gods and monsters ( film )
the world of gods and monsters: a journey with james whale - monstershow. net
‘the mummy’ synopsis unearthed! find out more of the upcoming universal monsters universe film below .
looking for movie tickets? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing gods and monsters near you .
'' gods and monsters'' will be shown tonight at 6 and tomorrow at 1: 30 p. m. as part of the new york film festival .
i unexpectedly spotted this gods and monsters dvd less than a week ago at a family dollar store near my apartment .
gods and monsters: a novel - kindle edition by christopher bram. literature & fiction kindle ebooks @ amazon. com .
the film clearly belongs to mckellen, whose presence is what makes the film as affecting at it is .
gods and monsters won an academy award for best adapted screenplay in last sunday' s oscars. the film' s stars sir ian mckellen and lynn redgrave were also nominated but lost out to others .
his portrayal of james whale in bill condon' s film gods and monsters received honours from around the world, including nominations for the academy award (oscar), screen actors guild award, the golden satellite, and the golden globe. in 1999 he was named
best actor
by the national board of review, los angeles film critics association, chicago film critics association, toronto film critics, broadcast film critics association, the independent spirit awards, the online film critics society, the british independent film awards, and many others .
gods & monsters
( also registered as
gods
) is a song written by lana del rey and tim larcombe, and produced by larcombe and emile haynie in 2012 from del rey' s third ep, and second major - label release, paradise .
written, co - produced and co - directed by david j. skal, the world of gods and monsters is a behind - the scenes chronicle of the making of the 1998 academy award - winning film gods and monsters starring ian mckellen, brendan fraser and lynn redgrave. narrated by author / ​ filmmaker clive barker, the documentary interweaves the life and career of james whale, director of the original frankenstein, with the making of the acclaimed biopic. interviewees include writer / ​director bill condon (oscar winner for best adapted screenplay), ian mckellen, brendan fraser, lynn redgrave, and christopher bram, author of the novel father of frankenstein, on which the film was based. the worlds of gods and monsters is included in the universal studios home video dvd of gods and monsters .
del rey' s short film, tropico (released december 6, 2013), contains a visual for
gods & monsters
, as part of tropico' s second chapter titled gods & monsters. it shows del rey working as a stripper and actor shaun ross as a gang member who works as a clerk at a convenience store during the day .
the jon spaihts scripted film does sound very intriguing as it deals with not only material that brings to mind the original 1932 classic, but also has a bit of a lovecraftian twist. the official plot synopsis offers fans a film that promises to “usher in a new world of gods and monsters. ” for those that may not know, “gods and monsters” is a nod to james whale, the visionary filmmaker that gave us the universal classics frankenstein and bride of frankenstein .
gods and monsters is a spellbinding, confusing piece of semi - fiction, featuring fine performances; mckellen leads the way, but redgrave and fraser don' t lag far behind .
in short, it' s a moment, and a film, about compassion .
loved seeing this underrated film, good quality and arrived early, would use again .
when life departs (karsten kiilerich and sefan fjeldmark, producers; a. film production )
gods and monsters
is not a deep or powerful film, but it is a good - hearted one, in which we sense the depth of early loss that helped to shape whale' s protective style, and the california openness that allows clayton boone to care for a man he has nothing in common with. the film includes a clip from
the bride of frankenstein
of a toast to
gods and monsters .
by creating a wife for frankenstein' s monster out of base materials, dr. praetorious of course was the god. now james whale finds he no longer has the strength or the impulse to create a lover for himself. at the end there are neither gods nor monsters, only memories .
from the sweeping sands of the middle east through hidden labyrinths under modern - day london, the mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters .
the film received its all - star uk premiere in london on thursday night. the bbc' s lawrence white got a sneak preview of the film first .
this book, the basis for the film
gods and monsters ,
was a delightful read. i found it engaging with good character development that was complex but not overly so. i saw the movie before i read the book and was impressed at how true the former was to the latter .
back in 1957, the british film director james whale wrote a suicide note and was subsequently found dead in his hollywood swimming pool. it' s almost a pity that gods and monsters didn' t start with the body in the pool, narrating its own demise. it worked in sunset boulevard, and gods and monsters is almost a remake of billy wilder' s classic - except that here the retired director gets to be the star, the gloria swanson figure holding forth about how it was the movies that got smaller .
from the sweeping sands of the middle east through hidden labyrinths under modern - day london, the mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters. ”
gods and monsters keeps us interested in the life of james whale for its full 105 - minute running time. most of us know his monsters - the stiff karloff creature (whose appearance was suggested by whale), the bizarrely beautiful bride of frankenstein, and claude rains' invisible man - but we know little of the individual who gave them life, and faced his own private demons on a daily basis. condon' s film helps to remedy that. gods and monsters is a rich, multi - layered portrait of a director from hollywood' s golden age whose own life was as interesting as any of his movies .
