"Gods and Monsters" wore me out. It was so uncomfortable watching James Whale, a man of great intellect and pride, facing the hand that the stroke and his developing dementia has dealt him. He is old and is grasping at the disappearing straws of his sexual identity. He's seen as a sinner by his patient, loyal, and harshly loving housekeeper. He is becoming pathetic and he knows it. He minimalizes his accomplishments and really sees only betrayal. Flattery gets no-one anywhere. A man of infinite genius grabs for a platonic sexual encounter. All this does for him is brings up the monsters within himself, memories of war and lost love. Brendan Fraser is quite good and Ian McKellen is superb. His elusive nature and "keep-em-guessing" responses to simple conversation would drive most of us crazy. But we would stay for the stories.
252 Reviews
Humans and Humans
DaLlama30 December 1999
Truth be told, it's not easy to write a film review as disconnected as I am from the underlying inspirations and principals of the movie in tow: Gods and Monsters. I knew little about James Whale and the Frankenstein franchise, possessed virtually zilch experience with Bill Condon (aside from the trivial baggage that his previous _and first_ feature film was the Direct-To-Oblivion sequel to the Scariest-Movie-Of-All-Time-When-I-Was-Fourteen, Candyman.), and unceremoniously avoided anything to do with Brendan Fraser. So, there's not much I can say about historical accuracy, era juxtapositions, or tour-de-force performances. All I know comes from the ninety-eight or so minutes I had with the film.
Which were pretty splendid, to say the least. What more, I was pleased by how little the film seemed to hit me over the head. Not with a lengthy diatribe over the political progressions of societal acceptance of diverse sexual orientations, not with any sort of disgusted expose of Hollywood's miscreants. Instead, I found a minimal but simplistically acceptable plot moved along by wonderful acting, vivid portrayals of what it's really like, beneath the typical distractions, gimmicks, and veils, to be a human being. Ian McKellan astounded me. Fact or fiction, he wasn't necessarily James Whale, but a complicated, reserved, and often misunderstood director who found a glimmer of intrigue and desire for his new gardener, Clayton Boone, played impeccably by Brendan Fraser. From their initial meeting with Whale indulging in staring at Boone hard-driving an edger, I was struck by a remarkable sense of kinship between the two, which only got better as the film unfolded. And, with Hanna--the third vertice of the bizarre love triangle--the edgy buffer between the men, I felt incredibly comfortable just watching three very different people open up to each other and to me. The irony of the title, Gods and Monsters, is that whether someone or something is considered a 'God' or 'Monster' is largely due to perception...human perception. We invent our gods and our monsters daily, and they are usually people we know, love, hate, or admire. I spent a very good ninety-eight minutes, mostly from being in the company of those three fellow humans.
Which were pretty splendid, to say the least. What more, I was pleased by how little the film seemed to hit me over the head. Not with a lengthy diatribe over the political progressions of societal acceptance of diverse sexual orientations, not with any sort of disgusted expose of Hollywood's miscreants. Instead, I found a minimal but simplistically acceptable plot moved along by wonderful acting, vivid portrayals of what it's really like, beneath the typical distractions, gimmicks, and veils, to be a human being. Ian McKellan astounded me. Fact or fiction, he wasn't necessarily James Whale, but a complicated, reserved, and often misunderstood director who found a glimmer of intrigue and desire for his new gardener, Clayton Boone, played impeccably by Brendan Fraser. From their initial meeting with Whale indulging in staring at Boone hard-driving an edger, I was struck by a remarkable sense of kinship between the two, which only got better as the film unfolded. And, with Hanna--the third vertice of the bizarre love triangle--the edgy buffer between the men, I felt incredibly comfortable just watching three very different people open up to each other and to me. The irony of the title, Gods and Monsters, is that whether someone or something is considered a 'God' or 'Monster' is largely due to perception...human perception. We invent our gods and our monsters daily, and they are usually people we know, love, hate, or admire. I spent a very good ninety-eight minutes, mostly from being in the company of those three fellow humans.
Some are gods, some are monsters, and most are both
blanche-228 December 2010
"Gods and Monsters" is the beautifully acted and somewhat fictionalized story of director James Whale (Ian McKellan) as he faces the end of his life. The openly gay Whale was the director of some of the great horror films: Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and The Old Dark House, as well as the definitive Showboat, and one of my favorites, the bizarre Remember Last Night? (which no one in the movie does, by the way). After a debacle over the film The Road Back, his studio thrust him into directing B movies, and by 1941, his career was over. After that, Whale developed a love of painting and directed in theater, where he had started in the '20s.
The film begins in 1957, the last year of Whale's life, after he has suffered a series of strokes. In the movie, his only companion is his housekeeper (Lynn Redgrave). (In real life, he was living with the much younger Pierre Foegel, whom he had met in France.) Faced with diminishing mental faculties and unwanted flashbacks from his past, Whale develops a sometimes uneasy friendship with his gardener, Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser). He asks Clayton to pose for him, and while Clayton does, Whale pours his heart out to him. Some of it is too much for the straight Clay, but over time, the two men bond. Each gets something from the other. But Whale will ultimately want something astounding from his new friend.
This a complex film, well directed and written by Bill Condon, who adapted the novel The Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram. Whale attempts to create his own Frankenstein monster, in a sense, in Clay, and the stunning images near the end of the film which take place during Clay's dream sequence point this up. The film also demonstrates the loneliness and deterioration of old age, as well as the fear that goes along with it.
The cast is nothing short of magnificent, with phenomenal performances by the three leads: McKellan, Fraser, and Redgrave. The late, always excellent David Dukes plays David Lewis, Whale's ex-lover and still friend; Jack Betts and Rosalind Ayres are well made up and vocally correct as Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester, respectively.
Gods and Monsters is a sometimes dark, always thought-provoking film about old age, taking stock at the end of life, and the gods and monsters within each one of us.
The film begins in 1957, the last year of Whale's life, after he has suffered a series of strokes. In the movie, his only companion is his housekeeper (Lynn Redgrave). (In real life, he was living with the much younger Pierre Foegel, whom he had met in France.) Faced with diminishing mental faculties and unwanted flashbacks from his past, Whale develops a sometimes uneasy friendship with his gardener, Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser). He asks Clayton to pose for him, and while Clayton does, Whale pours his heart out to him. Some of it is too much for the straight Clay, but over time, the two men bond. Each gets something from the other. But Whale will ultimately want something astounding from his new friend.
This a complex film, well directed and written by Bill Condon, who adapted the novel The Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram. Whale attempts to create his own Frankenstein monster, in a sense, in Clay, and the stunning images near the end of the film which take place during Clay's dream sequence point this up. The film also demonstrates the loneliness and deterioration of old age, as well as the fear that goes along with it.
The cast is nothing short of magnificent, with phenomenal performances by the three leads: McKellan, Fraser, and Redgrave. The late, always excellent David Dukes plays David Lewis, Whale's ex-lover and still friend; Jack Betts and Rosalind Ayres are well made up and vocally correct as Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester, respectively.
Gods and Monsters is a sometimes dark, always thought-provoking film about old age, taking stock at the end of life, and the gods and monsters within each one of us.
Brendan Fraser is terrific, and the film won over 30 awards.
nz man4 March 2000
Any film that has won over 30 awards must be respected. It is indeed a very good film, although the story line is deep and psychologically heavy so it is not everyone's cup of tea (or "everyone's tea cup" as the foreign maid played by Lynn Redgrave said in the film). Due credit must be given for a credible script and the story itself, based on truth although fictionalized as per the gardener's relationship with director Whale.
Brendan Fraser proves himself to be an excellent actor. We will no doubt see a lot more of him in leading roles.
Unbelievable that best-actor-Oscar-winner Ian McKellen was only 59 years old. He must be a smoker!
If you are a serious film buff, see it. It has lots of depth.
Brendan Fraser proves himself to be an excellent actor. We will no doubt see a lot more of him in leading roles.
