Friday Flix: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

   I've mentioned in previous posts that I'm something of a vampire geek.  This extends to other things of a semi-gothic nature as well, a prime example being the book Frankenstein.  It was 100x better than I could have anticipated and nothing like I expected.  I wont go into a rant on how terrible most film addaptations are, but let it suffice to say there is only one I've seen that I feel is faithful to the spirit of the book. Yes, this film is "old" (1994) but seriously who cares?  It's awesome and that is that.
   The film, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is direct by and stars Kenneth Branagh, as well as Sir Ian Holm, Robert De Nero and Helena Bonham Carter.  While that is really all you should need to know to make you run out and see it immediately I will give you a little background.   Branagh plays Victor Frankenstein, a kind, funny and highly intelligent medical student.  Helena Bonham Carter is simply lovely as Elizabeth, Victor's best friend and love. Robert De Nero plays Dr. Frankenstein's creation, known simply as The Creature.   Contrary to the greenish hued Boris Karloff version, The Creature is actually highly intelligent, sensitive, fast and incredibly strong.  Angry at his maker for being abandoned to fend for himself in a very harsh world, The Creature sets out to find him and seek his revenge.
   With a few select exceptions, I'm not much of a horror movie fan, but this is not at all what I would consider a horror film.  More like an epic period drama/romance/adventure film.  If you like any of those, see it.  Or if you like to plan ahead and you are just looking for a respectable pseudo-creature-horror film to put on your October movie list, see it.  Or if you just fancy the idea of a gratuitously shirtless Kenneth Branagh and a "Frankenstein Monster" without bolts in his neck, see it.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus: The 1818 Text (Oxford World's Classics)