in 2009 he was given lifetime achievement awards at san sebastian film festival and the evening standard awards .
gods and monsters (a. k. a. father of frankenstein) is a great novel on lots of different levels. it explores the gay world of hollywood in the 1950s, the impossibility of ...
the 1980' s film
mazes and monsters
is often cited along other materials as evidence of the dangers of pen - and - paper role - playing games; the film is a thinly - veiled fictionalized adaptation of the death and investigation of james dallas egbert iii. it encouraged the panic against a growing gaming subculture .
universal monsters are coming back with a vengeance in the dark universe, and we have the dates to howl about .
winner - fipresci award the flanders international film festival
for the film' s multi - layered, masterly portrait of james' frankenstein' whale and the hollywood myth, against the background of human relations and history .
nohe is a film distributor and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of executive and management experience in the film industry. most recently, he was a partner in circus road films, where he helped more than 100 films find distribution. nohe has broad - based relationships with talent agencies, managers, publicity firms, festival programming, post - production, marketing, and theatrical distribution. nohe has worked with filmmakers including christopher nolan on “following” and bill condon on “gods & monsters. ”
while the primary focus of gods and monsters is the central relationship, the movie also has a great deal to say about the process of film making. we see a flashback to the creation of a classic scene from the bride of frankenstein (with actress rosalind ayres bearing a striking resemblance to elsa lanchaster), experience a lavish hollywood party given by george cukor (the director of the philadelphia story and a star is born), and listen with rapt attention as whale tells stories of his triumphs and tragedies behind the camera. the
gods and monsters
of the title can have many meanings within the context of this story, but the most apparent is the one relating to the film maker and his creations. throughout this movie, we wonder whether whale is shaping clay into his final monster .
in demi - gods we trust. good movie! percy jackson: sea of monsters only settles for being an
okay
movie. there are constant deviations from the novel, only decent scripting, acting, visual effects, good music, and mixed acting. however, it is not a waste, especially for fans of percy jackson. now that many characters and plot points have been set into place after being shattered by the first film, the makers of this film have paved a promising path for another film that may be even better than the first two. in this retelling of rick riordans book ,
the sea of monsters
, percy jackson, accompanied by his friends annabeth chase, clarisse la rue and tyson, his half brother, goes on a journey to the sea of monsters to retrieve the golden fleece and save camp half - blood .
in 2014, american actress jessica lange covered
gods & monsters
for the american horror story: freak show episode
edward mordrake (part 1 )
. the cover was released as a single on october 22, 2014. [ 5 ]
watchable dvd poor film, only worth watching if there is nothing else to watch... . .
hollywood history comes to life in this tale of the last days of frankenstein director james whale, played by sir ian mckellen. long forgotten by the studios, whale has retired to pursue painting and a life of leisure. gods and monsters explores his final fascination with a handsome gardener, clayton boone .
bram grew up in kempsville, virginia. after graduating from the college of william and mary in 1974 (b. a. in english), he moved to new york city four years later. there, he met his lifelong partner, documentary filmmaker draper shreeve. bram' s novel father of frankenstein, about film director james whale, was made into the movie gods and monsters starring ian mckellen and brendan fraser. bill condo
uncovering the latest on steven moffat and mark gatiss’ “dracula” adaptation. 2018 has been a quiet year for the universal monsters. while the tomb has…
it’s not only black people who’ve been disregarded by the film industry, it used to be women, it’s certainly gay people to this day, ” he said to sky news while promoting bfi presents shakespeare on film .
excellent film really enjoyed it, its best described as a fictional story about the real life last year of hollywood legendary director james whale. partly funded by good old auntie beeb you might also consider getting the film
stan
as it' s done in a similar vain story about the death of oliver hardy and stan laurels goodbye to his friend and comedy film partner .
redgrave nearly steals the film as whale' s crabby, central european housekeeper hanna - whose function as comic relief and superficial resemblances to igor, the good doctor' s sidekick in mel brooks' film young frankenstein may be more than coincidental .
however, i do think audiences also want to see exciting re - imagined incarnations of the classic monsters. of course, the monsters universe will be competing with the mcu and dceu, but so will every other movie playing at relevant theaters during the theatrical release of the mummy and beyond .
an interview with writer / director boots riley about his incendiary new film ,
sorry to bother you .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans. it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
lerman is adroit at looking eager and battle - worthy but not too cocky in a film as much about character development as sword play .
