Guillermo del Toro is a Mexican filmmaker who developed an interest in movies when he was a young boy due to his grandmother. He is known for infusing gothic and fairytale themes especially in his dark fantasy works like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water. Since his childhood, he has created a name for himself in the film industry and has further cemented his legacy with his newest film, Frankenstein, which aired in select theaters in October and just recently started streaming on Netflix on November 7.
Guillermo first watched the 1931 version of Frankenstein as a child in Mexico. From his first time watching it as a child until now, Guillermo decided to reimagine Mary Shelley’s novel, creating a final story but from the monster’s point of view. More than anything, he wanted to explore how monsters were misunderstood and what the definition of a monster really was. Guillermo reinforces the concept of a monster’s definition from the quote, “Only monsters play God.” This contradicted the original story of Frankenstein, directing the negative opinions on Victor, the Creature’s creator.
The reimagined story starts with the creation of the Creature by Victor Frankenstein, and the initial portrayal of it yearning for acceptance but only finding rejection from its creator. It then follows the path to vengeance that the Creature takes, but ultimately the Creature finds in itself the ability to forgive Victor and accept the new reality that it’s in. Through pain and suffering, the film dives into the relationship between fathers and sons, as well as the idea of forgiveness. Unlike Mary Shelley’s tragic ending that left both monster and man without closure, Guillermo emphasizes forgiveness as a path to humanity and compassion.
The cast included known actors and actresses like Jacob Elordi (the Creature), Oscar Issac (Victor Frankenstein), Mia Goth (Lady Elizabeth Harlander and Baroness Claire Frankenstein), and many others. A student at HHS, Charlotte McViney, said, “The movie seems really good especially with such known members in the film industry. The cast is what intrigues me to watch it.” Many people, like Charlotte McViney, are interested in movies due to its cast, so with the combination of big names as well as the reimagined popular story, the film since its release, and most likely onward, has been a hit.
Others have voiced their excitement and anticipation for watching the movie, including another HHS student, Aria Giardino, saying, “I recently saw the trailer and I’m interested to watch it and compare it to other versions of the story.” Due to the film being an adaption of the original novel, as well as a reinterpreted version of the story in the book and the 1931 movie, many find interest in a modernized version of it, so it’s not surprising that such a film grabs the attention of many.
Guillermo del Toro’s new movie is a great choice for your next movie night. It might be past Halloween, but the film is still perfect for the winter season. While James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein will forever remain the classic version of the story, Guillermo’s deserves to be recognized alongside it as a remarkable continuation of the Frankenstein story.
