In the pages leading up to the monster’s animation, Frankenstein describe an extreme occupation with the task of creation. Everything else falls to the wayside for the near entire 2 years he worked towards his monster. It almost consumes him. Yet after the monster comes to life, Frankenstein exhibits both elation and intense anxiety, describing that, “the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room…” (35). I always imagine the moments leading up to the monster’s life with a somber and discouraged tone, however afterwords it is almost bittersweet in success and regret. It is easy to see how the two clips dramatize this scene. They both focus on the feeling of power over creation, rather than the fear of it. Especially the clip from the 1994 movie, which really played on heightened sense of power. Even the actor in that clip looks ripped and in amazing health, even though the novel clearly described how Frankenstein let his health degrade due to his obsession. Yet the director, Branagh, wanted to emphasize godly power not only through the act of creating, but be having the actor look powerful as well. The other clip from 1931 almost seems like it wanted to play on the “madness” of Frankenstein. The lab coat, henchman, and strange language all exhibit qualities of a “mad scientist” rather than a man with godly power. However, neither clip showed the anxiety or fear which Mary Shelley describes in the novel.
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I think that you bring up a very interesting point about the portrayal of power in the clip from the 1994 movie. There are many elements present throughout this clip that showcase Frankenstein’s frenzied manner. Apart from the actor’s physical appearance, the background music also greatly contributes to “the feeling of power over creation.” The tempo of the music foreshadows Frankenstein’s success in infusing life into his creation. Frankenstein’s verbal outbursts also lead us to believe that he feels empowered as opposed to frightened. The combination of these elements portray a much more positive reaction to the Creature’s birth when compared to Shelley’s novel.