ian mckellen has always been a highly respected british actor balancing shakespeare and marvel comic villain and wise magician with aplomb. nominated for best actor in gods and monsters, he plays james whale, the hollywood director who created the classic frankenstein and bride of frankenstein during the 30s. gods and monsters, set in the 50s, shows whale with symptoms of dementia. he is cared for by hanna, portrayed by lynn redgrave who also received a nomination for best supporting actress. the allegory is simple and effective. whale is dr. frankenstein, the god, who creates his monster, played by brendan frasier, a hunky, dim - witted, homophobic gardener. hanna is his igor .
this wonderful novel has one toe in
hollywood
fiction and one in the annals of
queer
literature: the author is gay as was the real life director james whale. this novel is the basis for the wonderful film gods and monsters that weaves a relationship between the real whale and the fictitious landscaper clay boone. a career that was largely forgotten and the strata of memories of the ailing director near life' s end are two of the main threads, with the third thread being the backstory and the
universal is serious about this franchise push, going so far as to lay groundwork in the very first trailer. “welcome, ” says russell crowe, “to a new world of gods and monsters. ” but how does the studio plan to adapt eight - year - old properties to compete with iron man and the skywalker family ?
for the majority of percy jackson: sea of monsters, the titular character spends his time moping over the uncertainty of his heroism .
but as should be expected whenever disney ventures into cross - cultural milieus, the film is characterized by the good, the bad and the ugly .
ian mckellen and helen mirren have been cast as the leads in new line’s drama “ the good liar. ” the film will be directed by bill condon, who most recently helmed disney ’s “ beauty and the beast. ” condon will also produce with greg yolen. jack morrissey and bron creative’s aaron l. gilbert and jason cloth are executive producing. “mr. holmes” writer jeffrey hatcher wrote the screenplay for “the good liar, ” based on the novel by nicholas searle. “the good liar” is a reunion for condon and mckellen, who previously collaborated on “ gods and monsters ” and “ mr. holmes. ” condon won an oscar for best adapted screenplay for “ gods and monsters, ” while mckellen was nominated for best actor. mckellen will portray a career con artist who can hardly believe his luck when he meets a well - to - do widow, played by mirren. as she opens her home and life to him, he is
with a cast that also includes lolita davidovich as clayton' s occasional girlfriend and lynn redgrave, warmly attentive and unrecognizably plain, as whale' s devoted housekeeper,'' gods and monsters'' has been capably made in all regards. what especially elevates it is the razor - sharp cleverness of mr. mckellen' s performance, which brings unusual fullness and feeling to a most unusual man .
blood sweat honey will offer services ranging from producer representation, film festival strategy, script and post - production creative consulting to theatrical release, hybrid distribution, marketing and international consultation .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice, telling a story of startling cruelty. what a space it opens…
brendan fraser was all over hollywood in the early 90’s up until the early - aughts, thanks to a successful run of comedies and blockbusters including “ encino man, ” “ airheads, ” “ george of the jungle, ” “ gods and monsters ” (far and away his best film), “ the mummy ” trilogy, “ the quiet american, ” “ crash, ” and “ journey to the center of the earth. ” they’re not all movies i would recommend, but he clearly connected with a wide audience .
in this film ian mckellen plays an outrageous old queen. he plays the part perfectly. this is no surprise to me .
disney folks say they did their homework for this film, creating an allegedly pacific islander advisory board named the oceanic story trust .
that said, and for all the bad and the ugly in this film—enough to provoke a facebook page with thousands of followers—there is still inspiration and entertainment to be found here. setting the cultural cringe factor aside, the film is entertaining and even inspiring. the moana character is strong and her voice (portrayed by auli‘i cravalho) is clear and powerful. most exciting of all, for this viewer, is the engagement with navigation and wayfinding .
is there any better subject matter to read during the month of october than classic monsters? i think not. and there' s really no better book to read than
father of frankenstein
or as it is now known
gods and monsters
. i have to admit, this is one of the few times where i saw the movie before reading the book. however, unlike the other times, it really didn' t matter in this instance. both the book and the movie were brilliantly written and executed - and can both stand on their own. but, going
director rob zombie talks about creature from the black lagoon. creature from the black lagoon remains as one of the most cherished of universal monsters movies…
david koepp, who contributed to the script for the mummy and also wrote 2016' s inferno, apparently turned in a script for the film in 2016 that was well received by the studio. but much more promising is that bill condon has signed onto the project. condon is most well known these days for blockbusters like 2017' s box office - enchanted beauty and the beast and the fourth and fifth twilight pictures. but he won an oscar for his screenplay to gods and monsters, a movie he wrote and directed about james whale. and whale, of course, was an early hollywood auteur that directed and really masterminded the original bride of frankenstein .
