Commentary: ‘Frankenstein’ Reinvents An Icon

When a particular character inhabits the public consciousness for a long time — say a couple of centuries — it’s very hard to break its traditional presentation. Even if people have never experienced a story with that character, simply saying the name can bring forth images of what that character looks like. Think Darth Vader and Super Mario. Frankenstein’s monster is another character with a solid image in the public consciousness, so much so that people refer to the monster as simply Frankenstein. With his recent adaptation of Frankenstein, Guillermo del Toro sought to create a completely new kind of image for the creature. It was a tall undertaking, but he managed to re-envision the monster and move past its historical image.

The film starts off with a bang as a ship discovers Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) lost on the Arctic ice. They take him aboard, triggering the creature (Jacob Elordi) to come after him. The monster boards the ship, completely tearing through the crew. Afterwards, Victor tells his story about how he created the monster from body parts of soldiers who died. Once the creature is created, the story shifts to the creature’s perspective, as he tries to lead a peaceful life despite getting drawn back into violence.

Boris Karloff‘s version of Frankenstein’s monster has become the staple in pop culture. Versions of the character with stitches around the forehead and bolts in the neck — the design from the 1931 Universal film — can be seen in everything from action figures to lunch boxes. It’s very hard to break through such a firm image that’s become lodged in the public consciousness. However, del Toro has devised a creature that is equal parts grotesque and sleek. He’s not very bulky, but rather tall and lean. His disfigurements are obvious, but he’s not cumbersome. It allows him to be agile and nimble with his superhuman strength. It’s a version of the creature perfect for modern day sensibilities.

Frankenstein is now streaming on Netflix.