Unbelievable that best-actor-Oscar-winner Ian McKellen was only 59 years old. He must be a smoker!
If you are a serious film buff, see it. It has lots of depth.
Remembrance Of Things Past
albertocrienzi16 December 2007
Ian McKellen is superb as James Whale, the man behind the celluloid Frankenstein. Departing from that point, everything works. We're taken by the hand of this elderly celebrity in a world - and a town -that worships celebrity. The town also worships youth and box office grosses. For Whale, youth and box office grosses are way back in his distant pass. That's why, I imagine, the arrival of the gardener with Brendan Fraser's body, awakens in the old man some kind of spark. Their relationship is filled with a sort of emotional suspense that makes the entire movie, riveting. The story is told with a sort of personal melancholy that Bill Condon, the young writer/director, seems to understand fully. Compassion is in his eye and in his soul. The scene in which Ian McKellen remembers his swimming pool crowded with naked young men is one of the most beautifully reminders of how the aging heart remains alive within his memories. Very moving, very sad and very, very good.
Beautiful Masterpiece, with capital letters
el_monty_BCN17 April 2000
I would run out of adjectives if I tried to convey the magnificence of this film in written form. Every single aspect of it is simply superb; from more technical aspects like the photography, the editing, the music, to Bill Condon's wonderful screenplay and direction, and the extraordinary performances by all three leads, it's nothing short of astounding. If it was me giving out the Oscars this would have swept the board. This is one of the works of art that the 90s should be remembered for.
The marvellous tale of how an old, homosexual, educated genius, in the twilight of his life, with a glorious past but also terrible ghosts, first tries to court but ultimately becomes a friend of a simple, young, good hearted man and opens his eyes and his mind with his stories and memories, becoming the turning point of his life, is gripping and moving beyond belief.
Arthouse it may be, due to its reduced budget and complex content, but I can't understand how anyone could fail to be touched by this deeply human story, no matter his or her tastes. I recommend it to anyone who loves sublime cinema.
The marvellous tale of how an old, homosexual, educated genius, in the twilight of his life, with a glorious past but also terrible ghosts, first tries to court but ultimately becomes a friend of a simple, young, good hearted man and opens his eyes and his mind with his stories and memories, becoming the turning point of his life, is gripping and moving beyond belief.
Arthouse it may be, due to its reduced budget and complex content, but I can't understand how anyone could fail to be touched by this deeply human story, no matter his or her tastes. I recommend it to anyone who loves sublime cinema.
masterful performance from Ian McKellen
SnoopyStyle5 December 2014
James Whale (Ian McKellen) was once a great director of monster movies like Frankenstein. He is now retired and slowly losing his mind as he pines for the past. He lives with his longterm housemaid Hanna (Lynn Redgrave) who finds his homosexuality morally wrong based on her religious convictions. He befriends his gardener Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser) who poses for his sketches. Clayton is a womanizing Korean War vet.
There is something predatory about Ian McKellen's performance. He inhabits the dirty old man role without being completely disgusting. He gives a damaged vulnerability to his character. It is masterful work. I think Brendan Fraser is fine but I want more quiet anger from him. It starts right from the start when he hit the speed bag as he walks to the car. I just perceive Brendan having a bit of fun to hit the bag rather than him with anger issues. I think it's his persona. I keep thinking he is about to make a joke about something.
There is something predatory about Ian McKellen's performance. He inhabits the dirty old man role without being completely disgusting. He gives a damaged vulnerability to his character. It is masterful work. I think Brendan Fraser is fine but I want more quiet anger from him. It starts right from the start when he hit the speed bag as he walks to the car. I just perceive Brendan having a bit of fun to hit the bag rather than him with anger issues. I think it's his persona. I keep thinking he is about to make a joke about something.
Profound story of companionship and growth
trask774 June 2004
Warning: Spoilers
**(SPOILERS within)**
I read through all the comments and feel that a significant element of the movie was mostly overlooked -- the relationship that formed between Whale and Boone was not as one-sided as many have chosen to view it. While the movie appears to focus on James Whale's transformation into a human being at peace with his mortality, the more powerful dramatic transformation takes place with Clay Boone's character.
Clayton Boone inadvertently provided James Whale a means for revisiting and perhaps coming to terms with his past. More importantly, Boone's unexpected pity in the face of Whale's intentionally uncomfortable verbal and physical sexual assaults in effect provided Whale with the strength to end his life on his terms.
But what did Clayton Boone receive from this relationship? Boone is the son of an alcoholic father, emotionally confused and unable to connect with others (re: Frankenstein). His burgeoning friendship with Whale was a means for him to try yet again to understand and come to terms with his roiled emotions stemming from childhood. Boone failed to please his alcoholic tyrant Father (indeed, a Sisyphean task since children of alcoholics are doomed to fail in meeting the perceived emotional needs of the abusive parent), and thus Whale represents another Father figure for Boone, seemingly as impenetrable and emotionally unavailable as Boone's own father.
This film is actually more about a young man growing up and coming to terms with himself. However the notion that all Boone needed was to confront his homosexual fears and overcome his rigid concept of manhood is off target. Boone is still trapped in adolescence because he is desperately trying to please his father; this makes the willing commitment to befriend Whale despite his sporadically abusive behavior all the more realistic. And the removing of the towel near the end is a watershed moment in which victim opens up once more to the abuser in a moment of complete vulnerability and trust. That his trust is betrayed (as it must have been so many times before by the alcoholic parent in his life) is heartbreaking, and yet both men recover and acknowledge friendship, platonic love and mutual respect in the aftermath. In the process of reliving his childhood torment through a Father-Son relationship with James Whale it is Clayton Boone who transforms himself and is fulfilled through Whale's friendship and shared wounds from an over demanding father. Whale's suicide at the end was not a reaction to failed lust for Boone -- far from it. His suicide was borne from the strength and clarity he derived from Boone's compassion, allowing Whale to face his mortality and willingly make peace with his past.
I understand that many feel the ending scene with Boone stomping about in the rain like Frankenstein was unnecessary and over the top. But showing a contented Boone who had obviously progressed from one-dimensional relationships to become a caring father and husband himself was the most important story element in the movie. The James Whale character in the movie may have thought himself a monster, a sexual predator with few redeeming qualities, but before dying he made a connection with another wounded soul, enabling both to heal. Whale's own redemption may have been the A plot of the movie, but Clayton Boone learning to sort out his confusion and pain was the B plot and the exclamation point in the film's final scene. Watching him playfully 'Frankenstein-about' in the rain in recognition and celebration of the relationship that helped him achieve fulfillment was a celebratory moment, and not an unfortunate throw-in to appeal to typical Hollywood standards.
I read through all the comments and feel that a significant element of the movie was mostly overlooked -- the relationship that formed between Whale and Boone was not as one-sided as many have chosen to view it. While the movie appears to focus on James Whale's transformation into a human being at peace with his mortality, the more powerful dramatic transformation takes place with Clay Boone's character.
Clayton Boone inadvertently provided James Whale a means for revisiting and perhaps coming to terms with his past. More importantly, Boone's unexpected pity in the face of Whale's intentionally uncomfortable verbal and physical sexual assaults in effect provided Whale with the strength to end his life on his terms.
But what did Clayton Boone receive from this relationship? Boone is the son of an alcoholic father, emotionally confused and unable to connect with others (re: Frankenstein). His burgeoning friendship with Whale was a means for him to try yet again to understand and come to terms with his roiled emotions stemming from childhood. Boone failed to please his alcoholic tyrant Father (indeed, a Sisyphean task since children of alcoholics are doomed to fail in meeting the perceived emotional needs of the abusive parent), and thus Whale represents another Father figure for Boone, seemingly as impenetrable and emotionally unavailable as Boone's own father.
