The next two shots also differ greatly; James Whale has opted for a medium long shot of a hunch-backed creature doing something on the roof of the castle. This increases the amount of tension for the audience, as they do not know who he is or what he is doing as in the original novel there is no one else with Frankenstein. As we zoom in on him we see him briefly illuminated by the flashes of lightning. Lightening is a very traditional, frightening and raw source of power, and in 1931, when people weren’t accustomed to the cinema or the effects that could be produced it would have created a tense atmosphere. As we get closer we can see that he is trying to attach a rod of metal to the roof, presumably a conductor of some sorts. We then hear Frankenstein shout for him and see him start climbing down the stairs. This will also effect the audience’s perceptions, as they will be already coming to the conclusion that the figure must be Frankenstein’s lab assistant, and so less important than Frankenstein himself as he seems to obey Frankenstein. The fact that the creature is coming down from the sky where he has fixed the rod may indicate heaven, and the power of life. However, in contrast to this we see the room inside with Frankenstein and his experiments, the room is shown to be enormous and Frankenstein very small in comparison. This puts his size and demeanour in perspective with the magnitude of the task he has set himself. This may lead the audience to thinking that he is arrogant or overly confident, which may lower their opinions of him as he is attempting to play God and create human life.
In comparison to this Kenneth Brannagh has chosen to introduce his main character next and have his flickering candle cut off by Frankenstein running through the castle in time to the music; we see a shadow approaching the candle and getting bigger and the music rising to a crescendo in accompaniment, which creates tension and suspense for the audience as they don’t know for certain who it is but the rising crescendo signifies it will be someone important, before, with a climax of fast paced music accompanying it Frankenstein flourishes into the shot and runs off down the passage to where his creation is lying. This is an effective way of presenting the main character, as the audience are never quite sure of what is going to happen until he runs into view. Also the beats in the fast paced, jumpy music could represent his heartbeat or pulse as he has been working hard, and as his steps are rapid, this could in turn represent either his physical speed from him running, or his mental speed from the fact that his mind is racing with the task he is about to do. However, it could be interpreted that he is running away from something, as the audience do not know for certain what he is doing, this helps heighten the tension as it is left to the audience to decide.
The next shot in the 1931 version of Frankenstein also backs up the representation of God and heaven; It shows a medium close-up of Frankenstein and his monster, Frankenstein is standing over his monster dressed in a white lab coat and bathed in bright white light from the experiments and lightning, he is looking upwards towards where Fritz (the assistant) is coming down from the roof. The fact that Frankenstein is standing over his monster could show that he has true feelings for it and almost feels that he has to protect it from the evils of the outside world like a mother, which is ironic as the point of this film was to scare the audience and portray the monster as evil, not that the world it was born into was evil. Another important point in this shot is the white coat Frankenstein is wearing and the light he is bathed in. Firstly, white is a very pure and clean colour and may be trying to indicate that Frankenstein is good and pure. It is also trying to emphasize his cleanliness and the pristine condition of his appearance. God is also often portrayed as wearing white and this may be trying to accentuate the fact that Frankenstein has taken over the role of God, this is furthermore developed through the white light from the lightning and experiments. The fact that he is looking towards heaven may indicate that he is seeking Gods approval at what he is doing, which is ironic as he has always appeared to be in control and has acted like he is his own leader, and does not need approval from anyone. However, the white lab coat could in contrast be viewed as a straight jacket or other restraining device, showing that Frankenstein may not be in full control of his mind and his developing madness and eccentricity towards his experiment.
Frankenstein’s perfect appearance and cleanliness is contrasted hugely in Kenneth Brannagh’s next shot and his portrayal of Frankenstein; He is shown to be wearing only a pair of trousers and an open shirt with long lose hair and is openly sweating showing off his muscles. The fact that he is only wearing trousers and an open shirt shows that he is much more casual and relaxed in his methods, and that he may think of his monster more as a son than an experiment as he is not treating it as a science experiment. His large muscles show his power and that he may be much closer to his monster as he is being more physical and closer to everything and so needs large muscles in order to do it. The large physical aspect and demeanour could also mirror his mind, showing that he is very clever and strong minded, this could also carry on throughout the film as he becomes very tired and weary later on after the creation, perhaps indicating mental exhaustion and that he knows he has done wrong. His long hair could represent his feminine side and may well be helping to indicate the fact that he has to play both the part of the mother and father in this ‘birth’ and so has to provide for both roles.