ian mckellen’s brilliant performance as 1930s director james whale highlights “gods and monsters. ” historical hollywood fiction drawn from christopher bram’s book “father of frankenstein” doesn’t always convince, particularly in the last lap. but it’s an engrossing, unusual, imaginatively executed bit of psychological gamesmanship nonetheless. director - scenarist bill condon’s first - class production will need good reviews and strong [ … ]
condon' s film has the flavour of hollywood proust, with faces from the past - a doddering karloff, a matronly elsa lanchester - turning up as weary phantoms of themselves. but you could almost think of gods and monsters as a two - hander with classy support. in this odd - couple story, the parallel with frankenstein and his creation is almost too obvious at first, although in the dream sequences, both men get to play creator and monster. yet the film' s meat is less in the fantasy than in the simple play - offs, which begin with mckellen gazing at fraser, and pursing his lips quizzically, discreetly drawing a hint of an awestruck breath .
ian mckellen’s brilliant performance as 1930s director james whale highlights “gods and monsters. ” historical hollywood fiction drawn from christopher bram’s book “father of frankenstein” doesn’t always convince, particularly in the last lap. but it’s an engrossing, unusual, imaginatively executed bit of psychological gamesmanship nonetheless. director - scenarist bill condon’s first - class production will need good reviews and strong marketing to cross over beyond gay and arthouse auds .
taking off from mr. whale' s complex nature and the unknown circumstances of his last days, the film adapts christopher bram' s hypothetical novel about the filmmaker into an immensely touching character study that is heightened by well - chosen glimpses of hollywood' s past. written and directed by bill condon, who had his own fling with tongue - in - cheek horror when he made the oddball'' strange behavior'' and'' strange invaders,'''' gods and monsters'' creates a deeply resonant portrait of mr. whale and the gay hollywood of his era .
the uproar preceded the film by months, sparked by the character design of maui, the demigod, whose huge physical bulk was called out as culturally insensitive, hippolike, obese. those complaints were partly quelled after some earnest explanation by the film’s creative team. still, put it this way: though he’s voiced by dwayne “the rock” johnson and provides the liveliest spark in the film, maui will be nobody’s idea of the sexiest man alive .
universal monsters universe speaks with david plunkert, the artist behind the 200th anniversary edition of mary shelley’s “frankenstein. ” earlier this year, mary shelley’s “frankenstein” celebrated…
excellent! i had watched the film version years ago and always meant to read the book. the appearance of ian mckellen in another bill condon film this summer, mr. holmes caused me to go back and fullfill that wish. i am so glad i did. i loved this book. christopher bram captures the time period perfectly and the added depth of character in both the james whale and clayton boone makes the book a perfect companion to the film. it' s no wonder it was an oscar nominee for best adapted screenplay. thi
as an understated, character driven drama, gods and monsters is elegant indeed, ian mckellen' s performance - stunning. from a dramatica perspective, however, i believe the scant objective story is a missed opportunity. instead of providing an account (as fine as it is) of an actual and fictional characters' friendship, the big picture would have been more powerful had it been developed to a greater extent. the film could have been elevated to an important social critique of the film industry' s acquiescence of the general public' s negative perception (os problem) of homosexuality - - and the rampant misunderstanding (os concern) that is, now as then, inherent to the subject matter .
similar material was dealt with earlier this year in
love and death on long island ,
starring john hurt as an aging british writer who develops a crush on an american teen heartthrob (jason priestley). that was a funnier movie, and also more elusive, since the hurt character is not an active homosexual (indeed, hardly seems sexual at all) and hardly understands the nature of his own obsession. levels of irony were possible. in
gods and monsters ,
on the other hand, both the director and the yard man are pretty much kept at the service of the film' s sentimental vision .
the track was well received by critics. jesse cataldo of slant magazine said ,
nothing here is on the same level as born to die, with only a few tracks, like
gods and monsters
and bonus track
burning desire
, attaining a similar degree of snappy, mesmerizing languorousness .
[ 4 ] nick butler of sputnikmusic felt the track was an unintentionally new sound for del rey, but that the track was good. allmusic reviewer john bush commented that the line
like a groupie incognito posing as a real singer, life imitates art
was an embodiment of the whole album. some reviewers shared negativity on the track, such as drowned in sound' s david edwards who commented :
' gods and monsters' simply drags .
this wonderful novel has one toe in
hollywood
fiction and one in the annals of
queer
literature: the author is gay as was the real life director james whale. this novel is the basis for the wonderful film gods and monsters that weaves a relationship between the real whale and the fictitious landscaper clay boone. a career that was largely forgotten and the strata of memories of the ailing director near life' s end are two of the main threads, with the third thread being the backstory and the dangerous spark that boone brings to whale' s ebbing life. well written but not archly nor off - puttingly literary .
