Divas, I love movies. (And television, but this is about movies.) I love movies so much that I used to have an entire blog devoted to movies, I’ve taught classes about film, and I even hosted a local show devoted to movies. I don’t write much about movies these days, preferring to just keep my thoughts to myself (as I do on a number of other issues, as well). By the way, there is a “Cinema” tab here under the RESOURCES tab, but I keep that one limited to magnificent Diva movies.
However.
In a cinematic landscape littered with so-so films that disguise a lack of storytelling skill with CGI explosions, every now and then, something stands out to the point I need to tell you about it. And I just saw Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein last night. Del Toro is known for blending horror with fairy tales (generally the same thing, when you think about it a bit) and his filmmaking is lush, gorgeous, and incredibly thoughtful. With his take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus (the tale of writing that is a story in itself!), I think he’s created a new high-water mark on the story. Really.
I love the Karloff version and the sequel Bride of Frankenstein is one of those rare sequels that’s better than the first movie. (And look at the sleeves on her dress in the picture at the top of the post, then look at Elsa Lanchester in Bride. There are no coincidences on film.) Del Toro sticks far more closely to Shelley’s novel and his gift for making the grotesque beautiful and compelling has never been demonstrated more clearly. The cinematography will make you gasp and the costumes had BETTER get awards by the armful.
Like all movies, it’s not for everyone. Some won’t care for the deliberately languid pacing, others will be turned off by the lack of boombangpewpew. And that’s perfectly okay. For me, though – this is worth seeing on the big screen. (The movie is produced by Netflix, and had only a short theatrical release before being available on Netflix. If it gets re-released for awards season, I’m going.)
It’s a running joke that one mark of a movie fan is knowing that “Frankenstein” is the scientist and the monster. Del Toro knows that and never lets us forget it, either. The cast is fantastic, and learn the name of Jacob Elordi. You’ll be seeing him again.
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