MovieChat Forums > Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) Discussion > Improves as it goes

Improves as it goes

posted 4 years ago by Drooch (5333)
5 replies | jump to latest

This is that rarity - a film that actually improves as it moves along. The first half is a rushed mess, kind of a crazy montage in the style of Coppola’s Dracula but with nobody to really sympathise with and none of the hallucinogenic visual invention of that film. This culminates in Frankenstein’s inexplicable shift from elation at his successful resurrection to instantly regretting the experiment.

However, once De Niro properly appears as the monster and we spend time with him, it settles down and becomes an engaging story, moving from sadness to utter horror. It also manages the unique achievement of making the monster sympathetic even after he has murdered Frankenstein’s family, including women and children, and his choice to burn alongside his ‘father’ is deeply moving.

If only the first half was less ambitious and perhaps started with Frankenstein at medical school without trying to cover his life story. Branagh’s a good actor when he plays it small, here he’s prancing around like he’s in an opera, and all this possibly explains why audiences have struggled to connect with the film.

Those who stick with it are in for a treat, however, and it looks like a small cult following has emerged more recently.

[–] degray9 (1126) 3 years ago

I had the opposite reaction, I thought the second half was worse because it progressively deviated from the book.

I don’t know why it’s so hard for writers to just be faithful to the source material.

[–] Ace_Spade (9601) 3 years ago

Writers deviate from the book because they're different mediums and require different approaches. I'm a fan of the novel, but I did love the climax of this version with Elizabeth in a more morbid place than in the original. I know it raises some odd plot questions about the methods of reanimation, but the science of the story is hardly the point; it's Victor's madness.

If they had been truly faithful to the source material, Victor and the Creation would have debated ethics and philosophy in that ice cave for a half an hour. It works on the page, not on screen.

[–] degray9 (1126) 3 years ago

Considering there’s numerous examples of film adaptations following the book nearly note for note and being successful, I’d say the “different mediums” argument is a moot point.

It’s been a while since I read the book, but there’s nothing in there that wouldn’t work on screen.

[–] Ace_Spade (9601) 3 years ago

You're right, Frankenstein could be adapted pretty closely without that being a problem. But an adaptation still can deviate and be successful. And, as I said, there are aspects of the book that do need to be finessed, at the very least.

As a "case-study", I'd point to the 1931 adaptation of Frankenstein, which is changed even more than this version, particularly with the portrayal of the Creation. It's a mesmerizing movie in its own right, and it gets over the main themes of the novel quite well. My point here is that adaptation need not be slavish to the original property in order to be successful.

[–] Ace_Spade (9601) 3 years ago

I agree that the very beginning feels rushed, but I thought it started to "settle in" once he got to Ingelstad. I also don't think I minded the rushed beginning as much as you. While I think it's flawed, it's still good, and sets up the rest of the story.

Therein lies the reason for not just jumping ahead to the "good stuff", which is the forbidden science, etc. If we don't establish Victor's home life, his loves, and his motivations, we cannot understand why he does what he does, nor will we recoil as horrifically once we see what he betrays for his pride and ambition.

I definitely concur, however, that more time should have been spent near the start of the film to establish the relationships between Victor and Elizabeth, his mother, and his brother. It should have slowed down and made us adore these people and really care for the family deeply. Instead, we get some quick shots of them having fun before it's off to Ingelstad. It also would've been nice to see Victor a lot more before his mother's death so we could see him deteriorate more afterwards. What's more, they could have shown how dark and obsessed Victor became and set up Will and Elizabeth as human panaceas to that obsession (setting up the later events).

The film worked for me, pretty much end-to-end, even with an overly-quick first act.