Ive finally finished reading Frankenstein. I was totally taken by surprise just how far from the Hollywood or Hammer Film versions this book was. I can now see why a movie version thats true to the original book can never, ever be made. Here are a few profound reasons....
1 ) The books all about the emotions of the monster thats being created, and how alienated he feels from the world. An articulate monster does not fit with movie stereo types. How can a killer be emotional and philosophical ? A modern taboo. Audiences would run....
2 ) The monster kills those closest to his creator as a punishment for the misery he now faces being alone in the world as an outcast. No one is saved. No surprise last minute happy out comes. People die, people suffer. To unacceptable in a unrelenting manner for today's film watcher
3 ) Frankensteins creator dies having failed to destroy the monster he created. No happy endings here. Messy loose ends abound...
4 ) The monster decides to destroy himself. No great good versus evil finale here !!! A damp squib ending by modern standards. Today we like nice tidy moral conclusions to our films.
Maybe most strange of all though is that modern film versions are all about how the monster is created and brought to life. There are NO details in the book about this scene. Its all very low key. Its rather funny as this scene is the bread and butter of all film adaptations ( I think the word adaptations is pushing it a little here lol ) . No, I have never seen two versions of a story that are so far apart. Sadly many people will judge the book they have only heard about, by the tacky, shallow film they have seen. I did up until now anyway...
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