“It's Alive! It's Alive!” - Review of Frankenstein (1931)
Akin Sowewimo
Guest Writer
The story of Henry Frankenstein and his monster is an age-old classic, but although the film that first brought it all to life has faded from memory, the image of the monster lives on. The giant bolts protruding from his neck, the dead eyes and the horrible moaning, to date Frankenstein’s monster remains one of the scariest creatures ever to grace the silver screen. The 1931 film by James Whale adapted from Mary Shelley’s novel is one of the best horror films of all time. While the idea of a black and white film might be daunting to a modern film-goer, this is one film that has got to be seen. If not for the kind of thrill that most of us have come to expect then certainly for what is definitely an extremely engrossing story of medicine and one doctor's arrogant and dangerous attempt to recreate life. Think Dolly the Sheep, but instead of short telomeres think rotting limbs.
The story centres on the character of Frankenstein, played by Colin Clive, an intelligent, egotistical and arguably misguided doctor, who locks himself away in a desolate, spooky windmill where he attempts and later succeeds in reanimating dead tissue, thereby creating the Monster. Clive is haunting as Frankenstein as he communicates across the doctor's maddening desire to cast the laws of life and death asunder. Only the love of Elizabeth Lavenza, his fiancée, played by Mae Clark, a beauty from the 1930s, humanises the character of Frankenstein. Elizabeth, who is desperately in love with Frankenstein, calls upon the doctor’s old professor and a friend of his, Victor Moritz, to help her pull him back from the brink of insanity. Unfortunately they are too late and Frankenstein succeeds in his evil plans. Enter Boris Karloff who steals the show as the monster. Despite being an unknown actor at the time, his performance is legendary. He plays the monster with such compassion that despite his origins and appearance the audience invariably find themselves rooting for this lost, desperate soul who was created by the folly and hubris of a mad genius. The monster struggles with his identity, and having been created artificially he searches for the meaning of his life. Unfortunately chaos ensues after the monster escapes and in his wanderings is persecuted and reviled by almost everyone save a little girl who he accidentally kills.
The theme in this film of greatest relevance to medical students is the question of scientific advancement and the issues of ethics and morality that are inevitably involved. I found that I resonated with Frankenstein’s desire to achieve greatness but couldn’t help wondering about the morality of creating life. Are there some lines medicine should never cross?
My issues with this film were that it represents a different era in the history of cinema, a time before special effects became the chief method of terrifying the audience. For most of us who have become desensitized to anything other than exposed innards and silent unkempt little girls (I'm thinking The Ring here), this film might feel a little light on the horror and even less so on the violence, but it is still a great film.
All in all, with amazing acting by Karloff and Clive, a timeless story and the beauty of a black and white film I believe this movie is a must-see. If you’re looking to wet yourself however, I’d look elsewhere.
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