Greetings😊,
We recently had two academic movie screenings in our college, which are movie adaptation of the novels. First one, is "Frankenstein" (1994) and the another one is "Pride and Prejudice" (2005).
It is very significant to arrange these kind of academic movie screenings to get deeper knowledge about the themes and main ideas of the novel. Through movies we can get in-depth understanding of any complex literary work.
"Frankenstein" (1994) Direct by Kenneth Branagh : Movie Review
The Frankenstein movie provides you a better understanding of Mary Shelley's scientific gothic novel "Frankenstein". While, the movie is not hundred percent faithful to the novel, there are some incidents in the novel that are not portrayed in the movie. Yet movie is capable enough to give you a good understanding of novel.
For effective movie, casting is the most important thing, main characters of Victor Frankenstein and the Monster are respectively portrayed by Kenneth Branagh and Robert De Niro.
While, if we look at the minor characters there are, Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth Levenza, Tom Hulce as Victor's friend Henery Clerval, Aiden Quinn as Robert Walton, John Cleese as Professor Waldman and Iam Holm as Victor's father Alphonse Frankenstein.
Kenneth Branagh has performed the role of Victor impressively. He also shares the same madness, ignorance, pride and narcissistic nature in the movie as Victor does in the novel. Robert De Niro also gives justice to the Monsters' character.
Kenneth Branagh as director, also kept in mind about all the gothic elements in the movie such as gloomy atmosphere, terror, lighting, delightful horror and gothic romance. It is interesting that, we can also connect both, Prometheus and Narcissus myth in the movie as well.
Moreover, we can justify some minor changes in the movie. As a movie director, it is equally necessary to add some imagination in the movie, otherwise it will have a dull and boring kind of impression on watchers.
Difference between Movie and Novel
In the novel Victor had been convicted of his friend Henerys' murder, and his father Alphonse Frankenstein helps Victor from get out of prison, but in the movie this incident is altogether omitted.
Secondly, in novel we can observe that the creature learns to read and speak through three literary books, which is Milton's Paradise Lost, Plutarch' lives and the third one is The Sorrows of Werter by Gothe. Among these books, Paradise Lost has significant influence upon the monster. But in the movie there is no mention of any of these books, rather monster learns these things only by reading Victors' journal.
Moreover, in movie we find that Victor creates the female companion for the monster with the help of Elizabeth's dead body, whereas in the novel Victor initially agreed with the monster that he would create female companion for him, but Victor abandon the creation.
In my personal opinion, you should watch this movie for the overall understanding of the novel. Here I am also putting the movies' trailer.
"Pride and Prejudice" (2005) Directed by Joe Wright : Movie Review
Pride and Prejudice film is utterly charming. And it is a best adaptation of Jane Austen's 1813 novel "Pride and Prejudice". Movie has exquisite traditional theme, such a feel good atmosphere and description of luscious countryside, such as Hartfordshire, longbourn, Meryton and Netherfields. We have to give credit to the director Joe Wright for making such good script, the significant thing here is that, most of the dialogues in the movie are directly taken from the novel without making any kind of corrections in it.
We have Keira Knightley as Elizabethan Bennet, the beauty with brain girl, Rosamund Pike as Jane Bennet eldest of five daughters, Carey Muligan as Kitty Bennet, Jena Melon as Lydia Bennet and Talulah Riley as Mary Bennet. And here comes the most charming yet introvert personality of the movie Matthew Macfedyen as Fitzwillian Darcy.
While, Mrs. Bennet, the mother of these five daughters is anxious about the marriage of her daughters. And then comes a rich wealthy bechlor in the town Simon Woods as Charles Bingley, and instantly falls in love with eldest daughter Jane Bennet.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth develop some prejudice for Mr. Bingley's friend Mr. Darcy that, he is filled with pride and has propensity to hate everyone. But, in reality Mr. Darcy has just less expressive and introvert personality. Later, in the movie Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy fall in love.
This is a typical feel good movie with it's own charm and beauty. If you wish to understand the concept of whole novel in just couple of hours then you should give it a try to this movie.
Here is movie trailer,
Thank you for reading.
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