Frankenstein

Another take on a horror classic

We’re all familiar with Boris Karloff’s performance as the monster in Universal Pictures’ 1931 film. His depiction of the creature has had a lasting impact on American culture, especially the horror genre. I recently stumbled upon Emma Jensen and Haifaa Al-Mansour’s fascinating 2017 drama about the life of the author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley. This film motivated me to actually read her classic book. After reading it, I discovered that the plot of the book is radically different from the iconic 1931 film adaption. The novel has a level of depth that is far above the storyline of that film. So, upon completing it, I wanted to watch a film version that was closer to the original novel. Critics have indicated that this miniseries produced in 2004 by Hallmark Entertainment stays very close to the original plot of the novel.

Although I grew up watching Universal Pictures’ take on the Frankenstein tale, as an adult I feel more drawn to the story that is told in Mary Shelley’s classic novel. And this miniseries does a good job of examining the major themes that are presented in the book including love, isolation, the boundaries of scientific experimentation, religious belief and ethics, and what it means to be human. However, I would still recommend reading the book first, and then watching this miniseries. And yes, you can still be a fan of the Karloff Frankenstein films.