boone, an army vet adrift in life, is impressed by the film director and glad to have met someone other than his roadhouse drinking buddies and on - off barmaid girlfriend betty (lolita davidovich) .
christopher bram, in gods and monsters, has created a beautifully poignant novel that tells of a friendship between famed movie director james whale (frankenstein; bride of frankenstein; show boat) and fictional character clayton boone, whale’s supposed yard man. some of what’s here is truth; most of it is invented. but bram creates a lovely relationship between a aging and dying gay man and a young man who sees whale’s pain and, though not gay himself, is sensitive enough to provide the support
a moving and humane book about a great cinematic hero, james whale, director of frankenstein, bride of frankenstein, the old dark house and showboat. this book, which formed the basis for the movie gods and monsters, gives us a wonderful, somewhat vain and irascible character wrestling with his own declining powers. though having a clear gay perspective, it treats all it' s personalities, whatever their sexuality, weaknesses or proclivities, with the dignity that allows them to be difficult and t
fixture of independent film world had been planning to attend cannes. robbie little, the british producer, co - president of the little film company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in london en route to cannes. little, who served alongside his wife ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. at the time of his death he was working with producer debbie gray on the timothy spall and vanessa redgrave drama mrs lowry & son and the more you ignore me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the croisette. little
we' re in the 1950s, and sir ian mckellen' s james whale - real - life director of classic thirties horror movies frankenstein and bride of frankenstein - hasn' t made a film for years .
a major theme in the film is whale’s homosexuality. it’s fitting that brendan frasier’s character is homophobic for in the 50s it was a sin against god and a social taboo. now it’s 2013 and more people are tolerant. this is a very tasteful film about this delicate topic and the reason it’s great is because the stereotypical homophobe rises above his prejudiced perceptions and comes to see the inner beauty of whale and experience true friendship. the message is great .
ian mckellen and helen mirren have been cast in the good liar, a thriller set up at new line cinema to be adapted from nicholas searle' s debut novel and directed by bill condon. the pic reunites mckellen and condon from their collaborations on gods and monsters and mr. holmes. jeffrey hatcher wrote the script for good liar, about career con artist roy courtnay (mckellen), who can hardly believe his luck when he meets well - to - do widow betty mcleish (mirren) online. as…
'' gods and monsters'' is an unalloyed success at the new york film festival, with a performance by ian mckellen that richly deserves to be remembered at the end of the year. like john hurt in'' love and death on long island'' (giving a similarly splendid performance, though in a narrower role), he works wonders with the character of a marvelously urbane english homosexual who becomes obsessed with an adonis from a wildly different world. in this case it' s brendan fraser, also impressive, as the hunk who mows the lawn .
fixture of independent film world had been planning to attend cannes with mrs lowry & son. robbie little, the british producer, co - president of the little film company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in london en route to cannes. little, who served alongside his wife ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. at the time of his death he was working with producer debbie gray on the timothy spall and vanessa redgrave drama mrs lowry & son and the more you ignore me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the croisette .
bill condon directs drama which will also shoot in berlin. principal photography has begun on new line cinema drama the good liar, starring helen mirren and ian mckellen. bill condon, the oscar - winning screenwriter of gods and monsters, is directing from a screenplay by jeffrey hatcher (mr. holmes) based on the book by nicholas searle. the film follows a career con artist (mckellen) who meets a wealthy widow online (mirren). also in the cast are russell tovey and jim carter. director condon is also producing alongside greg yolen. executive producers are jack morrissey, nick o’hagan, aaron l. gilbert, and jason cloth .
mckellen then went on to muse why an openly gay man has never won the oscar. of course, mckellen has been nominated twice for the academy award — first for playing the aging gay film director james whale in gods and monsters, and then as gandalf in the first installment of the lord of the rings. “no openly gay man has ever won the oscar; i wonder if that is prejudice or chance, ” he said. of course, there are a number of high - profile examples of the reverse holding true: tom hanks, philip seymour hoffman and sean penn all have oscar statuettes for such turns .
ian mckellen' s brilliant performance as 1930s director james whale highlights
gods and monsters .
historical hollywood fiction drawn from christopher bram' s book
father of frankenstein
doesn' t always convince, particularly in the last lap. but it' s an engrossing, unusual, imaginatively executed bit of psychological gamesmanship nonetheless. director - scenarist bill condon' s first - class production will need good reviews and strong marketing to cross over beyond gay and arthouse auds .
but the film' s story also has a different angle with a powerful revelation: moana’s people had stopped voyaging long ago, and had placed a taboo—another polynesian world—on going beyond the reef .
