Check off these steps as you go:
- Meet in your group, and choose a date, time, and place that will work for everyone. The classroom will be available after school from 3-5pm by appointment for groups in need of a place for viewing (please indicate viewing device needed).
- Visit FrankensteinFilms.com and check out all the different films that were produced. Narrow down a list of a few your group is interested in.
- Check the availability of films. You can order it at the public library, rent it at a store, look up cable TV schedules, use Netflix, or find some other legal way of accessing a film.
NOTE: There are no excuses for not being able to obtain a copy of Frankenstein, as there are many versions, as well as many routes to entertainment today. - Choose a film and make arrangements for accessing it.
- View the film with your group.
- Discuss the film:
- Write a review for the blog. Include:
a. Film information: Date, director, producer, cast, etc.
b. Brief synopsis of the film (in your own words)
c. How it was adapted from the book or compares with the book
d. Most compelling part of the film
e. Disappointing part (if there was one)
f. Rate it (you can make up your own scale—thumbs up, stars, etc)
g. Include an image or link - Post it.
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ReplyDeleteFilm Fright Night Review
ReplyDeleteTitle: Young Frankenstein
Date: 1974
Director: Mel Brooks
Producer: Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder
Cast: Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Gene Hackman
Synopsis: Dr. Frankenstein's grandson finds his grandfather's personal journal, where he recorded his documentary of his creation. Then his grandson attempted his own experiment and succeeded in creating another creation.
Comparing to the Book: In the movie there were different characters added, than in the book. For example his grandson, Igor, pretty much everyone, except the creation. Also there was a different setting in the movie than the book. In the movie it took place in Transylvania and later in time, where in the book it takes place in Germany, and during Dr. Frankenstein’s early life.
Compelling Part of the Film: The most compelling part of the film was when it was building suspense while the ominous music was playing in the background while Dr. Frankenstein's grandson found his personal journal of his creation, through the secret passage way and laboratory.
Disappointing Part: The most disappointing part of the film was that it was in black and white.
Rating: We gave this film a 4 star rating because it was PG when really it should have been PG-13, from all the sexual innuendos.Dr. Frankenstein (Grandson) Igor (Dr. Frankenstein’s butler/serv ant)
Members in Group: Emily F., Heather D., Ali G., Yeliani, Kendra H.
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
ReplyDeleteDylan Henderson, Alex Louwenaar, Dale Vanderhart, Austyn Maynard, Jerrod Dennis
March 5, 1943
Director: Roy William Neil
Cast: Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Ilona Massey, Lionel Atwill, Maria Ouspenskaya, Patric Knowles
Producer: George Waggner
Synopsis: The plot begins in Wales, where two robbers break into the grave of the Wolf Man to rob it. When they open his coffin, the light of the moon revives him and he transforms into is werewolf formation. He kills one of the robbers and begins to roam the streets. He goes unconscious and returns to human form. He is taken to a hospital and soon escapes. He is wishing to die. He then seeks out a gypsy to find help.
The gypsy, Maleva, tells him to find the man known as Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein. They go out to Vasaria to seek him out; only to find out he is dead. They then begin to find his diary. After unsuccessfully looking, they find out that one of his descendants is still alive: Ludwig’s daughter Elsa Frankenstein.
The Wolf Man attempts to recover the books from Elsa. She refuses to give them up. A man by the name of Dr. Manning helps them find the location of the books. They end up coming across Frankenstein’s monster. Both the Wolf Man and Frankenstein begin to fight for their lives. They were both killed by an angry villager who blew up a nearby dam.
Adaptation: the movie is a series of movies that have spinoffs that have direct ties to the book.
Best Part: the resurrection the Wolf Man at the beginning was definitely the coolest part. There were no disappointing parts.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Doctormacro.com
Post 2
ReplyDeleteAdaption by Joleigha Harrington
Many aspects of the novel were adapted into Van Helsing. Frankenstein's creature himself played an important role in the film. In both, he was the key to creating life and much of his character remained the same. He was shunned by humans, and called a monster,while longing to be loved and accepted. The concept of creating life was a major theme in the movie that derived from the book.
