So I realized all at once, after talking about my 30th day of I, Frankenstein, that I had tapped the movie for as much as I could. 30 days felt right. 30 days of one movie felt right. Then I move onto a new movie, leaving my poor Creature alone.
Watching one movie everyday was oddly comforting. It was a stable figure in my life. No matter what I knew that I would have my Aaron Eckhart and Miranda Otto to greet me before I went to bed. It also forced me to think creatively and really focus on one thing which is something I don't always do--I usually watch something once and even then I tend to get distracted. This time I really lived in the movie and had to really think about it in order to have something to talk about every morning.
Now for my top ten insights about I Frankenstein.
1. They shouldn't have killed Dr. Frankenstein at the beginning.
In the book/play (the play's all I've got...sorry I haven't read the book) it ends with the doctor and the creature in an awful struggle to the death. And the movie just zips past that. I would have loved a lot more of that revenge/anger. It would have added to the character of the Creature.
2. The Creature should have been captured by the demons at the beginning.
He's not a nice guy. He kills Elizabeth Frankenstein. In the play he killed a kid. He is generally the worst. Sure he's probably just a victim of his awful "childhood" but he's not a heavenly nothing. The demons should have taken him and seduced him by saying that he'd give him demon friends and he'd be a part of a monster family. They'd woo him with a community and "love" and he'd join them. They'd trick him and figure out whatever science they needed and then he'd figure out that they're just using him. Then he would join with the gargoyles to fight against the demons but only after he's made the conscience decision to fight against the demons for the sake of his new friends and humanity. Then the character wouldn't be totally tied up by gargoyles all the time.
The only good characters are O&K. They are darling. Ophir is super nice and empathetic of the Creature. Keziah also seems very sweet. I say seems because they do nothing but constantly tie up Aaron Eckhart or say a bunch of exposition. But they are bad ass and adorable. And they have some kind of love story that is literally not mention at all. But then they get killed off real early on and it's super sad. Give me a prequel with O&K and I'd be a happy camper.
Just sigh. So dumb. I mean Eckhart looks smoking hot but really?
He's the demon prince (why not king? why not Satan?) and he wants everything and nothing all at once. He wants the Creature and the journal. But he gets the journal and gives it away to the doctor instead of, I don't know, making copies or scanning it or whatever. They give it to Terra Wade and then the Creature takes it and then the rest of the movie is spent looking for it. So he spends most of the movie looking for things he doesn't need and making amazing faces of vague disgust. He's a meh villain. He doesn't do much. Hell the gargoyle queen is just a big jerk as he is and she's supposed to be the good guy.
Watching one movie everyday was oddly comforting. It was a stable figure in my life. No matter what I knew that I would have my Aaron Eckhart and Miranda Otto to greet me before I went to bed. It also forced me to think creatively and really focus on one thing which is something I don't always do--I usually watch something once and even then I tend to get distracted. This time I really lived in the movie and had to really think about it in order to have something to talk about every morning.
Now for my top ten insights about I Frankenstein.
1. They shouldn't have killed Dr. Frankenstein at the beginning.
In the book/play (the play's all I've got...sorry I haven't read the book) it ends with the doctor and the creature in an awful struggle to the death. And the movie just zips past that. I would have loved a lot more of that revenge/anger. It would have added to the character of the Creature.2. The Creature should have been captured by the demons at the beginning.
He's not a nice guy. He kills Elizabeth Frankenstein. In the play he killed a kid. He is generally the worst. Sure he's probably just a victim of his awful "childhood" but he's not a heavenly nothing. The demons should have taken him and seduced him by saying that he'd give him demon friends and he'd be a part of a monster family. They'd woo him with a community and "love" and he'd join them. They'd trick him and figure out whatever science they needed and then he'd figure out that they're just using him. Then he would join with the gargoyles to fight against the demons but only after he's made the conscience decision to fight against the demons for the sake of his new friends and humanity. Then the character wouldn't be totally tied up by gargoyles all the time.
3. Ophir & Keziah should have gotten more screentime/not been killed off so fast/get their own damn gargoyle movie
The only good characters are O&K. They are darling. Ophir is super nice and empathetic of the Creature. Keziah also seems very sweet. I say seems because they do nothing but constantly tie up Aaron Eckhart or say a bunch of exposition. But they are bad ass and adorable. And they have some kind of love story that is literally not mention at all. But then they get killed off real early on and it's super sad. Give me a prequel with O&K and I'd be a happy camper.
4. Give Gideon a backstory/explain his various issues.
Gideon is the queen's officer or something. I have no idea. He's always there doing stuff and he seems important but it's not clear what his issues are. He's got huge attitude. He's an asshole to everyone. No one likes him. He hates our protagonist. He's moody and emo and he's just meh. I feel like they could have done a lot more with him. Like O&K, I think more time spent getting to know who these gargoyles are would have made the movie stronger. I mean look at those puppy dog eyes. He's adorable.
5. Sexy Frankenstein's Monster
Just sigh. So dumb. I mean Eckhart looks smoking hot but really?
6. Bill Nighy's character makes no sense
He's the demon prince (why not king? why not Satan?) and he wants everything and nothing all at once. He wants the Creature and the journal. But he gets the journal and gives it away to the doctor instead of, I don't know, making copies or scanning it or whatever. They give it to Terra Wade and then the Creature takes it and then the rest of the movie is spent looking for it. So he spends most of the movie looking for things he doesn't need and making amazing faces of vague disgust. He's a meh villain. He doesn't do much. Hell the gargoyle queen is just a big jerk as he is and she's supposed to be the good guy.
7. The fact that the Creature and Terra Wade survive at the end
I mean, c'mon. Adam Frankenstein Monster gets all hurt when he fall through like one floor:
but then he and Dr. Wade survive this crazy ass implosion:
Yeah I know that they shouldn't be killed because they're the main characters but...I mean...for real?
8. Definitely need a Batman/Frankenstein crossover
