Nothing screams classic horror novels like Frankenstein. A household name that, on its initial reveal, rocked the world. Since then there have been a multitude of adaptations recreated off of the base premise. 30+ movies inspired by Mary Shelley’s legendary novel. Most aren’t the best, but there are some diamonds in the rough. I really want to take this opportunity to compare the classic novel to an interesting adaptation called I, Frankenstein, directed by Stuart Beattie. The differences between the two are major, so major that one really can only say very loosely based off of the original novel. Along the way, an important note is how the genre of horror and gothic has evolved over the years.
Let’s start off with the development of the Horror genre from the 1800’s all the way to today. Frankenstein and books of that era, many of these novels include more psychological thrills and the fear of the unknown. Supernatural creatures like Frankenstein were an anomaly, something so unimaginable at the time. …show more content…
Movie adaptations have not always been well received. This could be due to many things. Maybe the director and actors didn’t meld well, thus making for a lack luster end product. Maybe this type of horror isn’t as exciting or shocking as it once was. Horror movies now-a-days depend on things like jump scares, a small moment in a movie where something or someone gets close and personal in a very sudden manner. An example of this is during the first “Paranormal Activity” movie, directed by Oren Peli. *No Spoilers Intended* In the last moments of the movie, a main character is suddenly thrown at the camera from a pitch black hallway. The shock of the split second action plus a loud sound combines to create a jump scare. This all culminates to the horror genre we know today. As humanity as a people evolved, so has our thirst for new and exciting
Let’s start off with the development of the Horror genre from the 1800’s all the way to today. Frankenstein and books of that era, many of these novels include more psychological thrills and the fear of the unknown. Supernatural creatures like Frankenstein were an anomaly, something so unimaginable at the time. …show more content…
Movie adaptations have not always been well received. This could be due to many things. Maybe the director and actors didn’t meld well, thus making for a lack luster end product. Maybe this type of horror isn’t as exciting or shocking as it once was. Horror movies now-a-days depend on things like jump scares, a small moment in a movie where something or someone gets close and personal in a very sudden manner. An example of this is during the first “Paranormal Activity” movie, directed by Oren Peli. *No Spoilers Intended* In the last moments of the movie, a main character is suddenly thrown at the camera from a pitch black hallway. The shock of the split second action plus a loud sound combines to create a jump scare. This all culminates to the horror genre we know today. As humanity as a people evolved, so has our thirst for new and exciting