The next shots show significant similarities but also many discrepancies; in both versions we see a very low angled shot from below Frankenstein, this is very important as it shows that both directors are trying to emphasize the importance of Frankenstein and show that he is still powerful and in control. The directors have chosen to use a shot from below to show Frankenstein’s immense size and stature, this is ironic in the 1931 version as in the previous shot Frankenstein was portrayed as small in comparison to his lab and the experiment he was undertaking. However, in the 1931 version there is a tracking shot of Fritz where we see Frankenstein looking up towards Fritz who is climbing down into the lab via a rope from the ceiling, this could have connotations of religion and God as the rope may be a metaphor for a link between heaven and Earth. In comparison to this, in the 1994 version we see a tracking shot of Frankenstein from below as he is running along the corridor, this both makes him look big and imposing, and also allows the audience to get a good look at him as he is rushing towards his experiment. We also see him using a pulley system to lift the monster towards the sky, this has several religious connotations, firstly we can see that the platform is cross shaped, this may refer to Jesus being hung on a cross, which is ironic as he was put there to die, moreover, it looks like monster is being lifted towards heaven as the camera is directly below the monster and there is a bright light above it, this makes it look like a silhouette which increases the tension as the audience still hasn’t seen what it looks like, and the bright light surrounding it could represent god and heaven, this ties in with the 1931 film as that has used lots of religious symbols as well. We can see that the monster has his arms laid out lifeless, this could indicate vulnerability and weakness, this would tie in with the monster needing to be protected by Frankenstein and Frankenstein’s need to provide both mother and father figures for it. It may also be made to look vulnerable as the director was trying to follow the book closer and so portray the monster sympathetically as opposed to evilly. As Frankenstein lifts the monster we can see his muscles straining and bulging as the monster obviously weighs a lot, this puts emphasis on Frankenstein’s obvious power and strength.
The next scenes differ largely from each other; in James Whale’s representation we see a close up of Frankenstein wearing headphones, this highlights the how high-tech and modern all the equipment Frankenstein is using as many people may not have seen headphones before and certainly wouldn’t have used them. We also hear him mention Heaven, this indicates that he is quite religious and knows that he is taking over the role of God. The close up allows the audience to see his face properly, and although he has always seemed to be in pristine condition, his neatly combed and greased hair has come out of place slightly, this could be a subtle was of creating tension for the audience, because although he seems to be perfectly calm and relaxed his slightly ruffled appearance could indicate his mind and that he may be feeling the pressure or just getting overly excited with regard to his experiment. In contrast to the 1931 version, Kenneth Brannagh has chosen to concentrate on the monster at this point during the play, he shows the monster to be lying lifeless on a hoist with chains hanging down around it, the director could be using the chains which are holding the monster up as a metaphor for a prison or bindings, saying that the monster was born as a prisoner and so could never be truly free. This is also shown in the 1931 version in the next scene when the monster is finally revealed, Fritz is shown to pull back a cloth screen surrounding the monster so you can see the rough outline of a body with restraining bindings on it under a sheet. This would cause tension in the audience, as they would not know why it was necessary to restrain the monster while it was still dead. This may indicate that Frankenstein is feeling nervous and so thinks he needs to restrain the monster before it has even been brought back to life.
In the next shot in the 1994 edition, Frankenstein is seen to make some dramatic movements with regard to the machinery; the monster is then shown to be moving rapidly towards the vat, which will contain it. This would create tension as there are many large instruments and the audience would be unsure of what they were for. The vat, which the monster is placed in, would also create tension as it resembles a coffin or tomb and this helps emphasize the fact that the monster is being born into prison and is like a caged animal. That the monster is a creation of Frankenstein and that Frankenstein is much more important than it is shown by the camera shots, the camera swaps from below Frankenstein to make him appear big and important, to above the Monster to show vulnerability and a childlike defencelessness. In the next scene in the 1931 film James Whale reveals Frankenstein’s apparent care and love for the monster when he starts talking admiringly to Fritz and is seen to be patting the monsters head and stroking its hand almost like a child or baby. He is heard to say, “No blood, no decay, just a few stitches,” this would have created tension and possibly some disgust throughout the audience as they realise just what lengths Frankenstein has gone to, to create his monster. The fact that he is stroking his hand shows that he has feelings for the monster and although the audience know he will be evil, Frankenstein truly believes that he is doing the right thing. This creates tension in the audience because it creates a sense or irony, and may lower the audiences views of Frankenstein as he cannot see what he is doing is wrong. In the same shot in the 1931 film the audience can see both Fritz and Frankenstein standing admiring the body, this helps show the levels of importance between Frankenstein and his assistant, as he is standing above and looking down on both monster and assistant, whereas Fritz is below Frankenstein but at the same level as the monster.
