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Actors: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Edward Van Sloan, Dwight Frye, Mae Clark
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Frankenstein |
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Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) is a scientist obsessed with creating a human out of dead bodies and then bringing it too life. He and his assistant Fritz (Dwight Frye) scavenge the graves of the recently buried to find the parts. Henry tells Fritz to steal a brain from a university, but he drops the normal brain and steals the criminal one. Meanwhile, Henry's fiancee (Mae Clarke) and friend (John Boles)worry about his obsession, and go see his former mentor Dr. Waldman (Edward van Sloan). Together, the three of them visit Henry on the same night he plans to bring his creation to life. He bristles when they call him crazy, and invite them to watch the experiment. As a storm rages outside, he manages to bring the creature to life. He is proud of his experiment and quite gentle with him at first, but Fritz torments the Monster (Boris Karloff), and the criminal brain takes over. Disgusted and horrified by the Monster's actions, Henry abandons him to the care of Dr. Waldman. But the Monster ecsapes, and comes to the village to track down Henry on his wedding day.
--Hannah, Resident Scholar
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Scientist/doctor Henry Frankenstein (Clive) and his assistant Fritz (Frye) are exhuming corpses and cutting down hanged criminals to fabricate a full human body. Dr. Frankenstein is trying to find a cure for death. He needs a brain to complete his experiment and sends Fritz to get a good one from the medical school. Fritz is spooked by lightening and drops the good one, in it's place he leaves with a deranged criminal brain. While he is working to bring his creation to life, he is paid an unexpected visit by his fiancée (Clarke), his friend Victor and Dr. Waldman (Van Sloan). They find out what he is up to and are shocked at the level of his madness. He sends the creature up into the skylight of the lab to be electrified during the storm and it returns alive!
Dismayed because the creature is enraged and uncontrollable he turns the care of it over to the sadistic Fritz, who torments the monster (Karloff) with fiery torches and a whip. The monster kills Fritz (hangs him on his own whip) and is subdued with a powerful injection of a sedative. Frankenstein is distracted back to reality with the plans for his upcoming wedding to Elizabeth. Waldman sets about the dissection and disposal of the creature when the sedative wears off. He is strangled and the monster flees the castle. The monster is confronted with a little girl sitting by a pond. She throws flowers into the water and encourages the creature to do so. He obliges until the flowers run out. He accidentally throws her in and she drowns.
The wedding proceedings are stopped, as the monster is thought to be behind the murder. The monster comes into Elizabeth's bedroom, she screams, and he flees. The manhunt is on and the creature is tracked into the mountains where he overpowers Frankenstein and hauls him up into an old windmill. The mill is set afire and the doctor is tossed over the railing. The mill collapses onto the monster and then burns to the ground as Frankenstein is carried away.
--David Fletcher, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Frankenstein |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 40%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
**Fantasy or Science Fiction?**
- science fiction story
Character operated on/altered?
Yes
Kind of alteration:
- turned into a monster or alien
Horror film?
Yes
Kind of Horror Story
- the monster chased me!
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- scientist
- doctor
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
- obsessed
- deluded
- emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/medium straight
Body type
- very skinny (man)
- average (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
Ethnicity/Nationality
- German
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
- hard edged
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Genius
Physique
- average physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavy
Body type
- ample chest & buttocks (female)
How much in movie?
- 40%
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- German
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- An "It".
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- killer
- criminal
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- super strength
Eccentric:
Yes
- wild
- mentally ill
- emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 60%
- 90%-100%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (man) very short/crewcut
Body type
- muscular (man)
Ethnicity
- German
Intelligence
- Retarded
- Ordinary Dumb
Physical condition
- bulging muscles
How sensitive is this character?
- a soggy, whimpering jelly muffin
Setting
Earth setting:
- 19th century
- 20th Century (1900-1950)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Mountains?
Yes
Misc settings
- fort/castle
- lab
Small town?
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
- very explicit references to deaths and torture
Tone of movie
- fearful
Comedy or somewhat funny movie?
Yes
Check here if B&W
Yes
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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