There have been many adaptations of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Perhaps the most famous being the 1931 Universal adaptation by James Whale.
But for years, fans have cried out for a more book-accurate version of the tale, and no director seemed better equipped for the challenge than Guillermo Del Toro, who has dreamed of directing this for years
While not entirely a beat-by-beat adaptation, Del Toro’s comes closest to capturing the atmosphere and aesthetic of the original book.
For those unfamiliar, the story of Frankenstein concerns Dr Victor Frankenstein who seeks to overcome death by building a man out of body parts collected from different means. When his creation comes to life, it ultimately leads to tragedy and destruction, exploring the nature of good & evil amongst other challenging themes.
The world Del Toro has created for Frankenstein is rich and exudes his signature style. Tamara Deverell’s set design both evokes the regency era and the classic Universal horror films. It’s ironically a Frankenstein of inspirations — a love letter to creatures and classic horror.
Dan Laustsen takes the viewer along on the journey with the cinematography, leading us into rooms in a way reminiscent of the scene in The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy first arrives in Oz and helping add to the massive scale.
The star of the show, however, is Jacob Elordi. His creature is equal parts tragic and foreboding , with his high stature and misunderstood character. He portrays the most humanistic of the on-screen creature adaptations yet, and it’s perhaps one of the greatest performances of not just the decade, but century in horror. The design by Mike Hill, seemingly drawing inspiration from Bernie Wrightson, is much closer to Shelley’s novel than the iconic Boris Karloff monster.
The film does deviate from the original text with Dr. Henry Clerval noticeably absent and the addition of a new character, Henrich Harlander who is a significant driver of the story in the first act of the film & the structure of the story is altered with the creature telling his story aboard the ship from the start of the film/novel rather than in a cave. There’s also much more of a focus on themes of fatherhood and forgiveness than the original, without straying too far into spoiler territory.
Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein is a stunning, finely crafted reimagining of Mary Shelley’s novel and is sure to please both current fans and introduce new ones to the timeless classic.
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
He/Him
Arts Editor 24/25
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