- Director : Kenneth Branagh
- Actors : Kenneth Branagh, Robert De Niro, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Hulce, Aidian Quinn
- Studio : Arrow Video
- Media Format : Anamorphic, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
- Run time : 2 hours and 3 minutes
- MPAA rating : R (Restricted)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Release date : April 12, 2022
Kenneth Branagh does well with
adaptations of William Shakespeare’s work, mostly because he seems to embrace
the melodrama of the stories with complete seriousness. This style was ideal
for Hamlet and Henry V, but when Branagh attempted to tackle his
own recreation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the results were slightly
over-the-top. There are a great many moments within the film, but they all seem
to come from the simpler and subtle performance by Robert De Niro as
Frankenstein’s famous monster. The film surrounding this performance edges on
campy, but without any of the self-awareness which may have made it more fun.
The creature
played by De Niro emerges from the womb of a lab created by mad scientist Victor
Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh), unable to support himself or speak properly. He
is born a complete man, assembled from various parts, but needing to relearn
all previously developed abilities. The skills of the men he is assembled with
are like a shadow to the creature, re-learning abilities much quicker than any
normal human could. Contrary to past film adaptations, the creature in this
film is filled with thoughts, questions, and insights. He only becomes a
monster when he is unable to feel love due to his monstrous appearance.
Where the film
seems to go wrong are the places where Branagh’s personal life interferes.
Branagh had wanted to cast his wife, Emma Thompson, in the romantic role of
Elizabeth, but she took another project that was better suited. In her place,
Branagh cast Helena Bonham Carter, who is spectacular in a brief finale that
combines the material from Bride of Frankenstein. At the same time, the
romantic entanglement between Elizabeth and Victor is an unsuccessful and
distracts from the better aspects of the film. On the other hand, the complicated
relationship between Frankenstein and his monster elevates the material in
creative new ways.
Although Mary
Shelley’s Frankenstein is nearly 30 years old, the Ultra HD Blu-ray release
from Arrow Films features a 4K restoration from the original camera negatives.
Along with a 4K UHD presentation in Dolby Vision, there is uncompressed stereo
audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound. There are also optional subtitles for
the hearing impaired.
The new release of
the film includes original newly commissioned artwork from Laz Marquez on a
reversible sleeve. The opposite side has the film’s original poster. The disc itself
also includes several new special features, as well as the first screen
adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel from 1910. The film’s original theatrical
trailers are also included. The new special features consist of the following:
- Brand
new audio commentary by film historians Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains
- Brand
new interview with composer Patrick Doyle
- Brand
new interview with costumer designer James Acheson
- Brand
new interview with make-up designer Daniel Parker
- Mary
Shelley and The Creation of a Monster, a brand new documentary featurette on the
origins and evolution of the Frankenstein story,
featuring Gothic specialists David Pirie, Jonathan Rigby and Stephen Volk
- Dissecting
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a brand new featurette with David Pirie, Jonathan
Rigby and Stephen Volk on the differences between the novel and Kenneth
Branagh’s screen adaptation
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 6.5/10
Special Features: 9/10
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