This film is actually more about a young man growing up and coming to terms with himself. However the notion that all Boone needed was to confront his homosexual fears and overcome his rigid concept of manhood is off target. Boone is still trapped in adolescence because he is desperately trying to please his father; this makes the willing commitment to befriend Whale despite his sporadically abusive behavior all the more realistic. And the removing of the towel near the end is a watershed moment in which victim opens up once more to the abuser in a moment of complete vulnerability and trust. That his trust is betrayed (as it must have been so many times before by the alcoholic parent in his life) is heartbreaking, and yet both men recover and acknowledge friendship, platonic love and mutual respect in the aftermath. In the process of reliving his childhood torment through a Father-Son relationship with James Whale it is Clayton Boone who transforms himself and is fulfilled through Whale's friendship and shared wounds from an over demanding father. Whale's suicide at the end was not a reaction to failed lust for Boone -- far from it. His suicide was borne from the strength and clarity he derived from Boone's compassion, allowing Whale to face his mortality and willingly make peace with his past.
I understand that many feel the ending scene with Boone stomping about in the rain like Frankenstein was unnecessary and over the top. But showing a contented Boone who had obviously progressed from one-dimensional relationships to become a caring father and husband himself was the most important story element in the movie. The James Whale character in the movie may have thought himself a monster, a sexual predator with few redeeming qualities, but before dying he made a connection with another wounded soul, enabling both to heal. Whale's own redemption may have been the A plot of the movie, but Clayton Boone learning to sort out his confusion and pain was the B plot and the exclamation point in the film's final scene. Watching him playfully 'Frankenstein-about' in the rain in recognition and celebration of the relationship that helped him achieve fulfillment was a celebratory moment, and not an unfortunate throw-in to appeal to typical Hollywood standards.
Performances Disguise The Short Comings
Theo Robertson10 September 2005
I was looking forward to seeing this since it's a bio-pic on legendary horror director James Whale and is a movie that received great critical acclaim but I'm afraid I was slightly disappointed with it . My problem lies with the way Bill Condon's screenplay seems to have turned the characters into literary devices rather than real people . we see long discussions on homosexuals in the military , the differences in social structure on either side of the Atlantic etc and after a while I thought I was being lectured to rather than informed or entertained
Praise deservedly goes to the actors in their roles . Ian McKellen was fairly unknown at the time of this production but gives a very haunting performance and almost certainly rises above the written material while Brendan Fraser is an absolute revelation . It's astonishing to think that he became typecast as a sort of action hero in movies like THE MUMMY but here he shows what an accomplished understated actor he can be , he deserved an Oscar nomination with this performance and the performances from the actors are the best thing about GODS AND MONSTERS . Just a pity the screenplay had too much to say for itself
Praise deservedly goes to the actors in their roles . Ian McKellen was fairly unknown at the time of this production but gives a very haunting performance and almost certainly rises above the written material while Brendan Fraser is an absolute revelation . It's astonishing to think that he became typecast as a sort of action hero in movies like THE MUMMY but here he shows what an accomplished understated actor he can be , he deserved an Oscar nomination with this performance and the performances from the actors are the best thing about GODS AND MONSTERS . Just a pity the screenplay had too much to say for itself
And the Best Actor Oscar in 1998 went to....who???
dglink6 June 2004
Admittedly, I am a sucker for films about Hollywood. From "Sunset Boulevard" to "The Bad and the Beautiful" and even "The Carpetbaggers," watching a film about movies is always a pleasure, guilty or otherwise. "Gods and Monsters" can be added to that short list. The semi-fictionalized story of director James Whale's last days is a melancholy tale of an intelligent, creative mind that is beginning to fail and Whale's desperate fear of that mental failure. He sees in the handsome hulking form of his gardener an individual that reminds him of his most famous film creation, Frankenstein's monster, and he tries to reach out to him and offer the friendship that his film creation was denied. However, his mind is swimming in and out of fantasy, memory, and reality, and his gesture initially confuses the gardener, who sees it only as a sexual advance. In one of the Motion Picture Academy's most bewildering choices, the Best Actor Oscar for 1998 went to an Italian comic who has not been heard from since instead of to the brilliant Ian McKellan in what is arguably his finest film role as James Whale. Lynn Redgrave is funny and touching as his housekeeper, and Brendan Fraser, an adventurous actor who does not shy away from stretching his abilities, has yet to find a better role than that of Clayton Boone, the gardener. Beautifully written and directed by Bill Condon, the film is more than just an homage to old Hollywood. "Gods and Monsters" echoes some of the themes of "Sunset Boulevard" in its portrayal of a Hollywood veteran, who has been banished and forgotten by the industry and has retreated into a private world of his own making where he still directs the scenes.
Outstanding performance by Ian McKellen as one of the movies' great eccentrics
Erewhon5 November 1998
McKellen has admitted that while he knew nothing about Whale when he was asked to play him in Bill Condon's movie, he did some checking and discovered their lives had many parallels. Whatever it took, he seems to have slipped into Whale's skin, giving a simply brilliant performance, the best by a male lead so far this year. If he's overlooked at Oscar time, it'll be nothing less than a damned shame. One of the remarkable things about this movie is that while Whale was gay (as is McKellen), this is not emphasized in the film any more than is the heterosexuality of Brendan Fraser's character. In short, this is not a "gay movie" but a movie about a man who was gay. Similarly, Whale's having been a movie director is simply part of his life -- and of his past, since he'd quit directing about 14 years before the time the movie is set -- so that this is not a movie about Hollywood per se, but about the end of the life of a man who lived and worked in Hollywood. It's really about a man trying to get ready to die, how he (sometimes unwillingly) re-examines his past life, with wistful melancholy, bravery and some sense of regret -- but he also knows he basically lived a good life. Whale may not have been a very pleasant person to know, but McKellen illuminates his soul -- at least as adapted from Christopher Bram's novel by Bill Condon -- and makes him endearing, infuriating and fascinating. The film is also >beautifully< photographed. Note: the story is mostly fictional.
A reflection of Frankenstein
BrandtSponseller18 February 2005
A historical drama about famed director James Whale (Ian McKellen), Gods and Monsters finds Whale primarily in his last years, living relatively modestly in 1950s Hollywood. A heavy emphasis is placed on his homosexuality and his complex relationship with his young male gardener, Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser).
Gods and Monsters is an unusual film in that although it's not very plot heavy, there is little feeling of a lack of substance. It's really a personality study, but a very deep, multifaceted look at Whale, Boone and to a lesser extent, Whale's domestic helper, Hanna (Lynn Redgrave). As such, the film largely hinges on its performances, which couldn't be better.
Fraser is perhaps the most impressive, as the tenor of his role is very different than most of the material he's tackled over the years. He never fails to sell his nuanced character, who is something of a lower-class enigma with a clearly troubled past and a desire for a simpler future, but who hardly knows how to express or achieve what he desires. The description is almost a perfect reflection of Whale, as well, as we come to realize. Of course McKellen and Redgrave are good, too, but their roles are more along the lines of some of their past fine work.
Echoing the parallel between Boone and Whale's histories and dispositions, Whale's life is shown as being deeply mired in the themes of his two Frankenstein films, even though he is shown as publicly wanting to play them down. Whale is something of a cross between Colin Clive's Dr. Frankenstein, Ernest Thesiger's campy Dr. Pretorius and Boris Karloff's sympathetic monster, enjoying the role of creator as much as the simple pleasures of food and a smoke, and ultimately desiring friendship rather than forlorn loneliness in his twilight years. Whale's loss of his creation on The Road Back (1937), from which he temporarily recovered his composure, and the perceived "monstrosity" of his sexual orientation and eccentricities began a slow process of alienation from the milieu he loved at one time. Like the Monster seeking emotional recompense, especially in the face of imminent destruction in the wake of a stroke, Whale attempts to latch on to whatever intimacy he can find from others, and ultimately expresses an embrace of death over living.
Although the historicity of the film may be questionable on some accounts, it's important to remember that the film, although a historical drama, is still fiction, and many changes are by way of normal "literary license", designed to underscore more abstract points about Whale's life and character.