bram grew up in kempsville, virginia. after graduating from the college of william and mary in 1974 (b. a. in english), he moved to new york city four years later. there, he met his lifelong partner, documentary filmmaker draper shreeve. bram' s novel father of frankenstein, about film director james whale, was made into the movie gods and monsters starring ian mckellen and brendan fraser. bill condon adapted the screenplay and directed. condon won an academy award for his adaptation. in 2001, bram was a guggenheim fellow. in 2003, he received the bill whitehead award for lifetime achievement. he currently resides in new york .
the multiplicities of the film are endearing. it’s what can happen when you have a great script, for it brings out great acting. do you agree ?
how did life begin? there can hardly be a bigger question. for much of human history, almost everyone believed some version of
the gods did it
. any other explanation was inconceivable .
clayton is slow to understand that whale is gay. well, in 1957, a lot of people might not have understood. when he figures it out, he isn' t angered and there' s no painful and predictable scene of violence. instead, the film proceeds on a bittersweet course in which a young and not terribly bright man grows to like an old and very intelligent man, and to pity him a little. the film is a biopic leading toward a graceful elegy .
wow. gods and monsters is one of those movies i’ve wanted to sit down and watch since i can remember, and i just haven’t got it done yet. i really, really should. it sounds great. but yes, condon probably deserved a crap award for directing crap. the twilight series is just one of those things…i don’t have to have seen it front - to - back to know how horrible it is. why the hell would he even sign on for it ?
originally titled
father of frankenstein
and subsequently changed to
gods and monsters
to match the movie version, this novel is a subtly charming rendition of the last two weeks of the life of james whale, director of horror flicks frankenstein and bride of frankenstein (as well as many others). at this point in his life, whale has just recovered (somewhat) from a stroke and is living alone in his mansion. after making the acquaintance of his young, butch, former marine yardman clayton, wha
whale' s film career didn' t just consist of his horror films - frankenstein and the eerie, febrile comedy bride of frankenstein. it also took in the first - world - war drama journey' s end, the razzle - dazzle of show boat and a protracted slide into the margins. set two decades after whale' s heyday, gods and monsters has the director played by ian mckellen as a white - haired, soigné aesthete, a faded grandee with too many voices in his head - flashbacks of his films, the echo of his impoverished dudley childhood (listen to those midland vowels slip subliminally in and out), and the memory of his lost love, a young soldier who died in flanders .
father of frankenstein by christopher bram 1995 read in feb 2010 a novel using james whale the real director of frankenstein, and bride of frankenstein as the main character. this fictional account of the directors last days was the basis for the movie, “gods and monsters”. i read this after reading mr bram’s non - fiction book of essays, mapping the territory. i was so taken by his clear and precise writing, i knew i would enjoy anything he wrote. and i was correct. he is also a great story teller
summary: james whale directed some of the most sylish and unique movies of the 30s - frankenstein, bride of frankenstein, showboat and journey' s end - but ten years after the release of frankenstein he had quit hollywood. set in 1957, gods and monsters begins with whale (ian mckellen) suffering a stroke and remembering long - repressed episodes of his early life. haunted and lonely he recounts these experiences to his gardener, clayton boone, (brendan fraser) and a friendship develops between the two; a relationship heartily disapproved of by whale' s housekeeper, hanna, (lynn redgrave) .
james whale, as dapper in death as dressed for dinner, is the main character in bill condon' s gods and monsters. he is conscious (mc symptom - self - aware) his deteriorating health (mc domain - universe) signals the inevitable end (mc thematic issue - destiny), however, the proper englishman' s courteous ways and impeccable manners remain unfailing - - as does his ardent desire for beautiful boys (mc resolve - steadfast) .
a moving and humane book about a great cinematic hero, james whale, director of frankenstein, bride of frankenstein, the old dark house and showboat. this book, which formed the basis for the movie gods and monsters, gives us a wonderful, somewhat vain and irascible character wrestling with his own declining powers. though having a clear gay perspective, it treats all it' s personalities, whatever their sexuality, weaknesses or proclivities, with the dignity that allows them to be difficult and troublesome but profoundly human. ultimately it beautifully captures both the joy and sadness of being alive on the earth as both a creative and an inevitably corporeal being .
an example of a reasonably challenging film that doesn' t really accomplish what it sets out to do, but is nevertheless thoughtfully - conceived and contains a couple of highly enjoyable performances that keep it afloat .
in
gods and monsters ,
whale knows his health is failing. he lives alone except for a cheerless housekeeper (lynn redgrave, very good) who lectures him on bad behavior and tells him he will go to hell. she sizes up clayton and knows the whole story instantly - - has no doubt seen the same scenario enacted many times. but this time, because clayton feels empathy and because whale feels the chill of approaching death, the seduction strategies are pro forma. what the man most needs to do is talk, and clayton lets him, as he slips between the present and his vivid memories .
