How well do the films Frankenstein (1932) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) present Mary Shelley's main themes or concerns?
...e to society’s prejudices. However, for simple-minded, horrific entertainment, the filmmakers replaced Mary Shelley’s complex, multisided creature with a groaning, murdering fiend worthy of no pity. Whereas the novel’s benevolent creature summarizes his general character by abstaining from stealing food from a family stricken with poverty whom for he even collects firewood, James Whale’s creation is simply a dumb oaf who terrorizes people maliciously. Though at times, he appears to be benevolent, such as when he interacts with the child, the trailer depicting his terrible destruction projects the filmmaker’s true views on the monster, whom they see as a malevolent fiend. Furthermore, while the initial presenter touched upon Frankenstein’s hubris, he did not so much as acknowledge the creature’s character development at all, revealing that the filmmakers elected to leave out that main concern of the novel. And in warning the viewer of the film’s “horrifying” and “shocking” contents, the presenter illustrates where the priorities of the filmmakers lie, because the novel is more tragic than terrifying. Basically, Whale completely scraps the creature’s complexity to create a Hollywood horror movie, which is the basis for his failure in presenting Mary Shelley’s themes in Frankenstein (1932). James Whale’s second film, Bride of Frankenstein (1935), conveys the novel’s messages relating to hubris effectively through character development of the demonic Dr. Pretorius and his corruption of Frankenstein’s mind. The theme that hubris is evil is very well presented within Dr. Pretorius, whose primary character trait is his strong desire to create life. And in likening the scientist to the devil, Whale smartly causes the viewer to associate hubris with evil through the two qualities’ dual existence in the scientist. The very first shot of Pretorius is a haunting close-up of the scientist’s mad, brooding eyes, and sinister sneer complemented with spine-tingling background music; all of which cleverly introduce to the audience his evil character. Furthermore, the maid that escorts him to meet with Frankenstein repeats Pretorius’s name thrice, recalling a medieval superstition that the devil’s name must be spoken aloud three times before he can be invited into human company. Filmmakers then reinforce the scientist’s demonic character when Frankenstein commands the maid to send Pretorius away just before he mysteriously enters through a backdoor, a demonstration of his dark power. Pretorius identifies himself as the devil later in the film when he shares with Frankenstein his successes in creating tiny humans and notes the resemblance of one to himself. In doing so, calls the mini-being “the very devil”, and validates his satanic side even further when he contemplates life “if [people] were all devils with no nonsense about angels and being good”. Not only does the demonic Pretorius ponder such a society, he actually wishes to contribute to its birth by creating “a new world of... monsters” which he celebrates with a toast. Pretorius’s actions also reflect those the devil. The satanic scientist fulfills his insane dream by manipulating the creature into kidnapping Frankenstein’s wife to force his colleague to help him. He even obtains a human heart by murdering an innocent person. And when put to the test, his evil proves to be stronger than that of two criminals who are disgusted with his practices, feeling that it “is no work for murderers”, and decide to turn themselves in rather than continue to work for the devil. The filmmaker also illustrates the evil of hubris through the contrast in Frankenstein’s behavior when Pretorius, representative of all evil, corrupts his mind at times, forcing him to act maniacally. When inflicted by the devil, the scientist regains his hubris. With a glazed look and an eery smile hinting at madness, the possessed Frankenstein describes “the power” he craves “to create a man”, as it is his “divine duty”. The scientist is immune to his wife’s rational objections to his “insane desire” to perform “devil’s work”, as the evil of hubris has taken a strong hold of him. However, when his mind is free of corruption, he resists Pretorius’s evil plot. Though expressed quite differently than the novel, the theme is presented effectively. The monster in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) is effectively presented as the benevolent creature in the novel that is pushed to violence because of rejection from a prejudiced society. Because of the character’s malevolent acts in the previous film, James Whale was forced to humanize the creature before he could be pushed to violence. By expertly mirroring events in the book, the new, compassionate monster endears himself to the viewer by attempting to save a girl from drowning, but he is rewarded for his heroic deed by being shot. This injustice and victimization of the creature inspires pity in the audience that makes the monster seem less malicious. Next the monster happens upon a blind man’s cottage, and for once he is greeted warmly, proving that the root of his rejection and resulting unhappiness lies within the prejudiced heart of society, thus nailing Mary Shelley’s theme. The old man, a character derived from De Lacy in the novel, believing the monster is simply mute, begins to teach him a few words. In doing so, he completely humanizes and civilizes the monster, and this transformation is symbolized in the imagery of the being smoking, drinking, and enjoying music. Perhaps the most powerful talent learned though, is the cre...