Breathing New Life into “Frankenstein…”
I have to admit that I was not the biggest fan of the earlier video tales of Frankenstein and his monster. The story was old, crafted by Mary Shelley in 1816 as part of a friendly literary competition with her husband, friend Lord Byron, and one other to create a horror story, with hers published in 1818 likely the best and most enduring effort. I just grew tired of the repeated version of the Frankenstein monster as a powerful but lumbering dolt of limited intelligence and expressive capabilities…
That version of the Frankenstein monster was revised in the underrated movie, Van Helsing, with Hugh Jackman portraying a younger, dynamic version of the great monster hunter. The Frankenstein monster in that film was still appearance-impaired but quite articulate…the dude read poetry, for cripe’s sake! This was a thinking man’s Frankenstein…
Now enter Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstine! This monster is distinctly easier on the eyes, almost to the point of being ruggedly handsome. The creature can move, and as a muscular big guy (played by a 6’5″ actor), when we first encounter him basically naked he reminded me in appearance of the Engineer species in the Alien movie franchise..
This “monster” is more sinned against than sinning, and is underestimated grossly by his arrogant and egotistical creator, who tries to destroy his creation with fire. Fortunately, the “monster” proves both resourceful and resilient, and appears to have a “healing factor” capability at least as good as Marvel’s “Wolverine,” with bullets only slowing him down temporarily, and even explosions incapable of destroying him. Pursuing his creator into the arctic, this juggernaut in his cowl even projects kind of a “Phantom of the Opera” appearance at times, evolving into an articulate but tormented being who struggles against his own nature. You’ll find yourself rooting for this “monster,” really, even if he could use some cosmetic work!
We do see some classic elements of the original Frankenstein movie touched upon in this version with revisions, such as the blind hermit who befriends “The Monster.” When he returns to the hermit’s abode to find his friend under heavy attack by wolves, Frankenstein’s creation takes on an entire wolf pack by himself, weaponless but able to use his great strength and outrage to devastating effect on the wolves, hurling, crushing, and breaking them like a true avenger. A surviving wolf wisely runs away!
With great atmospherics and mood and attention to detail as well as proper respect shown to the source material, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is a masterpiece, and may be seen on Netflix…
Tags: del Toro's Frankenstein, film, frankenstein, horror, jacob-elordi, new Frankenstein movie, oscar-isaac
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FOXSYLVANIA 
November 13, 2025 at 10:43 pm
To be fair, the “Bride of Frankenstein” from Depression-era Universal did have Boris Karloff’s version of the Monster learning _some_ English! Courtesy of that same blind hermit. Peter Boyle’s version of the Monster (in “Young Frankenstein”) was absolutely and undeniably hilarious!
And, for both pathos and kick-butt savagery, the performance of Aaron Eckhart was criminally underrated in “I, Frankenstein” (from the same people who brought us the “Underworld” movies starring Kate Beckinsale).
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November 15, 2025 at 10:12 am
Early in the Guillermo del Toro film, the creature can only speak the first name of his creator, “Victor,” but acquires language as the movie progresses, and is pretty articulate by its end, even asking for a “companion,” a request not honored. It’s hard to tell if this creation would have been mellowed by a wife, but he does have kind of a smoldering, rugged sexuality due to the actor playing the part…
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November 15, 2025 at 1:44 pm
Don Guillermo loves his happy endings, all right. Even that cleaning woman from “The Shape of Water” found the Gill Man of her dreams!
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November 15, 2025 at 2:32 pm
The name of the Gill Man in the Hellboy movie is Abe Sapien, and actor Doug Jones also plays the amphibious character in The Shape of Water. Remarkable roles, both!
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November 15, 2025 at 3:37 pm
Yeah, but it’s the one who played Dr. Niles Crane who voiced Abe.
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November 14, 2025 at 5:37 pm
Speaking of superhuman reanimates….
As yesterday was the the Thirteenth of November (albeit, a Thursday), I binge-watched the first eight films in the F-13 franchise on PPV On Demand.
The original film was, of course, set in New Jersey on Friday, June 13, 1979. This is based on certain snippets of expository dialogue, plus the dates on Pamela Voorhees’ neglected grave marker, as seen and heard over the course of the next three films.
The first sequel, itself, explicitly mentioned that the events depicted therein were actually occurring five years later. With the events depicted in the second and third sequels evidently occurring over the next two days, thereafter. Thereby setting this entire trilogy of sequels during the summer of 1984.
Little Tommy Jarvis (as played by Corey Feldman) was age 12 at that time. So, given that he looked age 17 in the very next sequel, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 5 must be set in 1989. With the events depicted in PART 6: JASON LIVES occurring at least one year later.
But, if the prologue of PART 7: THE NEW BLOOD is contemporaneous with PART 6, then the bulk of the main narrative (which, according to the screen story, is set seven years in the generic near-future) must be occurring circa 1997! Which, in turn, creates a major time discrepancy with regard to PART 8: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN. Because the screen story for that sequel (the last _direct_ sequel in the original film franchise) has the bulk of the main narrative occurring one year _after_ the events depicted in Part 7!
In other words; 1998. Nine years into what was then the near-future of the film’s actual release date.
It’s here that the film franchise chronologically diverges. Giving Jason Voorhees _two_ possible ultimate fates. Does his ghost actually meet its long-overdue retribution in the after-life (as depicted in JGTH: THE FINAL FRIDAY)? Or do the Federal authorities finally succeed in capturing his corporeal body and keeping it in cryogenic stasis (as depicted in the prologue of JASON X)?
TRTBD.*
*That remains to be determined.
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November 14, 2025 at 9:11 pm
To be brutally honest, though? F-13 PART 6: JASON LIVES struck me as more of a metafictional self-parody. 😦
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