A cinematic masterpiece? For me? Thank you.
I had only one goal in mind during our fall semester break: watch Frankenstein on Netflix. After two and a half hours of my eyes glued to the screen, I came out of it snot-filled and in awe. A thought occupied my mind after that, Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein is a testament that human craftsmanship will persevere during the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ‘’art’’ slop. Warning, spoilers ahead!
Frankenstein opened in theatres for a limited release on Oct. 17 and became available on Netflix to stream on Nov. 7. Starring Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac, and Jacob Elordi, this adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel quickly established itself as one of my all-time favorite movies. No shot in the film was wasted, it was clear that it was a labour of love from Del Toro and the team that worked in front and behind the scenes. Before I delve into it, I would like to acknowledge that I have not yet read the original novel, so I will refrain from commenting on whether it is a good adaptation or not.
Storytelling through costume
The first case that I will present is the beautiful wardrobe made by costume designer Kate Hawley. Prior to the film’s release, images of Mia Goth’s costumes as Lady Elizabeth started to circulate online and it fueled my anticipation for the movie. The striking jewel tones of red, green, and blue were used for the regal and ethereal dresses that Goth wore. Hawley told British Vogue that the silk wedding dress Lady Elizabeth wore mirrors The Creature’s bandages and skeleton- showing us the parallels between the two; it was also a call back to the early movies Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935).
Wardrobe plays an important role in storytelling, it can dictate what the character is feeling, it can foreshadow events, or show a character’s growth. This is significant to me as a fashion enthusiast and a creative individual. There is so much love and effort that cannot simply be regenerated by an AI prompt. There is rigorous time spent on researching fabrics, silhouettes, and other elements that align with the character and their purpose. Recently, Hawley has been named costume designer of the year by the British Fashion Council for her work in Del Toro’s Frankenstein.
[Frankenstein] might have just cured my years-long creative block. Bring back the painstakingly elaborate sets, the well-researched costumes, and the soul we used to put in movie making.”- Lee Lim
Nonpareil human touch leads to inspiration
Another case that I will present is the set design that added to this beautifully haunting film. Production designer Tamara Deverell told CN Traveller that the vast frozen Arctic North where the film begins and concludes was set at Netflix studio’s parking lot in Toronto. What interests me is that Deverell and the team had built the gigantic ship and the ice around it by hand. Victor Frankenstein’s famous laboratory was also built in Toronto, where it stood 180 ft. tall. The huge voltaic batteries, the anatomically correct butchered bodies, down to the drawings we see in the film were all crafted by hand.
After watching this film, I found myself wanting to create. It is incredibly inspiring to see a huge filmmaker like Del Toro take the long road when it comes to production. Nowadays, many resort to relying on generative AI to create their scripts or to produce their wanted effects. While that might be the cheaper alternative, it lacks the depth of what humans can produce with their own hands. This might have just cured my years-long creative block. Bring back the painstakingly elaborate sets, the well-researched costumes, and the soul we used to put in movie making.