Director Bill Condon nicely inserts select scenes from Whale's past, including his experience in World War I, which informed his films such as Journey's End (1930), and a wonderful recreation of Whale filming a scene from Bride of Frankenstein (1935). We also see an almost amusingly truncated version of the latter and some typical peanut gallery remarks showing how Whale's work was apt to be misunderstood. Carter Burwell's beautiful, understated music is also worth noting. My only small complaint about the film is that I would have like the music to appear more frequently than it did.
Gods and Monsters is an unusual film in that although it's not very plot heavy, there is little feeling of a lack of substance. It's really a personality study, but a very deep, multifaceted look at Whale, Boone and to a lesser extent, Whale's domestic helper, Hanna (Lynn Redgrave). As such, the film largely hinges on its performances, which couldn't be better.
Fraser is perhaps the most impressive, as the tenor of his role is very different than most of the material he's tackled over the years. He never fails to sell his nuanced character, who is something of a lower-class enigma with a clearly troubled past and a desire for a simpler future, but who hardly knows how to express or achieve what he desires. The description is almost a perfect reflection of Whale, as well, as we come to realize. Of course McKellen and Redgrave are good, too, but their roles are more along the lines of some of their past fine work.
Echoing the parallel between Boone and Whale's histories and dispositions, Whale's life is shown as being deeply mired in the themes of his two Frankenstein films, even though he is shown as publicly wanting to play them down. Whale is something of a cross between Colin Clive's Dr. Frankenstein, Ernest Thesiger's campy Dr. Pretorius and Boris Karloff's sympathetic monster, enjoying the role of creator as much as the simple pleasures of food and a smoke, and ultimately desiring friendship rather than forlorn loneliness in his twilight years. Whale's loss of his creation on The Road Back (1937), from which he temporarily recovered his composure, and the perceived "monstrosity" of his sexual orientation and eccentricities began a slow process of alienation from the milieu he loved at one time. Like the Monster seeking emotional recompense, especially in the face of imminent destruction in the wake of a stroke, Whale attempts to latch on to whatever intimacy he can find from others, and ultimately expresses an embrace of death over living.
Although the historicity of the film may be questionable on some accounts, it's important to remember that the film, although a historical drama, is still fiction, and many changes are by way of normal "literary license", designed to underscore more abstract points about Whale's life and character.
Director Bill Condon nicely inserts select scenes from Whale's past, including his experience in World War I, which informed his films such as Journey's End (1930), and a wonderful recreation of Whale filming a scene from Bride of Frankenstein (1935). We also see an almost amusingly truncated version of the latter and some typical peanut gallery remarks showing how Whale's work was apt to be misunderstood. Carter Burwell's beautiful, understated music is also worth noting. My only small complaint about the film is that I would have like the music to appear more frequently than it did.
Thoughtful biopic of a Hollywood horror director
Leofwine_draca22 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
A rich, moving and insightful look into the later years in the life of an old, bitter man, this is probably miles better than any of the typical horror films released in 1998. It also happens to be Clive Barker's most interesting production for many a year. However, this isn't a horror film at all, more like a cross between a biography and an intense drama focusing on the relationship between two volatile men.
The film is exceptionally made; it has a smooth, polished look to it and the characters are so well drawn and interesting that you never become tired of them, in spite of a slow pace. For the most part, we see insights into Whale's life, and the film becomes a character study of him, revealing his fears, his passions, and his forbidden desires. Despite being (on the outside) an unlikeable character, McKellen gives a subtle, impressive performance which makes us really feel and understand the director's state of mind. The ending is surprisingly poignant and tear-jerking, despite being a little predictable, and this film fully deserves the screenplay Oscar that it won.
McKellen's understated performance is the key focus of the film, indeed the whole film as a success hinges upon it. I've never liked the actor much, but he plays Whale extremely well, covering all the mannerisms and tics and making them his own. Even his cultured voice is perfect for the character. Surprisingly enough, Brendan Fraser comes off well too. Fraser is usually known for his roles in comedy, playing likable but dumb characters. He plays the same type of person here, except seriously, and he brings a real touching mood to the film as he slowly accepts Whale as a friend and grows to love him as such. Lynn Redgrave enjoys herself in a small, comic relief role as a heavily-accented housemaid, and is frequently delightful.
The strong homosexual theme is dealt with tastefully, never explicit and never in bad taste. There is one disturbing moment in the film, which involves a naked Fraser wearing a gas mask being assaulted by Whale, but this never veers over the boundaries of tastefulness - instead it's both frightening and sad. My only complaint (as a horror fan) would be that too much time is dwelt on THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and not enough on Whale's other horror films - a few more clips wouldn't have gone amiss. New clips of behind the scenes on BRIDE are very well done, really capturing that Gothic feel, and frequently funny. The scenes of the garden party where Whale meets the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Margaret, Elsa Lanchester, and Boris Karloff are also very good too, the actors and actresses being remarkably similar to their characters. On top of this there's a brilliant, moving and profound ending which uses a clip from BRIDE expertly. For fans of intelligent, slow-paced and thoughtful dramas, this is the one to go for.
The film is exceptionally made; it has a smooth, polished look to it and the characters are so well drawn and interesting that you never become tired of them, in spite of a slow pace. For the most part, we see insights into Whale's life, and the film becomes a character study of him, revealing his fears, his passions, and his forbidden desires. Despite being (on the outside) an unlikeable character, McKellen gives a subtle, impressive performance which makes us really feel and understand the director's state of mind. The ending is surprisingly poignant and tear-jerking, despite being a little predictable, and this film fully deserves the screenplay Oscar that it won.
McKellen's understated performance is the key focus of the film, indeed the whole film as a success hinges upon it. I've never liked the actor much, but he plays Whale extremely well, covering all the mannerisms and tics and making them his own. Even his cultured voice is perfect for the character. Surprisingly enough, Brendan Fraser comes off well too. Fraser is usually known for his roles in comedy, playing likable but dumb characters. He plays the same type of person here, except seriously, and he brings a real touching mood to the film as he slowly accepts Whale as a friend and grows to love him as such. Lynn Redgrave enjoys herself in a small, comic relief role as a heavily-accented housemaid, and is frequently delightful.
The strong homosexual theme is dealt with tastefully, never explicit and never in bad taste. There is one disturbing moment in the film, which involves a naked Fraser wearing a gas mask being assaulted by Whale, but this never veers over the boundaries of tastefulness - instead it's both frightening and sad. My only complaint (as a horror fan) would be that too much time is dwelt on THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and not enough on Whale's other horror films - a few more clips wouldn't have gone amiss. New clips of behind the scenes on BRIDE are very well done, really capturing that Gothic feel, and frequently funny. The scenes of the garden party where Whale meets the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Margaret, Elsa Lanchester, and Boris Karloff are also very good too, the actors and actresses being remarkably similar to their characters. On top of this there's a brilliant, moving and profound ending which uses a clip from BRIDE expertly. For fans of intelligent, slow-paced and thoughtful dramas, this is the one to go for.
Whale's films had PLOTS
Spleen9 October 1999
My guess is that Bill Condon badly wanted to make a film about James Whale - and that's as far as he got. This isn't actually BAD, but I don't think I've ever seen a film so slight.
It's not much of a biopic, since we see, roughly, two WEEKS of Whale's life. Apparently (although Condon tells us that some of the events are fictitious, and gives us no means of working out which ones), towards the end of his life Whale suffered from a kind of brain damage that meant he was plagued by vivid images, stray thoughts, and the like, which accounts for all the flashbacks. The film is a bit slow to tell us about the brain condition, though, which means that the flashbacks come across as a forced, ham-fisted device. The impression persists. Condon tries very hard indeed to draw links between Frankenstein's monster and Whale, the invisible man and Whale, between Whale's films and his experiences in the Great War. These links come across as forced, too.
The thing is, nothing much happens in the two weeks of Whale's life we see - nothing to constitute a story. Yet Condon's attempts to drag in earlier events and make THEM part of the story don't work either. We see the filming of `Bride of Frankenstein'. What does THIS have to do with anything? Yes, Whale is having visions, but that's no reason why we should. Anyway, Whale himself is sick to death of being associated with Frankenstein, and would rather people thought of him as the director of `Show Boat'.
