Lights, Camera, Modern Depiction: Part One
- Brandy Bennett
- Nov 4, 2025
- 2 min read
Written by: Brandy R. Bennett
The movie "Frankenstein" directed by Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro was released to select theatres October 17th, 2025. This movie will be released for streaming on Netflix
November 07, 2025. The movie is a depiction of the novel Frankenstein written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley in the year 1818. The genre for Frankenstein is a combination of Gothic and Science Fiction with the new film being rated R. In anticipation of the release date cultured Frankensteinians have several avenues to explore beforehand. Film enthusiast awaiting the streaming release date could read or reread the novel Frankenstein to curb the anticipation. This will allow a direct comparison between the writing of Mary Shelley and the film adaptation created by Del Toro. The film is more than entertainment as was the novel. There is deep meaning in Frankenstein the novel and all of the film adaptations.
The first Frankenstein film adaption was the silent movie Frankenstein produced by Edison Studios in 1910 by director J. Searle Dawley. This movie was not technically enhanced when compared to the movies of modern day. Although, this was high-tech for the time in which this movie was created. There are many film recreations of Frankenstein, with other versions remembered as monster movies. The 1931 film Frankenstein which was naturally followed by Bride of Frankenstein in 1935 that were both directed by James Whale. In the novel the creature desires a companion allowing exploration of the ideal through film. These early monster movies set the tone for the science fiction genre and gothic romance on film.
Netflix has the film Mary Shelley a period-drama that depicts the life of Mary Shelley. This film was produced in 2017 providing the circumstances that developed for the author of Frankenstein. Although, the film was criticized for not being completely accurate. The depiction of Mary Shelley's life in this film is accurate enough to understand that her life circumstances was cause for her written work, the novel Frankenstein. The film starts with background of Shelly's family life that allowed her to be well-read. The viewers will understand the family dynamic, and plight of Shelley as a woman writer from this time period.
The setting is accurately depicted with historical characters that enhanced the experience of Shelley's persona. She was brazen in this movie as well as vulnerable. These two qualities play through in her novel showing that the creature could be misunderstood.
Part II of this blog will be a movie review of Del Toro's film Frankenstein.
Comments