Another large contrast is the way in which the monster is brought to life in each film; in the 1994 film we see Frankenstein physically pulling the vat which the monster is lying in over a fire, this may have connotations with Greek Myths where Prometheus stole the secret Fire from God, now Frankenstein is stealing the secret of Life from God. This may have created tension for the audience as God punished Prometheus for stealing fire and so the same may happen to Frankenstein. As the fast paced movements are occurring there is also very fast paced music to accompany it and nothing spoken, this makes it seem faster and more urgent, giving it a sense of culmination and that what Frankenstein has been preparing for is about to happen. As Frankenstein closes the lid to the vat there is a hiss of steam as the seal is closed, this will create tension as it shows the monster is trapped and ‘caged’. After this we see the monster covered in amniotic fluid, which Frankenstein had collected, this would probably cause some revulsion and tension as amniotic fluid is a very natural thing and Frankenstein is creating something unnatural. Frankenstein then sticks probes into the monsters body in order to conduct the electricity through the body, and the camera goes inside the vat in order to make the audience feel empathy for the monster while this is happening, this could be seen as very violent and not at all fatherly thing to do, however, it could also be interpreted as being much more personal than the 1931 film and that Frankenstein is being more physical and getting closer to the monster. Kenneth Brannagh also uses lots of sexual imagery in his creation scene, for example the amniotic fluid, the tube that goes into the vat which represents the male reproductive organs with the electric eels to provide electricity which represent the sperm which actually contain the recipe for life and are the key part. This ties in with Frankenstein having to play both male and female role in the film and would create tension as the size of the sexual organs may reflect the size and power of the monster and that Frankenstein may not be able to deal with the responsibility of both roles. As the eels shoot along the tube the camera goes in with them so the audience gets the point of view of both the monster and the eels, this creates a sense of urgency as they are travelling very fast and the camera shots keep cutting quickly. As the scene culminates and the electricity is fed through the monster the music which has been rising suddenly stops to create a sense of excitement and wonder at what is happening and whether it has worked. In comparison, in the 1931 film Frankenstein there is no music and the director has chosen to have Frankenstein uncover his monster in front of the people who have arrived so it can be seen and then hoist it up towards heaven where the lightning is flashing to get the power needed to bring his creation to life. This also has connotations of God and may be indicating that without God, Frankenstein could not bring life to the monster as he is relying on the lightning to give it life. Before the monster is lifted up, the camera pans to two jars on the table one which has a brain in and says ‘Good’ and one which is empty and says ‘Bad,’ this is to emphasize to the audience that the monster is going to be bad, because Fritz has picked the wrong brain out, this creates tension because it is ironic as Frankenstein thinks that monster was naturally bad, but the audience know that it could have been good and that it was just a simple mistake which changed its personality. This is a huge difference in the way the monster has been portrayed as in the 1994 version there is no indication a mistake has been made and that the monster was inherently bad, but that the audience know it was turned bad by the world, which follows the book, whereas in the 1931 version we are told that the monster was bad not because of the way it was treated but because it was destined to be bad as it was a bad persons brain that was inserted.
In the 1994 version, after the monster has been brought to life Frankenstein looks in the glass pane in disgust as it seems his experiment failed, the glass, through which the monster can be seen, could represent a mirror and that Frankenstein has realised his creation is bad and so is looking upon himself as a monster fro trying to create it.
In both films the directors have used the movement of a hand to signify the awakening of the creation; in the 1931 version the monster was lowered back down to the laboratory where everyone was gathered around, Frankenstein is standing in front of the monsters table like a parent trying to protect its young. The monster then slowly lifted its hand to signify its being alive and Frankenstein shouted, “now I know what it feels like to be God.” That Frankenstein was standing in front of the table keeping everyone away could be interpreted as him being paternal and caring for the monster, it could however be alternately inferred that he felt he was the most important and so he should get to see his creation first. Due to the social historical implications back in 1931, the director had to remove the line “now I know what it feels like to play God,” as you were not allowed to say you were like God, however, this does show that it would have had the desired effect of shocking the audience and creating tension as they know what Frankenstein has done is wrong. Similarly to this, in the 1994 version Frankenstein sees the hand of the monster move and its eyes blink open in the tank when he thinks it is dead. This is a very traditional form of awakening and has been used copious times in films, in this scene it would have created tension as the audience, like Frankenstein, would not have known that the creature was alive and so when its eyes opened and hand moved, would have shocked or surprised them. When the monster moves Frankenstein cannot help but say “it’s alive” this may be out of disbelief and he is checking reality that it has really worked. As he says this the music starts again very softly and getting slowly louder, this could be signifying hope and relief at the fact that the experiment may have been successful. Also, when the vat gets destroyed by the monster getting out could represent the monster breaking free off its bindings, however, when it is out it seems very vulnerable and childlike, and when he is struggling with Frankenstein he gets accidentally caught in more chains perhaps signifying the fact that he will never be free of his restrains and what he is will always haunt him.
In conclusion I find that the 1994 version was more effective at creating tension and followed the book closer, even though it did reveal the monster earlier it still managed to hold the audiences attention well, and the techniques it utilized made sure the audience never really knew how it was going to turn out and what was coming next. However, social preferences and tolerances have changed dramatically over time and so that is why I don’t find the 1931 version as effective at portraying the story or creating tension. Moreover, I find that the 1931 film was certainly more revolutionary than 1994 and tried to go past original limits in regard to style and techniques used more effectively and more continuously than the later film.
Finally, I find that although the 1931 film was more revolutionary and may have been more effective if compared with audiences from the respective times, I still prefer the later version it uses more modern effects and follows the original book more closely which allows people who have read the book to relate more closely to the film.