The surprisingly good press this film has generated is almost entirely due to Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser. Normally I wouldn't watch a film for the performances alone, but this one is probably worth it.
It's not much of a biopic, since we see, roughly, two WEEKS of Whale's life. Apparently (although Condon tells us that some of the events are fictitious, and gives us no means of working out which ones), towards the end of his life Whale suffered from a kind of brain damage that meant he was plagued by vivid images, stray thoughts, and the like, which accounts for all the flashbacks. The film is a bit slow to tell us about the brain condition, though, which means that the flashbacks come across as a forced, ham-fisted device. The impression persists. Condon tries very hard indeed to draw links between Frankenstein's monster and Whale, the invisible man and Whale, between Whale's films and his experiences in the Great War. These links come across as forced, too.
The thing is, nothing much happens in the two weeks of Whale's life we see - nothing to constitute a story. Yet Condon's attempts to drag in earlier events and make THEM part of the story don't work either. We see the filming of `Bride of Frankenstein'. What does THIS have to do with anything? Yes, Whale is having visions, but that's no reason why we should. Anyway, Whale himself is sick to death of being associated with Frankenstein, and would rather people thought of him as the director of `Show Boat'.
The surprisingly good press this film has generated is almost entirely due to Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser. Normally I wouldn't watch a film for the performances alone, but this one is probably worth it.
Terrific! (To A Degree)
kthejoker27 January 2000
From the opening credits to the (mostly) predictable climax, Bill Condon's film is a technical masterpiece and an excellent bit of arthouse fodder to boot.
The title, which comes from James Whale's classic film Bride Of Frankenstein, refers to the gods and monsters living in our lives and vicariously in our close associates' lives.
Condon has done a remarkable job editing in flashbacks, and the sketchy oblique, often contrasted shots pay great homage to Whale's early Universal pictures.
The story is a simple one: James Whale (Ian MacKellan), famed director, has had a stroke and is slowly dying. He is a lonely man in need of companionship and inner peace. He tries to find this solace in Clay Boone (Brendan Fraser, in a rare serious role), his yardman. The blossoming relationship between the two is the plot focus of the film.
Carter Burwell's score is wonderful as always, and Lynn Redgrave's role as Whale's housemaid is superbly put on. A great movie for any fans of the late Whale, or anyone looking for a true human drama.
The title, which comes from James Whale's classic film Bride Of Frankenstein, refers to the gods and monsters living in our lives and vicariously in our close associates' lives.
Condon has done a remarkable job editing in flashbacks, and the sketchy oblique, often contrasted shots pay great homage to Whale's early Universal pictures.
The story is a simple one: James Whale (Ian MacKellan), famed director, has had a stroke and is slowly dying. He is a lonely man in need of companionship and inner peace. He tries to find this solace in Clay Boone (Brendan Fraser, in a rare serious role), his yardman. The blossoming relationship between the two is the plot focus of the film.
Carter Burwell's score is wonderful as always, and Lynn Redgrave's role as Whale's housemaid is superbly put on. A great movie for any fans of the late Whale, or anyone looking for a true human drama.
Sir Ian McKellen & Lynn Redgrave Were Robbed of Oscars!
goldie_8024 June 2007
Among the most intriguing characters I've seen is Hanna (Redgrave). I knew she was in the film, there she was in the opening seen & I still kept looking for her! That's how terrific her characterization is of the Hungarian Catholic widowed maid to the flaming gay famed director, James Whale (Sir Ian McKellen).
Is there 'any' character that Sir McKellen can't play to perfection today? In "God's & Monster's", McKellen mastered Whale & gave Fraser an acting lesson ::winking::.
To watch the two real life friends, Lynn Redgrave & Ian McKellen, play purrfect foils--Hanna praying for her beloved "Mr. Jimmy's" 'unspeakable' sinful soul because he's gay was hysterical. McKellen pretending to flirt with Fraser, the epitome of a t-totally straight guy that any gay guy could clock in a heartbeat, was also side-splitting. Hanna believing they were having a romantic relationship was just too much fun as she threw serving trays at them & gave Whale scorned looks as if to kill whenever he'd have Fraser in for lunch or tea. These subtleties made the movie an absolute delight.
Thus, while heavy drama was going on, there was a comedy line-in-cheek throughout the motion picture. Of course, the plot proves why "Mr. Jimmy" was provoking his hunk of a gardener (Fraser) . . . but I'm not telling. That's the best part of the picture.
Whoever claims this movie is 'gay-bashing' doesn't know the meaning of it. The movie was about the director of "Frankenstein & Bride of Frankenstein." He just so happened to be gay, & thus, part of his life story as a gay man had to be featured in the film. Hanna playing a religious foil was right on time for the moment of the release of the film when the major church denominations are factionalizing over gays being equal in the churches! That's a great film--one that conveys a social struggle in the character of one great actor, Lynn Redgrave. She got the attitude of the church exactly right.
Doing a queer critique of "God's & Monsters," I rate it a 20 out of 10! This was not the silly, slapstick, "To Wong Foo," bizarre, "Stonewall," that was all out of context from the reality of the characters, or there ever so unreal (but cute), "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." This story is very true to life then & now. It came out right on time, as well.
Lynn Regrave delivered the performance of her lifetime! In my mind she won the Oscar. McKellen gave another of his stellar characterizations & also won my Oscar. I also feel the picture should have been best picture of the year. Fortunately, many other notable awards were given that the blindered Film Academy was too dense to do itself. Redgrave was most robbed of her Oscar because she was anyone but herself! She wasn't even recognizable as Lynn Redgrave, for heaven's sake.
So if anything or anyone was gay bashing, it was the Film Academy itself, for overlooking the Oscar winning performances of Redgrave & McKellen & the Best Picture of the Year.
. . . & I'm still watching it in late August 2007.
Is there 'any' character that Sir McKellen can't play to perfection today? In "God's & Monster's", McKellen mastered Whale & gave Fraser an acting lesson ::winking::.
To watch the two real life friends, Lynn Redgrave & Ian McKellen, play purrfect foils--Hanna praying for her beloved "Mr. Jimmy's" 'unspeakable' sinful soul because he's gay was hysterical. McKellen pretending to flirt with Fraser, the epitome of a t-totally straight guy that any gay guy could clock in a heartbeat, was also side-splitting. Hanna believing they were having a romantic relationship was just too much fun as she threw serving trays at them & gave Whale scorned looks as if to kill whenever he'd have Fraser in for lunch or tea. These subtleties made the movie an absolute delight.
Thus, while heavy drama was going on, there was a comedy line-in-cheek throughout the motion picture. Of course, the plot proves why "Mr. Jimmy" was provoking his hunk of a gardener (Fraser) . . . but I'm not telling. That's the best part of the picture.
Whoever claims this movie is 'gay-bashing' doesn't know the meaning of it. The movie was about the director of "Frankenstein & Bride of Frankenstein." He just so happened to be gay, & thus, part of his life story as a gay man had to be featured in the film. Hanna playing a religious foil was right on time for the moment of the release of the film when the major church denominations are factionalizing over gays being equal in the churches! That's a great film--one that conveys a social struggle in the character of one great actor, Lynn Redgrave. She got the attitude of the church exactly right.
Doing a queer critique of "God's & Monsters," I rate it a 20 out of 10! This was not the silly, slapstick, "To Wong Foo," bizarre, "Stonewall," that was all out of context from the reality of the characters, or there ever so unreal (but cute), "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." This story is very true to life then & now. It came out right on time, as well.
Lynn Regrave delivered the performance of her lifetime! In my mind she won the Oscar. McKellen gave another of his stellar characterizations & also won my Oscar. I also feel the picture should have been best picture of the year. Fortunately, many other notable awards were given that the blindered Film Academy was too dense to do itself. Redgrave was most robbed of her Oscar because she was anyone but herself! She wasn't even recognizable as Lynn Redgrave, for heaven's sake.
