Editor’s Note: Before the stars take to the red carpet tonight for the 98th Annual Academy Awards, check out Kevin Ganey’s reviews of the Best Picture contenders: Train Dreams, Sentimental Value, Marty Supreme, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, Bugonia, F1, The Secret Agent and Sinners. And don’t miss his fascinating feature about screenwriter Janet Roach, Old Lyme’s own connection to Hollywood’s biggest night.
Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein is a beautiful interpretation of Mary Shelley’s novel that has terrified the world for two centuries. Del Toro has demonstrated throughout his career that the profound has its place in the stuff that also gives us nightmares.
Horror movies divide audiences. Some people dislike the experience of being on the edge of their seats and possibly witnessing something gruesome take place. But others appreciate them for being the highest form of entertainment, with moments of distress heightening every part of the story. Horror movies take it to the max, tapping into our preservation instinct as we root for the heroes to defeat the enemies.
When people think of Frankenstein, generally they think of the monster played by Boris Karloff from Universal Studios’ version back in 1931. Children who have no familiarity with the story or its history know that the flat-top-headed green man with bolts in his neck is Frankenstein, a testament to the impact of Karloff, director James Whale and makeup artist Jack Pierce.
Del Toro’s version (which he has planned for decades) also deviates from Shelley’s novel, but not to the extent of the Universal version. The changes made are necessary for Del Toro to tell his own comprehensive tale of Victor Frankenstein’s hubris toward creation. Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of the infamous scientist is distinct in its emphasis on his arrogance. The genius disregards morality, clearly following the intellectual spirit of libertines who believe it impairs our potential. Any depiction of Victor Frankenstein must possess a god complex, but Del Toro takes it further by making Victor a thoroughly repugnant and disrespectful man willing to take advantage of anyone.
Jacob Elordi deserves high praise for his portrayal of the monster, along with the rest of the crew. This is a far more faithful depiction of the monster than Karloff, not just in appearance, but in sympathy. Karloff immediately frightens us, while Elordi is the equivalent of a curious baby. Scream Queen Mia Goth gives a superb performance as Elizabeth, who is engaged to marry Victor’s brother. In her we see a woman who can match Victor’s intelligence but has a sense of gentleness and compassion.
Like any film by Guillermo Del Toro, the praise goes beyond the story and the actors: the set design, the wardrobe, the cinematography, and the soundtrack. The movie is visually stunning and is certain to bring home at least one Oscar for its production value. Horror movies are more divisive among the audiences, so I do not think Frankenstein will bring home any major awards, and almost certainly not Best Picture (the only horror movie to bring home that prize, The Silence of the Lambs, did so in 1992).
About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin Ganey has a lifelong passion for cinema that goes beyond simply watching films. He is the creator of CityOfCinema.com, a site devoted to movie analysis, and co-hosts the Moviehouse Mystics podcast with Koda Uhl, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.