Movie Reviews: Frankenstein Of Mary Shelley

 

 

Directed By: Kenneth Branagh

Screenplay: Steph Lady & Frank Darabont

Running Time: 123 Minutes

Language: English

Music By: Patrick Doyle

Stars:

Robert The Niro As The Creature

Kenneth Branagh As Victor Frankenstein

Aldan Walton As The Captain

Helena Bonham Carter As Elizabeth Lavenza

Ian Holm As Baron Alphonse Frankenstein

John Cleese As Professor Waldman

Tom Hulce As Henry Cleveral

Richard Bries As Grandfather

Robert Hardy As Professor Kemple

Cherie Lunghi As Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein

Clelia Imric As Mrs Mortiz

Based On The Novel: Frankenstein Ot The Modern Prometheus By: Shirley Jackson

 

Plot

 

The first scene is set in the North Pole where a vessel has hit a mountain of ice, the vessel is trapped in the ice, the crews and the Captain (Aldan Quinn) sees a man with a cloak emerges from the mist telling to follow him with the dogs and weapons, the dogs are brutally killed by a mysterious figure the crew are terrified. The man starts to tell to the Captain his story, his name is Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Barnagh).

 

Victor grew up with his step sister Elizabeth Lavenza (Helena Bonham Carter) He lost his mother after his birth and those of his brother William Frankenstein (Ryan JW Smith).

Victor wants to give his mother back her life.

Victor and his close friend Henry Cleveral (Tom Hulce) are studying medicine at the University Of Ingolstadt under the professor Shamel Augustus Waldman (John Cleese) who old a diary with instructions on how to create life.

Victor comes into possession of the diary which causes a frantic study, which isolates him from his close friend and girlfriend Elizabeth Lavenza (Helena Bonham Carter).

Thanks to the electricity Victor gives life to his creature (Robert De Niro) and is immediately abandoned to his fate.

The creature takes refuge in a pigsty, where he will learn to write and read by observing the children who live with their mother, father, and a blind man. The creature feels part of the family and decides to pick the vegetables as a sign of gratitude. To repay his debt, the family leaves the food outside their door.

The creature saves the blind man (Richard Briers from certain death by a vagrant, who thanks him and invites him home as if he were a son.

The family returns and chases the creature away, judging him unfairly.

The creature finds the diary of Professor Waldman and asks Victor to give new life to Justine Moritz (Trevyn McDowell) who was unjustly killed because of him.

Initially Victor accepts but then he fails to keep his promise this will anger the creature causing him to commit murders like his brother William Frankenstein (Charles Wyn - Davies) his father Alphonse Frankenstein (Ian Holm) and after the wedding Victor's wife Elizabeth by ripping out his heart and then throwing it to the ground in anger.

Victor decides to re-give life to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is understood to be a monster like the creature, then she burn herself.

Victor tells Captain Walton that the creature wants to kill him, he is nearby.

In a second moment the Captain catches the creature crying over Victor's death.

The waters are thawing; the ship will depart without the creature and Victor, who will burn together on a piece of ice.

 

 

 

 

Themes: The hubris of conquering death, parental responsibility and abandonment, playing as god.

Initial Situation: Captain Waldman leads an expedition with a vessel to the north pole

Conclusion: The burning of Victor and his creature

Protagonist: Victor Frankenstein

Antagonist: The Creature

Message: The human being having a percentage of evil is not able to substitute God, the example is Victor Frankenstein the true monster of the novel.