So if anything or anyone was gay bashing, it was the Film Academy itself, for overlooking the Oscar winning performances of Redgrave & McKellen & the Best Picture of the Year.
. . . & I'm still watching it in late August 2007.
Moving
icez12 May 2000
Gods and Monsters
This human drama by talented director Bill Condon is an emotional masterpiece! Based from Christopher Bram's novel, Gods and Monsters depicts the last days of famed director James Whales and his flourishing relationship with his gardener Clayton Boone. Ian McKellen plays the ill-fated director haunted by painful memories of the past while Brendan Fraser, in a very serious role, is the man from which Whales finds peace.
Director Bill Condon is especially remarkable with his use of flashbacks to delineate James Whales' haunting past and imageries from the late director's own creations. He makes his audiences feel the growing bond between Whales and Boone, and effectively touches his audiences during the director's tragic end. Though this episode is a predictable story, it makes us explore within ourselves the Gods and Monsters of our lives.
I'm surprised that the Academy ignored Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser for their extremely fine performances. Ian McKellen gives an outstanding performance as the late director while Brendan Fraser fully shines in the film's climax. Lynn Redgrave is also commendable for her light performance as Hanna, the maid.
This is superbly recommended for anyone looking for a film loaded with emotions
This human drama by talented director Bill Condon is an emotional masterpiece! Based from Christopher Bram's novel, Gods and Monsters depicts the last days of famed director James Whales and his flourishing relationship with his gardener Clayton Boone. Ian McKellen plays the ill-fated director haunted by painful memories of the past while Brendan Fraser, in a very serious role, is the man from which Whales finds peace.
Director Bill Condon is especially remarkable with his use of flashbacks to delineate James Whales' haunting past and imageries from the late director's own creations. He makes his audiences feel the growing bond between Whales and Boone, and effectively touches his audiences during the director's tragic end. Though this episode is a predictable story, it makes us explore within ourselves the Gods and Monsters of our lives.
I'm surprised that the Academy ignored Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser for their extremely fine performances. Ian McKellen gives an outstanding performance as the late director while Brendan Fraser fully shines in the film's climax. Lynn Redgrave is also commendable for her light performance as Hanna, the maid.
This is superbly recommended for anyone looking for a film loaded with emotions
Queen and groom
begob27 September 2017
A gardener sits for his portrait by a retired film director, who reveals more than expected about his ailing life.
Well balanced biopic of an interesting character. The story is elevated a few degrees by the lead performance, but weighed down a touch by the character of the gardener. Wikipedia hints at a more interesting end-of-life relationship with a foreign lover, but I guess that would have complicated the dynamic and so we end up with Fraser struggling in an awkward role. And a monstrous hair-cut.
The pace is surprisingly good for a dialogue driven story, with the first hour flying by, and the climax is well nailed. The theme is of companionship among outcasts, which is nicely illustrated with the war scene and the movie clip with the blind man. I could have done with more integration of the horror sensibility (replace the recumbent soldiers with rotting cadavers), and I'm not sure the monster metaphor worked.
If there were in-jokes and tricks involving Whale's innovative camera work or Universal Studios' horror music, I didn't notice them.
Overall: worth it for McKellen's close ups.
Well balanced biopic of an interesting character. The story is elevated a few degrees by the lead performance, but weighed down a touch by the character of the gardener. Wikipedia hints at a more interesting end-of-life relationship with a foreign lover, but I guess that would have complicated the dynamic and so we end up with Fraser struggling in an awkward role. And a monstrous hair-cut.
The pace is surprisingly good for a dialogue driven story, with the first hour flying by, and the climax is well nailed. The theme is of companionship among outcasts, which is nicely illustrated with the war scene and the movie clip with the blind man. I could have done with more integration of the horror sensibility (replace the recumbent soldiers with rotting cadavers), and I'm not sure the monster metaphor worked.
If there were in-jokes and tricks involving Whale's innovative camera work or Universal Studios' horror music, I didn't notice them.
Overall: worth it for McKellen's close ups.
What Great Movies Are All About?
Sylviastel3 May 2013
Sometimes, great quality films don't take too much money to make and don't require a lot of star power. Here, we have Sir Ian McKellen CH KBE CBE in an Oscar nominated performance as the late great horror director, James Whale, who was also gay, artistic, and a genius. The film is based on a fictional novel about his life towards the end. In this film, James Whale is elderly and frail who encounters a handsome gardener, Clayton Boone (played wonderfully by Brendan Fraser in his best performance to date or since). Ian McKellen masters the role of the late director. They form an unlikely friendship. Clayton is oblivious to Whale's homosexuality or his film history at first. They become unlikely friends during their conversations. Whale knows his time is running out. The title comes from a line in his famous film, "Frankenstein." I don't care much for James Whale as a person. He seems too self-involved and cruel to his interviewer. The film also carries a Golden Globe winning performance from the late Lynn Redgrave OBE as his Hungarian Catholic housekeeper, Hanna. She is unforgettable in this role and her loses herself in developing her to be believable. Hanna is still devoted to Whale despite his sexual orientation. Still, the film is a character study. I loved the moment where Whale is reunited with Elsa Lancaster and Boris Karloff who was the Bride and Frankenstein at the Garden Party.
A solid film with superb interpretation from McKellen along with enjoyable support from Fraser and Redgrave
ma-cortes1 August 2023
Now long-retired and suffering from ill-health , the openly gay James Whale (Ian McKellen) lives quietly in L. A. at aluxurious mansion . James Whale has burned his bridges with the Hollywood community in that they have abandoned him , the possible exception being his continuing friendship with former lover David Lewis (David Dukes) . Whale lives with his protective housekeeper Hanna (Lynn Redgrave) and does enjoy the company of his new gardener - hunky , hetero ex-Marine Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser)- but a stroke has left the director with a confusing sense of reality , returning him to his soldiering days in WWII and Frankenstein re-creations .
A good film dealing with the painful last years of his life in Hollywood, where Whale was one of the few celebrities to live openly acknowledging his homosexuality , being well depicted by Ian McKellen and professionally directed by Bill Condon . Adapted from Christopher Bram's novel, this is an agreeable fiction-alised biographical tribute to James Whale who died mysteriusly at his swimming pool . Whiling away his early Hollywood retirement in incapacitated general lechery , lapsing into nostalgic reveries prompted by the visit of a young would-be biographer . Ian McKellen's Whale latches on Brendan Fraser's hunky but determinedly straight garderer , desperately seeking solace as his past glories and horrors start crowding around and haunting him. It is superficially reminiscent of 'Love and Death on Long Island' , only less crusty , with McKellen giving a terrific acting as the tormented old bugger and the inserts from his past steadly and lucidly sound echoes of the Frankenstein themes and characters . Along with the main actors -Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser , Lynn Redgrave- giving over-the-top acting , appearing other nice secondaries , such as : Lolita Davidovich , David Dukes , Kevin J. O'Connor , Martin Ferrero , Arthur Dignam , Matt McKenzie , Mark Kiely , Jack Plotnick , Rosalind Ayres , Jack Betts , most of them playing classic Hollywood characters , such as : Boris Karloff , Elizabeth Taylor , George Cukor , Elsa Lanchester , David Lewis , Colin Clive , Ernest Thesiger , Jack Pierce .
