FRANKENSTEIN (#9872) Suggested Age Level: Middle and High School Suggested School Topics: Language Arts, Science, Art MPAA Rating: G (But certain restored scenes might be considered PG) Running Time: 71 minutes Credits: 1931; Directed by James Whale; Screenplay by Garrett Fort and Francis Faragoh; Based on John Balderston's adaptation of the novel of the same name by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley; Produced by Carl Laemmle Jr. Major Characters • Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive): A fanatical scientist. (In the novel, oddly, his name is Victor Frankenstein.) • Elizabeth (Mae Clarke): Henry's fiancee. • Victor Moritz (John Boles): Frankenstein’s best friend. (In the novel, oddly, his name was Henry Clerval.) • The Monster (Boris Karloff): Dr. Frankenstein’s creation. A creature compiled from dead bodies. Although many people mistakenly give this creature the name of Frankenstein (a fact mentioned even by Basil Rathbone in Son of Frankenstein), the creature’s real name from the original novel is Adam. • Dr. Waldman (Edward Van Sloan): Dr. Frankenstein’s associate. • Baron Frankenstein (Frederick Kerr): Henry’s father. • Fritz (Dwight Frye): Henry’s hunchbacked servant. • Herr Vogel (Lionel Belmore): The burgomaster or head of the town. (The town appears to be German in the film; in the novel, the story takes place in Geneva.) • Little Maria (Marilyn Harris): A little girl who likes to throw flowers in the lake. Academy Awards None. Universal was not considered a “major studio” in 1931. Synopsis Dr. Henry Frankenstein dreams of creating life in his laboratory. He and his assistant, Fritz, steal bodies for use in his experiments. Although his friends try to dissuade him from this task, he manages to bring a creature to life. Fritz cruelly 1 Captioned Media Program VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – WEB www.cfv.org Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education © 2003, Captioned Media Program. All rights reserved. torments the creature, which finally kills him. Henry, realizing he should never have started this experiment, leaves the creature in the hands of his friend, Dr. Waldman, who plans to dispose of the creature for him. The creature kills Waldman and escapes to menace the countryside and unintentionally kills a little girl. When the creature attacks Frankenstein’s fiancé, Elizabeth, just before their wedding, Frankenstein leads a mob to hunt him down. The chase leads to a windmill, where Frankenstein is beaten up and tossed off the balcony by the creature, which dies as the windmill burns. We soon learn the wedding has gone on as planned, and Henry’s father, with the servants, prophetically toast to Henry’s intended offspring. “To the son of Frankenstein!” they say. Cautions The film has a restored scene that was considered too shocking in 1931. Academic Standards SUBJECT AREA: LANGUAGE ARTS: WRITING • Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process • Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing • Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions • Gathers and uses information for research purposes SUBJECT AREA: LANGUAGE ARTS: READING • Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process • Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts • Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts SUBJECT AREA: LANGUAGE ARTS: LISTENING AND SPEAKING • Uses listening and speaking strategies (or other communication skills) for different purposes • Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media • Understands the characteristics and components of the media SUBJECT AREA: LIFE SKILLS: THINKING AND REASONING • Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument • Understands and applies basic principles of logic and reasoning • Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences • Understands and applies basic principles of hypothesis testing and scientific inquiry 2 Captioned Media Program VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – WEB www.cfv.org Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education © 2003, Captioned Media Program. All rights reserved. • Applies basic trouble-shooting and problem-solving techniques • Applies decision-making techniques SUBJECT AREA: TECHNOLOGY • Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual • Understands the nature and uses of different forms of technology SUBJECT AREA: ARTS: VISUAL ARTS • Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts • Knows a range of subject matter, symbols, and potential ideas in the visual arts • Understands the visual arts in relation to history and cultures • Understands the characteristics and merits of one's own artwork and the artwork of others SUBJECT AREA: ARTS: ART CONNECTIONS • Understands connections among the various art forms and other disciplines Educational Themes and Allusions There is much to learn from Frankenstein. This Learning Guide will include information