Reaction paper: Bride of Frankenstein

The Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 horror film, and the sequel to the 1931 movie Frankenstein. In the movie, the villagers were overjoyed because they learned that the monster is already dead. But on the other hand, his creator, Henry Frankenstein was killed also. Hans, the father of the girl that the monster drowned wants to see the Monster’s bones, but he was also killed by him. He also killed Hans’ wife and Minnie alarmed the villagers that the Monster’s still alive. Elizabeth learned that Henry’s still alive, as well as the monster. She became terrified because she sees death coming. After Henry has recovered, Doctor Pretorius showed him the idea of a mate for the monster Henry created. He agreed and they collected parts for the mate. After many events, the doctor insisted that they pursue making the mate of the Monster. Henry collaborated because Elizabeth was captured by the monster. The mate was finished, but she too was terrified of the Monster. The monster was enraged and he wreaked havoc in the laboratory. He let Henry and Elizabeth go, but not the mate and the doctor.

The movie teaches a very important lesson. DO not do something immoral for science. Trying to achieve immortality is not only immoral but also a very big mistake. Always have ethical considerations with science. Something is not worth learning and discovering if it will harm other people. What they did in the movie is a big mistake because they were making the same mistake again.

The story of Frankenstein is a very commendable science fiction. It really makes the viewers of the film and the readers of the books curious to immortality, if it is possible or not. It also teaches a lot of lessons especially for scientists. It is indeed a good film to watch.

Pauline de Leon 

2011-44571

Inventions and Monstrosities: Bride Of Frankenstein Reaction Paper

One theme that is consistent with the constant improvement of technology in society is the fear of the unknown. What can we accomplish, and when/where do we draw the line with the things that we deem appropriate to bring into reality? A great example of this conflict is present in James Whale’s 1935 film “The Bride of Frankenstein,” based off of Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein.”

            I believe that the main moral of both the book and the film is that there should always be a code of ethics applied in scientific processes that goes hand-in-hand with the wisdom to foresee the possible ramifications of one’s creations. The scientist Frankenstein carried out several morally questionable actions in his pursuit of a scientific breakthrough. The very fact that the main test subject in the experiment was made from a collection of dead bodies, from which consents of the families or the subjects themselves were never even taken, makes one question if such an experiment should even be considered in the first place.

            The invention of creating life from dead matter, in this case, is equally blind as it is immoral, as the scientists did not take into the consideration the kind of harm creating an undead 8-foot creature would bring. They did not take into account the fact that its unstable mental processes, paired with its size and strength, could cause it to hurt people, as was the case in the film.

            The monster’s inability to converse with others in the movie, as opposite to the case in the book, leaves viewers with little room to actually connect with the character of Frankenstein’s monster in the film. It highlights its role as a bane, rather than an actual figure to find humanity in. He is completely a monster, not a man. This guides the notion that an invention reflects the process by which it was made; he was made monstrously and without foresight, and therefore he is a monster himself and he is dumb.

            

Redd Claudio

2013-59776 

Morality and Monsters: A Reaction Paper to "Bride of Frankenstein (1935)"

            Balance is a difficult thing to achieve. Whether simply physically or on the topic of science versus the morality of innovation, it is difficult to keep to that thin line between right and wrong when ambition cuts in. The 1935 American horror film Bride of Frankenstein, a sequel to Frankenstein (1931), talks about Victor Frankenstein and Dr. Pretorious creating a “bride” to Frankenstein’s Monster from the previous film and how this ambition ended badly.

            The film, in a nutshell, talks about how Dr. Pretorious ambitioned on being able to create monsters, create a world of his own. This desire led him to the idea of creating another creature to mate with Frankenstein’s monster and to do whatever it takes to do this, no matter how immoral it can be. I think, in its plot alone, this film shows how desiring something so bad can make you forget your moral principles, may it be on the matters of science or otherwise, losing balance because of ambition can lead you to the dark side, lead you to thinking you can alter nature and the world. In this film’s case, I think that is shown on how Pretorious turned into more of a monster than the Monster was, losing his morality and his balance, because of his desire, his ambition for science and innovation, his ambition to be God.

            This is furthered more by the film’s rendering of the Monster as dumb, as simply a creature created by man incapable of dialogue and proper speech. I think the use of this characterization was so that the Monster would simply be viewed of just that, a monster. It was so that the characters in the film wouldn’t have a reason to empathize with him and the viewers would be able to understand how a creation gone wrong, although misunderstood, would be a creation with a life being hunted by men. In short, the film successfully showed how a misunderstood creature made by man could be capable of more good than man himself; it successfully showed how science and morality should be balanced and what it could do when it’s not.