There're several biographic remarks in this stunning film . James Whale served as an infantry officer in the British Army during World War I where he was captured by the Germans and held as a POW. While imprisoned he became actively involved, as an actor , writer , producer and set-designer, in the amateur theatrical productions that took place in the camp, finding them "a source of great pleasure and amusement". Although British director Whale has a varied , if short , Hollywood career in the 30s and 40s , his name rested on his wonderful Universal horror films . Four of his films were nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills: Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1939). "Frankenstein" made the list at #56 . Because Whale's status as a director at Universal under the Carl Laemmle regime grew until he was given total control over his films, many of his films carry the credit "A James Whale Production", even though Whale never actually produced his films ; the producing chores were always handled by someone else and being personally responsible for selecting Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster. James Whale wrote a suicide note before jumping into his pool . Its exact contents are not known, as it was withheld by the person who found it, and the full note was never shared, even after that person's death, when it's existence was revealed . The motion picture was well directed by Bill Condon (Mr. Holmes (2015) with Ian McKellen again, Dreamgirls (2006) , Gods and monsters (1998) , Kinsey (2004)). Not a complicated movie , but clever , enjoyable and warm.
A good film dealing with the painful last years of his life in Hollywood, where Whale was one of the few celebrities to live openly acknowledging his homosexuality , being well depicted by Ian McKellen and professionally directed by Bill Condon . Adapted from Christopher Bram's novel, this is an agreeable fiction-alised biographical tribute to James Whale who died mysteriusly at his swimming pool . Whiling away his early Hollywood retirement in incapacitated general lechery , lapsing into nostalgic reveries prompted by the visit of a young would-be biographer . Ian McKellen's Whale latches on Brendan Fraser's hunky but determinedly straight garderer , desperately seeking solace as his past glories and horrors start crowding around and haunting him. It is superficially reminiscent of 'Love and Death on Long Island' , only less crusty , with McKellen giving a terrific acting as the tormented old bugger and the inserts from his past steadly and lucidly sound echoes of the Frankenstein themes and characters . Along with the main actors -Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser , Lynn Redgrave- giving over-the-top acting , appearing other nice secondaries , such as : Lolita Davidovich , David Dukes , Kevin J. O'Connor , Martin Ferrero , Arthur Dignam , Matt McKenzie , Mark Kiely , Jack Plotnick , Rosalind Ayres , Jack Betts , most of them playing classic Hollywood characters , such as : Boris Karloff , Elizabeth Taylor , George Cukor , Elsa Lanchester , David Lewis , Colin Clive , Ernest Thesiger , Jack Pierce .
There're several biographic remarks in this stunning film . James Whale served as an infantry officer in the British Army during World War I where he was captured by the Germans and held as a POW. While imprisoned he became actively involved, as an actor , writer , producer and set-designer, in the amateur theatrical productions that took place in the camp, finding them "a source of great pleasure and amusement". Although British director Whale has a varied , if short , Hollywood career in the 30s and 40s , his name rested on his wonderful Universal horror films . Four of his films were nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills: Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1939). "Frankenstein" made the list at #56 . Because Whale's status as a director at Universal under the Carl Laemmle regime grew until he was given total control over his films, many of his films carry the credit "A James Whale Production", even though Whale never actually produced his films ; the producing chores were always handled by someone else and being personally responsible for selecting Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster. James Whale wrote a suicide note before jumping into his pool . Its exact contents are not known, as it was withheld by the person who found it, and the full note was never shared, even after that person's death, when it's existence was revealed . The motion picture was well directed by Bill Condon (Mr. Holmes (2015) with Ian McKellen again, Dreamgirls (2006) , Gods and monsters (1998) , Kinsey (2004)). Not a complicated movie , but clever , enjoyable and warm.
A great movie, with a good approach and acting performances.
Boba_Fett11387 August 2007
For some reason James Whale is a sort of a forgotten director. He made some great and well known classics in his career but yet he isn't as appreciate and much remembered as his fellow colleagues from the same period, such as lets say Tod Browning . I mean, if you now say the name James Whale, while anybody really know he was the director of the 1931 "Frankenstein" movie and its perhaps even better sequel "The Bride of Frankenstein"? It therefor is great that a biopic was made about this sort of forgotten and flamboyant, greatly talented director, who was among the best of his time.
It's a great and wonderfully acted movie about James Whale, although I have the feeling that the movie is often more about James Whale's homosexuality than really about his life and career. Of course nothing wrong with a story like that but you can wonder if this at all time is the best approach for a biopic. The movie is also about Whale's final days, although it frequently uses flashbacks. The movie was also more about "Frankenstein" and "The Bride of Frankenstein" than any of Whale's other movies, though he obviously made many more and well known movies, in different genres. But I can understand why they did this. The Frankenstein movies get in this movie linked to Whale's real life and his ideas and views on things. It are of course also the two movies for which he will be always remembered. It's an approach that works great and effective for the movie but again you can wonder, if this is the best approach for a biopic. So perhaps as a biopic this movie isn't entirely effective even though the movie is definitely insightful about the James Whale characters but as a drama and character study this is simply just a great movie to watch.
The entire approach to how the story is told is also great and original. It chooses to tell the story off Whale through the things he tells his gardener, who Whale befriends, though his intentions at first are obviously aimed toward something else. While befriending the gardener Whale looks back on his life and career and gives his own personal views and ideas of things, of course also mainly regarding homosexuality. Whale was one of the few openly gay high society and public persons of his time, which might very well have meant also the downfall of his career. The approach doesn't sound like a logical one or engaging one but it works out extremely well and is really effective in the movie. The script, by Bill Condon himself, also won an Oscar.
The movie gets mostly carried by its actors. Ian McKellen was a great choice for the main lead and he gives one fine performance. It was a real big gamble to cast Bredan Fraser in a this sort of role, after appearing mostly in weak simple comedies before his role in this movie. Brendan Fraser never have been at his best in serious type of roles but he handles this role well. It also isn't a completely heavy and serious type of role, which also makes the movie easier and more pleasant to watch.
The movie does have its slower moments, especially in the beginning of the movie but nevertheless Bill Condon shows he's a capable director by making every sequence work and keep things flowing well, despite the use of flashbacks, that normally also slow down movies. He also makes sure that the movie never becomes too heavy.
The flashbacks and more dreamy like of sequences are all good looking and fit in with the rest of the movie. But perhaps with the exception of it's WW I moments. I don't know, for some reason WW I fighting sequences always look kind of cheap and fake, like they are shot in studios. Guess WW I is just a very hard war to capture and translate to the silver screen. Might also explain why there are actually so little movies regarding WW I.
A greatly made and acted movie, that really deserves to be seen.
8/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
It's a great and wonderfully acted movie about James Whale, although I have the feeling that the movie is often more about James Whale's homosexuality than really about his life and career. Of course nothing wrong with a story like that but you can wonder if this at all time is the best approach for a biopic. The movie is also about Whale's final days, although it frequently uses flashbacks. The movie was also more about "Frankenstein" and "The Bride of Frankenstein" than any of Whale's other movies, though he obviously made many more and well known movies, in different genres. But I can understand why they did this. The Frankenstein movies get in this movie linked to Whale's real life and his ideas and views on things. It are of course also the two movies for which he will be always remembered. It's an approach that works great and effective for the movie but again you can wonder, if this is the best approach for a biopic. So perhaps as a biopic this movie isn't entirely effective even though the movie is definitely insightful about the James Whale characters but as a drama and character study this is simply just a great movie to watch.
The entire approach to how the story is told is also great and original. It chooses to tell the story off Whale through the things he tells his gardener, who Whale befriends, though his intentions at first are obviously aimed toward something else. While befriending the gardener Whale looks back on his life and career and gives his own personal views and ideas of things, of course also mainly regarding homosexuality. Whale was one of the few openly gay high society and public persons of his time, which might very well have meant also the downfall of his career. The approach doesn't sound like a logical one or engaging one but it works out extremely well and is really effective in the movie. The script, by Bill Condon himself, also won an Oscar.
The movie gets mostly carried by its actors. Ian McKellen was a great choice for the main lead and he gives one fine performance. It was a real big gamble to cast Bredan Fraser in a this sort of role, after appearing mostly in weak simple comedies before his role in this movie. Brendan Fraser never have been at his best in serious type of roles but he handles this role well. It also isn't a completely heavy and serious type of role, which also makes the movie easier and more pleasant to watch.
