It's alive! The many faces of Frankenstein's monster

The story of Frankenstein’s monster has been adapted for the screen countless times. The latest take is *The Bride!*, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal . It is in many ways an ambitious film that combines Gothic romance, a crime story and a feminist perspective. The recent Oscar winner Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) plays in the film not only Frankenstein’s bride but also the author who created the story in the film’s frame narrative. Frankenstein’s monster, whose name is simply Frank, is played by Christian Bale. Visually stunning and ambitious in many ways, this major production received a mixed reception, but it also has clear merits.

MaryShelley’s Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus was published in 1818. The novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, who constructs a living creature from the parts of the dead. It is regarded as a monster, even though it is not evil by nature. Because the world rejects the creature, it becomes what others perceive it to be.

There have been hundreds of film adaptations of Frankenstein’s monster, some of which take considerable liberties with the story. Frankenstein has been adapted into comedies and animations, but the basic premise is generally the same. The most significant Frankenstein films were directed by James Whale. The 1931 Frankenstein brought the monster to life. Portrayed by Boris Karloff, the flat-headed, scarred monster became an iconic figure. Whale’s visually stunning film begins with a warning urging the viewer to brace themselves, as the story may be shocking. Yet Whale makes the monster human. The monster, played by Karloff, is a lonely figure searching for his place in the world.

Whale made a sequel to the film in 1935, and it takes the story deeper. The Bride of Frankenstein is one of the best sequels in film history. Victor Frankenstein has given up his mad experiments, but his even more deranged colleague, Dr Pretorius, persuades him to create a companion for the monster: Frankenstein’s Bride.

Whalen’s films turned the monster into a tragic figure, but the British Hammer production The Curse of Frankenstein ( 1957) turned the tables. It too is an undisputed classic of the Frankenstein films. Directed by Terence Fisher, the film does not focus primarily on the monster but on Victor Frankenstein. The baron, played by Peter Cushing , is not a romantic scientist, but a cold and obsessive character who is prepared to do anything to achieve his goals. The tragedy of the monster is not merely born of rejection, but also of a scientific experiment gone horribly wrong. Whilst Whale’s films were still in black and white, The Curse of Frankenstein was Hammer’s first colour horror film, and it brought something new to the story.

Even more novelty was brought by Mel Brooks’s Young Frankenstein ( 1974). It shows just how deeply the story is rooted. Young Frankenstein is a parody, but it does not mock its subject. Brooks imitates the visual style of Whalen’s films and uses even the same sets, but turns the story into a comedy. All the key elements are still present, even though the tone is light-hearted. Brooks’s film reminds us that Frankenstein is not just a dark tale. It is also absurd, and therefore timeless.

Directed byKenneth Branagh , Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) returned the story to its roots. From the film’s title onwards, Branagh wanted to remain faithful to the novel and focused particularly on the monster.

Thecreature, played byRobert De Niro, is neither mute nor simple. It speaks, thinks and understands. The monster asks if it has a soul and craves acceptance. The film’s strongest moments arise from this inner struggle. The monster is not merely a victim or a threat. It is a moral being who suffers.

TimBurton’s Frankenweenie transported the story to a completely different world. Burton originally made Frankenweenie as a short film in 1984 and expanded it into a feature-length stop-motion animation in 2012. The film is a simple variation on the story of Frankenstein . A boy loses his pet and tries to bring it back to life. Burton’s distinctive style is very much present, but at its heart lies the classic tale. At the same time, Frankenweenie pays homage to old horror films. It shows that a story doesn’t need a grand scale to work.

Last year saw the release of Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning Frankenstein, which in turn is close to Shelley’s vision. Del Toro’s focus is on the monster, who, portrayed by Jacob Elord , becomes very human. Del Toro’s stylish film has unfortunately only been released on Netflix.

In addition to these highlights, countless other films have been made about Frankenstein, ranging from one extreme to the other. The sheer number of titles alone shows just how iconic the story is.

The character of Frankenstein’s bride has always been unfinished. In the book, she remains merely an idea. In Whale’s film, she is born but is not given a voice. The bride is created to serve another’s needs, and her existence is defined from the outside. Gyllenhaal’s *The Bride!* , on the other hand , aims to do what previous versions failed to do by giving the Bride a voice. The Bride is a victim of violence, yet at the same time an active agent. Furthermore, Gyllenhaal’s take expands the story’s genre in many directions, as it also develops into a sort of twisted romantic adventure set in the world of 1930s gangster films: Bonnie and Clyde has clearly provided inspiration.

The story of Frankenstein is the eternal question of what happens when a human being attempts to create life. The Bride! does not provide a clear answer to this, but it demonstrates that the story of Frankenstein lives on.