However, the concept of mythological creatures such as vampires and werewolves, has no bearings in the novel. The physical traits of the monster in the movie also differ from the novel’s description. In the novel,the creature has all beautiful human parts, but form together to make a hideous monster. His skin is so tight it shows his veins and his teeth are too white while his skin is too yellow. In the movie, his skin is blue, his brain is exposed, and he has a fleshy face. All of those traits combined give him more of a supernatural look.
Most Compelling Part of the Film: by Breeanna Hodel
The fight between Van Helsing and Dracula when Van Helsing is a werewolf is extremely compelling. The two of them know that only a werewolf can kill Dracula, making this fight a fight to the death. All the while, Anna and Carl are fighting the last of the three brides for the cure for a werewolf bite.
Most Disappointing Part of the Film: by Mackenzie Murphy
Although Frankenstein and his Monster are introduced in the very beginning of the movie, as we move towards the middle of the film(where the majority of the plot unfolds), the lack of appearances made by Frankenstein and his Monster is disappointing. In fact, Victor Frankenstein disappears from the movie entirely, as he no longer plays an important role in the progression of the plot. The lack of incorporation of Victor can be found disappointing. Frankenstein’s Monster, however, reappears during the climax of the film, and remains for the remainder of the movie.
Many of the themes present in Frankenstein are apparent in the Monster in Van Helsing. The Monster, just as he does in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is lonely, as he has no companion. He seeks to form relationships with the main characters in the film, constantly burdened by loneliness. The Monster also displays bouts of anger, a trait similar to ones found in the book. These similarities ultimately make up for the lapse of appearances made by the Monster in the middle of the film, as the work of Shelley is accurately reflected in the characterization of the Monster.
Another disappointment can be found away from the Monster, when we look towards a few of the more principal characters. Anna Valerious, the heroine of the film, dies in resolution of the film. Anna’s death is not only disappointing but also frustrating, as her survival is crucial to the main problem proposed throughout the film.
Rating: 3/5 Stars.
Van Helsing (Post 1)
ReplyDeleteFilm Information: by Kate Jager
Plot: In 1887, transylvanian doctor Frankenstein (Samuel West) brings to life his monster (Shuler Hensley) with the aid of his assistant Igor (Kevin J. O’Connor) and Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh). Dracula kills Victor after revealing that he helped him only so he could use Frankenstein’s monster to bring his undead children to life, although this plan is revealed to the doctor off screen. The monster escapes to a windmill which is burned down by a pursuing mob. The mob flees as Dracula and his three brides, Verona, Aleera, and Marishka, mourn the loss of Victor and the monster and their chance to bring their children to life.
Cast: Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing, Richard Roxburgh as Dracula, Shuler Hensley as the Frankenstein monster and Kate Beckinsale as Anna, Samuel West as Doctor Frankenstein.
Box Office: $300,257,475
Release Date: May 7th, 2004
Written, Directed and Produced by: Stephen Sommers
Film Score: Alan Silvestri
Physical Structure of the Monster: Large and bulky, carrying the same traits as Boris Karloff’s portrayal in 1931 such as the bolts in the neck and a flat head. He also has a visible brain and heart encased in glass and those glow green. He has an engine in his left leg. He is 8 to 9 feet tall, gruesome scars and pale blue skin. His electricity is emphasized with an electrified crystal in the back of his head and over his heart.
Q&A: Who do Anna and Van Helsing find under the ruined windmill? Frankenstein’s monster. At the beginning of the movie, a black and white sequence shows the monster fleeing to an abandoned windmill, carrying the dead body of his creator. An Enraged mob of villagers burn down the windmill, with the monster and Victor trapped inside.
Film Synopsis by Makayla Holloway
Gabriel Van Helsing has been ordered by the Vatican to search out and destroy Count Vladislaus Dracula. Van Helsing does not like the idea because he is looked on as a monster that has been killing, when in reality he is just doing what he was ordered and some missions went wrong. He is also trying to find out more about his past because his memory was lost. When he gets to Transylvania he is not welcome by the Princess Anna, while there, he finds out more about his past along with fighting off all of the creatures that attack Transylvania. In the end he finds out what happened in his past, vanquishing Dracula, and falling in love with Anna. Although he accidently killed the princess with killing Dracula he let all of her family rest in heaven, along with not looking like the monster that he was labeled earlier.