The movie does have its slower moments, especially in the beginning of the movie but nevertheless Bill Condon shows he's a capable director by making every sequence work and keep things flowing well, despite the use of flashbacks, that normally also slow down movies. He also makes sure that the movie never becomes too heavy.
The flashbacks and more dreamy like of sequences are all good looking and fit in with the rest of the movie. But perhaps with the exception of it's WW I moments. I don't know, for some reason WW I fighting sequences always look kind of cheap and fake, like they are shot in studios. Guess WW I is just a very hard war to capture and translate to the silver screen. Might also explain why there are actually so little movies regarding WW I.
A greatly made and acted movie, that really deserves to be seen.
8/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Actor's Delight
Dr.Mike11 March 1999
Gods and Monsters is a film for the actors. Ian McKellan's performance is one of the best of the year. His manipulations and plots, fears and memories all come together to form a picture of a complete man at the end of his life. Most of the time the script helps McKellan by providing him with scenes that reflect the past onto the present.
The problems start with Brendan Fraser. A worse performance would be hard to coax out of an amateur. Besides his impressive physicality, he brings nothing to the role. Any of the scenes that focus on him rather than McKellan are disasters. Just what was going on between him and the waitress anyway? Lynn Redgrave is fine, but rather flat. She has little to work with but does make the best of it.
The script is, as stated above, fine, but it is not excellent. It does a good job of bringing together many of Whale's memories into a shifting pattern of emotions and thoughts. It also links him to the lost generaton of World War I quite well, but it fails to connect the intervening years and the art Whale produced to that period. The film ends up being a bit slight, but it is recommended for McKellan.
The problems start with Brendan Fraser. A worse performance would be hard to coax out of an amateur. Besides his impressive physicality, he brings nothing to the role. Any of the scenes that focus on him rather than McKellan are disasters. Just what was going on between him and the waitress anyway? Lynn Redgrave is fine, but rather flat. She has little to work with but does make the best of it.
The script is, as stated above, fine, but it is not excellent. It does a good job of bringing together many of Whale's memories into a shifting pattern of emotions and thoughts. It also links him to the lost generaton of World War I quite well, but it fails to connect the intervening years and the art Whale produced to that period. The film ends up being a bit slight, but it is recommended for McKellan.
Beautiful and subtle
itamarscomix18 August 2012
The plot summary for Gods and Monsters states that it follows the last days of horror director James Whale, but it shouldn't be thought of as a biopic; it manages to avoid almost every pitfall suffered by most movies of that genre, except for one - predictability. The film is very predictable every step of the way, even if you know absolutely nothing about Whale's life or death, you can tell very early on exactly how it's going to end. It doesn't matter, though, because Gods and Monsters isn't about the story; it's an art-house piece and a character study, an exploration of a complex personality and, above all, a remarkably beautiful film.
Like any biographical film, Gods and Monsters relies heavily on one powerful lead actor; Ian McKellen gives one of the best performances of his career as James Whale, with whom he clearly felt a certain bond. McKellen puts his whole into the film and creates real sympathy for Whale. Fantastic as he is, though, it's not a one man show; gorgeous editing that manages to organically combine flashbacks with loving references to Whale's own early films, creates a strong sense of atmosphere that Whale himself would have been proud of. Gods and Monsters is a natural companion piece to Ed Wood and Shadow of the Vampire, but it's by far the most brooding, subtle, thought-provoking one of the trio. As for supporting cast - Lynn Redgrave is fantastic in a small but memorable part as Whale's maid; Brendan Fraser, on the other hand, plays a very generic character, mostly there as an avatar for the viewer, and though his performance is decent, it's not by any means impressive, and he gets a little too much screen time, taking the film down just a notch from masterpiece status.
Like any biographical film, Gods and Monsters relies heavily on one powerful lead actor; Ian McKellen gives one of the best performances of his career as James Whale, with whom he clearly felt a certain bond. McKellen puts his whole into the film and creates real sympathy for Whale. Fantastic as he is, though, it's not a one man show; gorgeous editing that manages to organically combine flashbacks with loving references to Whale's own early films, creates a strong sense of atmosphere that Whale himself would have been proud of. Gods and Monsters is a natural companion piece to Ed Wood and Shadow of the Vampire, but it's by far the most brooding, subtle, thought-provoking one of the trio. As for supporting cast - Lynn Redgrave is fantastic in a small but memorable part as Whale's maid; Brendan Fraser, on the other hand, plays a very generic character, mostly there as an avatar for the viewer, and though his performance is decent, it's not by any means impressive, and he gets a little too much screen time, taking the film down just a notch from masterpiece status.
Intriguing material rendered a bit flat by uncertain handling...
moonspinner5530 September 2006
Fictionalized account of the later years of gay film director James Whale, who, in the 1930s, directed "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein". Here, Whale befriends his hunky, heterosexual groundskeeper (with the hilariously butch name of Clayton Boone) and hearkens back on his glory years in Hollywood. Arthouse hit was almost immediately overrated by critics and audiences eager to praise something that at least touched upon human frailties and emotional conflicts. It does manage moving moments, but Brenden Fraser's working-class caretaker is such a cliché by now--and Ian McKellan's attempts at seduction are so ham-handed--that the film occasionally verges on camp. Still, McKellan does interesting work in the lead and the picture has convincing atmosphere and nice attention to detail. Based on the novel "Father of Frankenstein" by Christopher Bram. Clive Barker was one of the producers. **1/2 from ****
"You're A Dirty Old Man"
Lechuguilla1 July 2010
What an annoying movie! Based on a novel, this film purports to be the story of James Whale, English film director, known for his Frankenstein movies of the 1930s. In real life, Whale may have been one whale of a nice person. But he's not portrayed here as such. Instead, as a white-haired old fuddy-duddy, fond of various liqueurs, and surrounded by stuffy old paintings, he comes across as self-centered, hoity-toity, and delusional, who likes to talk about himself and his past, in the presence of youthful male hunks.
With mostly interior settings and gobs of dialogue, mostly about bygone days, "Gods And Monsters" conveys a starchy, moldy, pompous look and feel. The camera is mostly static. The film is talky and tedious, with Whale's utterances being spoken as profound words from on high.
And there's nothing subtle about the characters or their motives, or the acting. In an early scene, a fully-dressed Whale (Ian McKellen) sits by the pool in the presence of a young male reporter, and insists that for each gossipy item revealed, the reporter must take off an item of clothing. "You're a dirty old man", says the reporter. Yes, and the film calls attention to Whale's lust over and over ... and over.
The Clayton Boone character, Whale's preferred boy-toy, played with annoyingly he-man macho by Brendan Fraser, makes it crystal clear that he's absolutely, totally straight. And Lynn Redgrave tries to steal the show with her hammy, mannered portrayal of Whale's maid, Hanna.
About as subtle as a sledgehammer, "Gods And Monsters" depicts Whale and his world in an all-or-nothing manner, as if the film were aimed at a mass audience that needs everything spelled out in black and white. Maybe that was the intent.
With mostly interior settings and gobs of dialogue, mostly about bygone days, "Gods And Monsters" conveys a starchy, moldy, pompous look and feel. The camera is mostly static. The film is talky and tedious, with Whale's utterances being spoken as profound words from on high.
And there's nothing subtle about the characters or their motives, or the acting. In an early scene, a fully-dressed Whale (Ian McKellen) sits by the pool in the presence of a young male reporter, and insists that for each gossipy item revealed, the reporter must take off an item of clothing. "You're a dirty old man", says the reporter. Yes, and the film calls attention to Whale's lust over and over ... and over.
The Clayton Boone character, Whale's preferred boy-toy, played with annoyingly he-man macho by Brendan Fraser, makes it crystal clear that he's absolutely, totally straight. And Lynn Redgrave tries to steal the show with her hammy, mannered portrayal of Whale's maid, Hanna.
About as subtle as a sledgehammer, "Gods And Monsters" depicts Whale and his world in an all-or-nothing manner, as if the film were aimed at a mass audience that needs everything spelled out in black and white. Maybe that was the intent.
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