Woksheet: Screening Movie Adaptation of "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" - by Kenneth Branagh

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a 1994 American horror film directed and acted by Kenneth Branagh (as Victor Frankesntein) and starring Robert De Niro (as the Creature). The movie is considered to be the most faithful film adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus published in 1818.

The film begins with the narration in the voice of Mary Shelley: 

"I busied myself to think of a story which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror; one to make the reader dread to look around, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart."

~ Prepared by Heenaba Zala, visitng faculty, Dept. of English, M.K. Bhavnagar Univeristy, Bhavnagar, Gujarat - India ~

Pre-viewing tasks:

• ·        What is gothic scientific fiction?
• ·        What is a frame narrative?
• ·        What is the point of view of the author?
• ·        What are the viewpoints of different characters?
• ·        Do you have confusion about the title of the novel?
• ·        Who do you think is the real monster, the Creator or the Creature?
• ·        What is tabula rasa?
• ·        What is the significance of the subtitle "The Modern Prometheus"?
• ·        Do you think Mary Shelley's Frankenstein stands on the brick of revolutionary changes?

While viewing task:

• ·        How is the beginning and the end of the movie?
• ·        Do you feel the effect of horror in the movie?
• ·        What do you think about the character of the monster in the movie?
• ·        What do you think about the conversation between Victor and the monster?
• ·        Do you think that some scenes are omitted or replaced by other scene? How is the effect of these changes?
• ·        Do you think the director has used appropriate symbols in the movie?

Post-viewing tasks:

• ·        What is the difference between the movie and the novel?
• ·        Does the movie help you to understand narrative structure of the novel?
• ·        Do you think the movie is helpful to understand the viewpoints of different characters?
• ·        What do you think about the creation of lady monster in the novel and Elizabeth's look of a monster in the movie?
• ·        Think about Victor's acceptance of Elizabeth and rejection of the monster.
• Do you think the director is faithful to the novel?

All Students shall post thier responses to the post-viewing task as comment under the posting on Google Plus community of our Department.

The Cover Page of the Novel pub in 1818

Film Poster

Film Poster

Read A Film Review by James Berardinelli
Read an article on the Novel and the Movie
Examination of the Novel and the Film
Read Kenneth Branagh's Interview