A Comparison of Film Techniques of Two Film Versions of...

A Comparison of Film Techniques of Two Film Versions of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Mary Shelley wrote her novel Frankenstein when she was just a young girl of nineteen. She wrote it in 1816, when she went on holiday with her friend, Byron. Byron was already a famous poet, and it was him who suggested that whilst they were away, they should both write a ghost story. At the time it was just a way of passing time and having fun for Mary Shelley, but little did she know that her story would become famous worldwide. Many adaptations of Frankenstein have been made for cinema in the 20th century. Two of the most significant being those studied in this assignment. A man named James Whale directed†¦show more content†¦In 1930 French-born director Robert Florey was hired by Universal Studios to make the new horror film Frankenstein but he did not satisfy producer Carl Laemmle Jr, and so Director James Whale was hired to replace Florey. Whale, an acclaimed Director, chose 44 year old Boris Karloff as the monster and together with make-up specialist Jack Pierce they created the most influential horror image of all times. Boris Karloffs career was launched by the huge success of this film. However, many changes had been made in Whales version from the original novel. In contrast with this, Mary Shelleys Frankenstein was released in 1994, sixty three years after James Whales version, and unlike his version, it followed very strictly Mary Shelleys original plot. Kenneth Branagh, who also starred in the film as Dr. Frankenstein, directed the film. Branagh is also a British born Director, with a distinguished career in theatre, both as an actor and a director. Branagh is also famously known for adapting Shakespeares plays into films. Mary Shelleys Frankenstein was filmed in Shepperton studios in England, but with parts of the film shot on location in the Swiss Alps. Tristar Pictures distributed the film. The film had a very strong cast of established actors with Robert De Niro playing Frankesntein, Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth, Kenneth Branagh as VictorShow MoreRelatedMary Shelleys Frankenstein Different Film Techniques Essay1849 Words   |  8 PagesMary Shelleys Frankenstein Different Film Techniques Compare and contrast the way in which the directors of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein (1994) and Frankenstein (1931) use different film techniques to build up atmosphere in their opening sequences: The two films I will be addressing in this essay are Kenneth Branaghs and James Whales versions of Frankenstein, a horror novel written by Mary Shelley in 1816, when the author was 19. The incentive for it wasRead MoreThe Opening Sequences of James Whales 1931 Frankenstein and the Opening sequences of the 1994 film Mary Shelleys Frankenstein1882 Words   |  8 PagesWhales 1931 Frankenstein and the Opening sequences of the 1994 film Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Mary Shelley, creator and author of Frankenstein. Mother to thousands of different versions of the original text, first put pen to paper in 1818. Thousands of directors have since embarked upon producing their versions of Frankenstein. James Whale. Kenneth Branagh. A mere two directors to produce their versions of the gothic horror tale. The two directors versions are a Read MoreFrankenstein Study Guide14107 Words   |  57 PagesTHE GLENCOE LITERATURE LIBRARY Study Guide for Frankenstein by Mary Shelley i To the Teachern The Glencoe Literature Library presents full-length novels and plays bound together with shorter selections of various genres that relate by theme or topic to the main reading. Each work in the Library has a two-part Study Guide that contains a variety of resources for both you and your students. Use the Guide to plan your instruction of the work and enrich your classroom presentations. InRead More The Author as Creator in Frankenstein Essay2907 Words   |  12 PagesThe Author as Creator in Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mary Shelleys Frankenstein can be read as an allegory for the creative act of authorship. Victor Frankenstein, the modern Prometheus seeks to attain the knowledge of the Gods, to enter the sphere of the creator rather than the created. Like the Author, too, he apes the ultimate creative act; he transgresses in trying to move into the feminine arena of childbirth.    Myths of divine creation are themselves part of the historical process