constructions, dimly lit passageways, and interior settings that match the tone of this tragic film. The Arctic landscape on which the final confrontation unfolds echoes the emotional desolation shared by Victor and the creature.

Victor's laboratory is a kind of set piece, but dark, cluttered with mechanical contraptions, signifying unnatural creation. It seems disordered and messy, a reflection of Victor's own mind as he gets taken over by his fixation.

*Character development:

Victor Frankenstein: Victor is a narrative of continuous development. Initially, he is driven by some sort of juvenile impulse to overcome death and uncover its mysteries for life. This obsessively immoral character turns him into a tragic figure who carries mounting guilt and horror for the suffering of his creature and his own lack of responsibility.

The creature: He is seen in the film to become emotionally and intellectually developed, learning about the world around him and seeking love and acceptance. His is a tragic character development; he is innocent and childlike at the start, gradually growing bitter and vengeful as he receives rejection and violence from humans. His emotional journey lies at the core of the film exploring the themes of identity, humanity, and consequences of creation.

Elizabeth: The character of Elizabeth is less developed in the film than in the novel, but her role as a symbol of innocence and victimhood remains central. She represents the emotional cost of Victor's ambition and is ultimately another casualty of his choices.

*Plot:-  The plot of the film closely follows the central story of Mary Shelley's novel, but there are deviations in certain aspects. This movie focuses more on creating Victor Frankenstein and the damage that he caused. Comparatively, the film was much more urgent than the novel was; it was action-filled and full of heightened dramatic emotion. There is also a confrontation at the end between Victor and the creature, which forms a much more dramatic conclusion than of the novel.

*Social commentary by director:

Branagh's Frankenstein is a commentary on a number of social and ethical issues, most of which are the dangers of uncontrolled scientific experimentation and the moral responsibilities that accompany creation. It critiques the idea of pushing the boundaries of nature without considering the consequences, reflecting contemporary anxieties about scientific progress and the ethics of genetic manipulation.

Another significant theme of the film is isolation, abandonment, and finding an identity. It combines with alienation because of society's rejection of the misunderstood or different, in this case, the creature. The director here depicts Victor's arrogance and the suffering of the creature as a way of commenting on the rejection of what it fears or does not understand.

Moreover, the film depicts a confrontation of progres with ethics by throwing caution against uninhibited ambition and its consequences in not considering the human price at the altar of knowledge.

This adaptation, as done by Branagh in Frankenstein (1994), is rich in gothic horror and philosophical reflection and is a visual feast, emotionally charged. Symbolic elements, dialogue, costumes, set designs, development of characters, and social commentary all play a role in the very rich thematic explorations into the topics of creation, responsibility, and consequences of ambition. Although the movie has digressed from the novel to some extent, yet the film still offers an engaging and dramatic retelling of the tragedy by focusing on the tragic state of the characters and moral dilemmas at its core.

*Theme:

While Branagh's Frankenstein does indeed tackle the themes of ambition, isolation, and the dangers of scientific experimentation, the film often sacrifices the subtle philosophical musings of the novel for a more action-driven and emotional narrative. The tragic personal conflict between Victor and the creature makes it emotionally engaging but leaves some of the novel's deeper ethical concerns underexplored.

References:- 

“Main image for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.” Rotten Tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mary_shelleys_frankenstein#critics-reviews . Accessed 1 November 2024.

Wollstonecraft, Mary. “Frankenstein.” Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/84/84-h/84-h.htm . Accessed 1 November 2024.