Van Helsing
ReplyDeleteReleased: May 7, 2004 Director & Producer: Stephen Sommers
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, David Wenham, Richard Roxburgh
Synopsis: The movie starts out with towns people of Transylvania rushing at Victor Frankenstein while he is creating the monster. The creature comes alive and Dracula kills Victor. The monster runs away to near windmill where the townspeople burn it down with the creature in it, making it seem that he is dead. In then turns to Van Helsing, a man who works for the Vatican to kill off creatures that are a risk to human kind. Van Helsing is seen by the public as a murderer and he doesnt remember his life before he started working for them. He is sent to help the remaining members of a royal family kill the famous vampire, Dracula. When he first meets Princess Anna they are attacked by 3 of Dracula's brides. They kill one and he is upset by this because he was trying to brings his offspring alive, which are born dead. Dracula tries using Victor Frankensteins machine to do this but he needs the monster, which is the key. Van Helsing and Anna travel to the castle in Transylvania to the windmill and find that the monster is actually alive. They try to bring him back to rome but then Dracula sends a werewolf to get him and it ends up biting Van Helsing, giving him the curse. This turns out to be a good thing when they find that only a werewolf can kill Dracula. Van Helsing, Anna, and his assistant Carl go to Dracula's castle where he is using the monster to bring his offspring alive. Van Helsing saves the monster and kills Draculabut then accidentally kills Anna when she gives him the antidote. The movie ends with Anna's body being burned and they her reunited with her family in the afterlife.
Comparison to Book: The movie shows the creation of the monster and then shows an interesting way of how they use the monster to bring the offspring of Dracula alive. The movie shows the appearance of the creature very differently too.
Most Compelling Part: The most compelling part was the battle between Van Helsing and Dracula. The two would go in and out of their werewolf/vampire versions. Dracula told Van Helsing that is was him who killed his human version and said he could give him back his memories if he joined him. It was very interesting.
Most Disappointing Part: The movie could have told the back story of the royal family and Dracula a little clearly and the back story of Van Helsing.
Rating: We gave this movie a 4 out of 5 starts. It was very interesting and compelling to watch. A great movie and we would highly recommend it.
Group Members: Brandon K, Danyon V, Rachel V
Sam, colton, kenna, jake, marty
ReplyDeleteFilm fright night
Date: release date Oct. 12, 1994
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Producer: Francis Ford Cappola
Cast:
• The Creation (Robert De Niro) - The product of an experiment with corpses and electricity.
• Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) - The Creation's creator, a scientist obsessed with conquering death.
• Henry Clerval (Tom Hulce) - Dr. Frankenstein's best friend from medical school.
• Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) - Frankenstein's fiancée and adoptive sister
• Baron Frankenstein (Ian Holm) - Victor Frankenstein's father.
• Professor Waldman (John Cleese) - Frankenstein's tutor and colleague who shares his interest in creating life. His brain is later used for the creature.
• Captain Robert Walton (Aidan Quinn) - The commander of the ship which picks up Frankenstein in the Arctic Circle.
• Justine Moritz (Trevyn McDowell) - A worker in the Frankenstein household who is close friends with Elizabeth.
• Mrs. Moritz (Celia Imrie) - The head servant in the household who often fights with Justine.
• Caroline Frankenstein (Cherie Lunghi) - Victor's mother who dies during the birth of his younger brother, William.
• William Frankenstein (Ryan Smith) - Victor's younger brother.
Synopsis
Victor Frankenstein a young doctor whose obsession with death leads him to create a new life, he then rejects his creation and the monster swears revenge.
Compare and contrast
The crew first met victor Frankenstein, and in the book they say the monster first and then met Frankenstein. Also in the movie Frankenstein was being chased by the creature. The next change we noticed in the book the relationship between victor and Elizabeth where not engaged and where affectionate in their letters, but in the movie victor had already proposed to her before he left Ingolstadt. Lastly in the book victors mom dies of scarlet fever and in the movie she dies giving birth.