about the Expressionistic Movement in Art and information on the author of the classic novel on which the film is based. In addition, the film alludes to Greek Mythology, Classical Tragedy, and Theatrical Melodrama. There are allusions to Of Mice and Men and Don Quixote. Activities 1. Literary Terms The following literary terms are needed to understand films: • Foreshadowing: Giving a warning of something that may happen later on. • Flashback: Cutting back to something that happened before the current action. • Irony: A surprising twist of fate. • Symbolism: An inanimate object is purposely used to remind us of an idea. 2. Following are examples of each of the four terms from some well-known films. After each example, write your own example from one of your favorite films. Foreshadowing: Anakin, in Attack of the Clones, loses his temper a lot and is often seen wearing black. This reminds us that he will later become Darth Vader. Your example: 3 Captioned Media Program VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – WEB www.cfv.org Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education © 2003, Captioned Media Program. All rights reserved. Flashback: Simba, in The Lion King, gets strength when he remembers the image of his father. Your example: Irony: In The Shop Around the Corner, Alfred Kralik learns that the pen pal he wants to marry is really Miss Novak, his enemy at the office. Your example: Symbolism: In My Bodyguard, a boy puts his broken life back together, symbolized by the motorcycle he is rebuilding. Your example: 3. Film Study Activities CRISS Learning Strategies provide a number of activities which students may use while studying any film. Venn Diagrams are good ways to compare characters. Sticky-Note Discussion could be applied during the film. A Simple Story Plan could easily be applied to all films. VOCABULARY Look up these words in a Dictionary and put the correct word in the following sentences: abnormal convulsions scarcity electrodes degeneration dissection erratic uncertainty brutality lobe 1. Dr. Frankenstein was concerned about the _________________ of the body, which was not fresh enough. 2. He left the medical institute because they had a _______________ of bodies for him to work with. 3. He operated on the frontal ____________ of the brain. 4. When the creature was lowered into the laboratory, there was a moment of ___________________ when we didn’t know if the experiment had worked. 5. The cruel Fritz treated the creature with ________________. 6. Instead of the good brain in the lab, Fritz brought back the ___________one. 4 Captioned Media Program VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – WEB www.cfv.org Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education © 2003, Captioned Media Program. All rights reserved. 7. Dr. Waldman thought the only way to destroy the creature was to undo Dr. Frankenstein’s work by _____________________. 8. Dr. Frankenstein may not have been insane, but his actions in the lab were certainly ________________. 9. In order to transfer electricity from the lightning, the kite’s wires had to be connected to the _________________. 10. Too much electricity to the creature’s brain could cause a _______________. Other Vocabulary Words: Expressionism: Expressionism is the most influential movement in twentieth century art. Although its origin can be found in many of the works of Vincent Van Gogh, its development is credited to German artists. The expressionist artist tired to capture emotions on his/her canvas, so reality was rather unimportant. Expressionist paintings are not “pretty.” Reality is distorted in favor of emotion. The images are angular, harsh, and full of shadows, as if painted in a fever, like the works of Van Gogh, sometimes splashed on the canvas with a pallet knife, because the artist was too impatient to use his brushes. As the expressionist movement spread among the art world, it was only natural that other genres picked it up. James Joyce’s Ulysses, with its stream of consciousness style, could be called expressionist writing. Expressionism became part of the theatre, both in scenic design (R.U.R, by Karel Capek) and theme (Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.) It was only natural that expressionism was also seen in the twentieth century’s most important new art genre, the film. The influence of classic German silent films, such as Metropolis, Nosferatu, and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, can be seen in Frankenstein in its harsh shadows, the angular tombstones of the cemetery, the brickwork and strange staircases of Frankenstein’s laboratory. A few words you might need to know from other languages: In German, Herr means mister, and Fraulein means miss. When Baron Frankenstein says, “Tommyrot,” he means the whole thing is ridiculous, a lie. 5 Captioned Media Program VOICE 800-237-6213 – TTY 800-237-6819 – WEB www.cfv.org Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S.