Audrey Anne A. Arocha

2012-51626

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The Bride of Frankenstein is an American horror film released on 1935. It is directed by James Whale, adapted from Mary Shelley’s novel entitled Frankenstein. It is the sequel of Frankenstein, also by James Whale, which was released on 1931.

            The movie shows that even before, people, especially those belonging to the scientific community, have been attempting to create life. And in order to accomplish this, they resorted to immoral and gruesome ways. And in this case, Frankenstein and Dr. Pretorius used human corpse to create a mate for the monster, a creature they created using the same method.

 I found this movie to be quite similar to The Fly, a movie we also watched in class, in a way that both movies generally feature scientists trying to meddle in things not meant to be meddled in just for the sake of the success of their experiments and gaining knowledge.

I think that the line that separates morality and science should always be clear. And people counducting experiments using immoral means should always remember that they are humans first and scientists second.

I have read the book by a couple of years ago, but since what we’ve watched in class was the sequel, I couldn’t know for sure if there are any differences between the original book and the movie Frankenstein. But the monster in the book could talk and could participate in coherent conversations while the monster in the movie was made dumb. The creators of the movie probably had a number of reasons for doing this, but my guess is by making the monster inarticulate, he became more terrifying because he wouldn’t be able to to justify his existence and explain his actions, meaning there wouldn’t be any way for the normal people to understand him. Furthermore, since he couldn’t hold a sound conversation, he became more seperated from the community. Because of these, he was shown in a bad light. And this helped in sending the message to the viewers, which is to never meddle in human life because the results will only be catastrophic and, in the end, unsuccessful.

Barbosa, Camille Anne C.

2013-01010

            

Reaction paper: Bride of Frankenstein

Reaction paper: Bride of Frankenstein

            Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American horror film which is the first sequel to Frankenstein in 1931. It is about Victor Frankenstein and Dr. Pretorius creating a mate for a Monster.

            In this film, it can be greatly shown that because of human’s (scientists) desire to discover and make new things and even creatures can be the reason for them to do immoral and unethical things. The Monster was created from a dead body. In reality, life cannot be and should not be returned after death because it is a natural phenomenon and part of God’s plan for everyone. And for the Mate, the doctor ordered one of his servants to kill a young lady to have a functional heart. Who says anyone can destroy a person just because he wants to and he needs to?

            The difference between the movie adaptation of the monster and in the book is that the monster was not able to carry a decent conversation and was made dumb. If the Monster were given the ability to talk, the he could explain to people his situation and eventually people would understand him and accept him in their society. But the Monster’s inability to talk worked and was a success to show that the Monster is not normal or he is different which made everyone freak out and get scared.

Regina Alyssa L. Bargola

2013 - 68055

Science and Morality: The Bride of Frankenstein

The Bride of Frankenstein is an American horror movie directed by James Whale released in 1935. The story was from the book of Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. It is a sequel to Frankenstein in 1931. It was a story of how Frankenstein created a mate for the Monster, which is also his creation. The film started with the revelation that the Monster and Henry Frankenstein have survived in the fire. The Monster started to ravage the village and the people. Meanwhile, Henry Frankenstein was with his wife, Elizabeth and wants to settle a peaceful life with her. However, Dr. Pretorius wants to create another life-sized monster but this time a woman who could be a mate for the Monster. Dr. Pretorius and the Monster kidnapped his wife and so he was forced to agree. They successfully created a mate for the Monster. However, the Mate rejects him and the film ended with the explosion in the lab wherein Henry and Elizabeth were the only ones to survive.

Man was not meant to experiment in the works of God. This is what the film teaches about morality.  No one could give life and create a human except God. Anything that man dabbles in the works of God will lead to devastation, terror and sorrow. Like in the film, man tried to create and give life but what he had created was a Monster that put lives in danger. Also, science played the important role. It is the reason behind the creation of the Monster and the Mate. It is the exceeding ambition of the two that cause the whole situation. They appear to use knowledge that surpasses what mortals only could have even edging upon wisdom of God.  The film and the book reflect how important morality and science roles are in the life of man. This film portrays that the role of science in man’s life is limited. It could not exceed to the extent that it contradicts the morals in which the people and the society abide.

I think that the Monster was made dumb to add horror and scare to the film. It was changed to make the character more effective. Also, to emphasize that creation made by man through the help of science, if it surpasses the limitations, will result to monstrous forms that will destroy and devastate mankind.  I think it did work in the film.  

-Kimberly Pacle

2013-02319