Disappointing part
They make victor seem too heroic in the movie. In the book he abandons the creature and doesn’t take any reasonability for creating it. So I don’t think the movie should have made him that heroic.
Compelling part
The most compelling part of the movie is the way the creature kills Elizabeth. In the book it said he just strangled her and left, but in the movie it said he ripped out her heart and when victor finds him he throws her heart at him and says I keep my promises.
Rate
I would rate the movie 7 out of 10; it was just alright to me.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=frankenstein&um=1&safe=active&sa=N&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=843&tbm=isch&tbnid=E_EHS7kyzVlh0M:&imgrefurl=http://www.feedbooks.com/book/91/frankenstein&docid=8y33e2WEOsdaFM&imgurl=http://covers.feedbooks.net/book/91.jpg%253Fsize%253Dlarge%2526t%253D1364072581&w=260&h=346&ei=BjSSUZyPGoPJywGfyoDYDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=578&vpy=392&dur=203&hovh=259&hovw=195&tx=102&ty=153&page=1&tbnh=149&tbnw=112&start=0&ndsp=45&ved=1t:429,r:23,s:0,i:158
Film Information...
ReplyDeleteFrom (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_wr#writers) and (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/)
Above link is the IMDB page for "Young Frankenstein"
Date Released: December 15, 1974. Director: Mel Brooks. Cast: Gene Wilder; Dr. Frankenstein, Peter Boyle; The Monster, Marty Feldman; Igor, Teri Garr; Inga, Cloris Leachman; Frau Blücher. Writers: Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks. Producer: Michael Gruskoff. Music: John Morris. Editing: John C. Howard.
Young Frankenstein
This movie is centered around Frederick Frankenstein, the infamous Victor Frankenstein's grandson. Frederick is a teacher and neurosurgeon that inherits his grandfathers home, which is a giant, gothic-looking castle. He spends the first half of the movie ashamed of his ancestor and even pronounces his last name Frankenstein like "Fronkensteen" to show a difference between him and Victor. He completely denounces his grandfather's work and believes it to be impossible. However, when Victor's diary is found, it has his secrets to creating life stowed within it, and Frederick has a change of heart. Unfortunately, much goes wrong when an abnormal brain is implanted into the monster and Frederick's wife comes to town.
"Young Frankenstein" takes place many years after Victor Frankenstein's creation of the monster, long enough for him to have a son and grandson. This movie does have many similarities with the book, however it is not so much a motion-picture rendering of it, but more like a comedic sequel. It still keeps the basic theme of reanimation, but stays away from the original story. Mel Brooks smartly uses this sequel-like storyline to his advantage, giving him the freedom to do a very different story, while still keeping the famous title "Frankenstein." It is still not very accurate with the book, considering that in the book, Victor Frankenstein and his wife die before they have children, but the way it is presented, it is easy to overlook.
I think the biggest and most important part of the movie was simply when Frederick said "I am a Frankenstein!" Now, reading this it may mean nothing to you, but this part is all in the way he pronounces it. He no longer uses is odd pronunciation "Fronkensteen", but says it the correct away. How is this important? Well first of all, while this movie is a comedy, it is one of the few times this movie is serious and has some meaning. This is also where Frederick accepts the fact that he is a descendant of Victor, and is no longer ashamed of that fact, but embraces it, carrying out in his work. In a sense, he is accepting who he really is. We all could take something from that: to accept who we are, and not to deny and suppress parts of ourself, because it can create much turmoil within you.
I have to say there really wasn't much that was disappointing about this film. It could have been disappointing if you were really expecting, and wanted, a serious and scary Frankenstein movie. While this movie is strange in the fact that, unlike the book and other movies, it is a comedy, I think Mel Brooks does a fine job making the movie funny and still staying with the Frankenstein theme. Because of this, I am giving this movie an 8.5 out of 10. This movie truly is a classic that everyone should see, even if it may be off-putting and astray from the book.
Work Credit: All did a portion of each section. Then Kayl Black put together.