early this morning universal monsters universe learned the official ‘ the mummy ‘ synopsis for the upcoming film starring tom cruise and sofia boutella. fresh off the heels of the announcement that russell crowe is in negotiations to cameo as either a “dr. jekyll like” or dr. jekyll character in the mummy, bloody disgusting, screen crush, and joblo have begun to report on the official plot synopsis of the alex kurtzman directed picture, as well .
yet a bit of leering prankishness remains alive yet, as demonstrated when whale makes a fawning young film student (jack plotnick) shed a clothing article for each question answered .
this true - life - saga - turned - novel is deeply affecting and impeccably crafted. i was most personally impressed by the nuanced portrayal of what it was to be gay in the trenches, what it was to be gay in the early golden years of hollywood, what it was and is to be gay when the world around you refuses to treat you justly, and at the same time how wealth can be both a means of escaping the conundrums and the doldrums and a means of entrapping you further within them. its lgbt themes aside, the novel also effectively grapples with aging, with loss, with class divides, with the futility of nostalgia, and all while drawing the reader in zigzags through the life and times of james whale, the real creator of the filmic frankenstein and his many monsters. the only reason father of frankenstein didn' t get the fifth star is because in its second half the narrative voice becomes too detached, distancing itself a bit too much from the characters it describes, and as a result, the audience is less engaged with them, less determined to wish them redemptions and happy endings. still, i thoroughly enjoyed it and i look forward to seeing the film based on it, gods and monsters .
the next and only officially slated dark universe movie is a remake of the crown jewel in universal monsters canon: bride of frankenstein. the original was released in 1935 and still remains as one of the few truly breathtaking examples of a horror sequel that builds on what came before and makes its own wonderful achievement .
excellent! i had watched the film version years ago and always meant to read the book. the appearance of ian mckellen in another bill condon film this summer, mr. holmes caused me to go back and fullfill that wish. i am so glad i did. i loved this book. christopher bram captures the time period perfectly and the added depth of character in both the james whale and clayton boone makes the book a perfect companion to the film. it' s no wonder it was an oscar nominee for best adapted screenplay. this book has so many interesting themes; world war i, the original frankenstein films, homosexuality in 1930 - 50' s hollywood, identity and the power of memory. highly recommended !
in the film, their vessels resemble “mad max meets the tiki barge, ” complete with coconut palms growing on them. disney’s kakamora are mean, relentless at getting what they want, and full of sophisticated technology. and utterly silly at the same time .
whether or not all these monsters will appear on - screen together is unclear, but don’t be surprised if they do at some point because that appears to be the endgame for this sort of undertaking .
there are plenty of bad films to get riled up about in the summer .
percy jackson: sea of monsters
isn' t one of them. this is harmless tween - centric fun .
lynn redgrave, in the film' s winning but faintly mechanical comic turn, clucks over him moralistically as his protective housekeeper, twisting her mouth and rolling her eyes at the unspeakable business she believes to be going on .
his portrayal of the wizard gandalf the grey in peter jackson' s film the lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring received accolades from critics and filmgoers worldwide, including his second nomination for the academy award .
with universal pictures ’ planned dark universe remake of bride of frankenstein on indefinite hold, beauty and the beast helmer bill condon has now signed on for a new project, with the filmmaker set to direct ian mckellen and helen mirren in the good liar. based on the novel by nicholas searle, the good liar “centers on career con artist roy courtnay (mckellen), who can’t resist one last score when he meets well - to - do widow betty mcleish (mirren) online. as the woman opens up her home and life to him, the man is surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut - and - dry swindle into a treacherous tightrope walk as all is not what it seems. ” the good liar marks the fourth collaboration between condon and mckellen after gods and monsters, mr. holmes and beauty and the beast. the film is also being scripted by jeffrey hatcher, who
percy jackson: sea of monsters is a good special effects family movie that' s every bit as accomplished as the lightning thief and possibly better - even if it doesn' t follow the rick riordan juvenile fantasy novels like a road map .
the relationship cleverly reworks the doctor - monster pairing of the original story to comment on fathers and sons, masters and servants and the mind and the body .
okay, i see you rolling your eyes, but… kind of. essentially, the mummy is being used to launch a large, interconnected story involving the classic monsters from the golden age of hollywood. movies about the wolf man, the invisible man, abraham van helsing, the creature from the black lagoon, and even the bride of frankenstein are already in early stages of development, and their stories will, in theory, intersect on film in the years ahead .
