5. The Monster in Frankenstein (1931)
Frankenstein is considered by cinephiles as one of the best movies ever made, but it can be argued if it has really stood the test of time. I personally find it a film that has aged poorly. A con to that statement would definitely be its allegorical and ethical focus on the act of playing of God. A pro, on the other hand, would probably be its narrative. An ideal contemporary remake would feature The Monster after 10 minutes of screen time in a one and a half, maybe two-hour film. In this version, The Monster appears in full form nearly halfway through a seventy-minute film. Additionally, The Monster barely has as much screen time as its creator. It may be faithful to Mary Shelleys novel, which, after all, has Dr. Frankensteins name printed on its front cover. Voglers quote at the introduction of this article, though, proves that The Monster is not a very well developed villain. Nevertheless,
Frankenstein benefits this articles parameter, since we rarely get a glimpse of an evil villain. Instead, The Monster is like a giant baby exposing itself to civilization for the first time. It is clueless about society, ethics, people, and any of the other essentials to live. Instinct alone ensues its survival. But unlike a child, The Monster is judged as grotesque due to its misunderstood actions. Everything it does is either instinctive or innocent, but he is immediately regarded as evil by his actions effects. He strangled Frankensteins assistant, yes. He barges out of the dungeon, yes. He drowns a little girl, yes. But are these actions committed by a rational being? Should it be judged like an average citizen gifted with the power of thought? He strangles Fritz because it was antagonizing it with a torch and a whip. Self-defense is the main reason he is incarcerated in the first place. The girls death is clearly unintentional, since he may even be unaware of the concept of drowning. The Monster even feels remorseful after realizing what he did. Yet the film centers Dr. Frankenstein and methods of stopping his creation. A creation that had no say in the matter whether he should be brought to life. Who is the real villain? The society that hunts him down turns out to be just as macabre, and the film questions this effectively.