what do you think of bill condon as a director / writer? did you agree he deserved the 2013 gold raspberry award for worst director with the film, t wilight, breaking dawn part 2? he was on fire in the 2000s. he wrote the screenplay and directed d ream girls (2006). besides writing the script for kinsey (2004), he earned acclaim for writing chicago (2006). in 2009, he produced and co - wrote the script for the 81st academy awards–one of the best ones i can remember–hosted by hugh jackman. however, it was his academy award winning screenplay, gods and monsters (1 998) when i was first wowed. have you seen it? i revisited it the other night. how graceful were the language and acting .
father of frankenstein by christopher bram 1995 read in feb 2010 a novel using james whale the real director of frankenstein, and bride of frankenstein as the main character. this fictional account of the directors last days was the basis for the movie, “gods and monsters”. i read this after reading mr bram’s non - fiction book of essays, mapping the territory. i was so taken by his clear and precise writing, i knew i would enjoy anything he wrote. and i was correct. he is also a great story teller. i greatly enjoyed this book and his description of an old man realizing he is losing his mind, and sense of reality. i recommend this book
the mummy has been released and the dark universe is here. a new 21st century take on the beloved universal monsters from the 1930s and' 40s, this is something fans have either anticipated or feared, but as it' s here, we explore what it will transform into next .
however, the most interesting (or, depending on your opinion on the state of cinema, frustrating) aspect of the movie is that it’s meant to kick off a massive cinematic universe for the universal monsters .
overall, the film looks sumptuous, with designer richard sherman and photographer stephen katz evoking perfectly the stagnant spaciousness of fifties beverly hills, the better to contrast it with whale' s cobwebbed mental corridors. but the real action takes place behind closed doors, and you wish that condon had had the courage to leave us there, instead of opening the drama up. the more fine images we get, the less cinematic the film somehow feels, almost like a study guide with sidebars to amuse and instruct us .
enjoyed reading about the fictionalized life of james whale who directed bride of frankenstein. an out gay man in hollywood when that was not an
accepted
thing to be. the first half of the novel and the epilogue worked best for me. james whale at the end of his life, no longer working as a director and generally forgotten by the hollywood community begins to think about his experiences as a young, lower class british youth and how he transcended to the heights of hollywood. it adds texture to his character and creates a rich inner life for him. originally called as above father of frankenstein, the title of the movie is gods and monsters.
gods and monsters is a 1998 british-american period drama film that recounts the last days of the life of troubled film director james whale , whose experience of war in world war i is a central theme . it stars ian mckellen as whale , along with brendan fraser , lynn redgrave , lolita davidovich and david dukes . the film was directed and written by bill condon , based on christopher bram 's novel father of frankenstein . gods and monsters won the academy award for best adapted screenplay , and was nominated for best actor in a leading role ( ian mckellen ) and best actress in a supporting role ( lynn redgrave ) . the film features reconstructions of the filming of bride of frankenstein , a movie whale directed . the title comes from a line in bride of frankenstein , in which the character dr. pretorius toasts dr. frankenstein , " to a new world of gods and monsters ! " the story has also been adapted as a play of the same name which premiered in london at the southwark playhouse in february 2015 .
gods and monsters is a 1998 british-american period drama film that recounts the last days of the life of troubled film director james whale, whose experience of war in world war i is a central theme. it stars ian mckellen as whale, along with brendan fraser, lynn redgrave, lolita davidovich and david dukes. the film was directed and written by bill condon, based on christopher bram's novel father of frankenstein. gods and monsters won the academy award for best adapted screenplay, and was nominated for best actor in a leading role (ian mckellen) and best actress in a supporting role (lynn redgrave). the film features reconstructions of the filming of bride of frankenstein, a movie whale directed. the title comes from a line in bride of frankenstein, in which the character dr. pretorius toasts dr. frankenstein, " to a new world of gods and monsters! " the story has also been adapted as a play of the same name which premiered in london at the southwark playhouse in february 2015.
gods and monsters is a 1998 british-american period drama film that recounts the last days of the life of troubled film director james whale, whose experience of war in world war i is a central theme. it stars ian mckellen as whale, along with brendan fraser, lynn redgrave, lolita davidovich and david dukes. the film was directed and written by bill condon, based on christopher bram's novel father of frankenstein. gods and monsters won the academy award for best adapted screenplay, and was nominated for best actor in a leading role (ian mckellen) and best actress in a supporting role (lynn redgrave). the film features reconstructions of the filming of bride of frankenstein, a movie whale directed. the title comes from a line in bride of frankenstein, in which the character dr. pretorius toasts dr. frankenstein, " to a new world of gods and monsters! " the story has also been adapted as a play of the same name which premiered in london at the southwark playhouse in february 2015.