THE BRIDE
US, 1985, 114 minutes, Colour.
Sting, Jennifer Beals, Anthony Higgins, Geraldine Page, Alexei Sayle, Quentin Crisp, Veruschka, Phil Daniels.
Directed by Franc Roddam.
The Bride is an '80s remake of The Bride of Frankenstein, freely adapted. It was directed Franc Roddam, director of Quadriphenia and The Lords of Discipline.
The film has unusual casting. Sting is as diabolical as ever as Charles Frankenstein. Jennifer Beals, of Flashdance, is Eva the bride. However, while the familiar material from the Frankenstein stories is presented, the focus of the film is very much on the monster, a very sympathetic performance, and his dwarf friend Rinaldo, David Rappaport. The film intercuts between Frankenstein and the bride and the life at the carnival with the monster, named Victor, and Rinaldo.
The film has the atmosphere of the Hammer Studios horror films, with a bigger budget. The film is an enjoyable variation on the Frankenstein theme. It has an atmospheric, romantic musical score by Maurice Jarre.
1. The popularity of horror films? The traditions of the horror film? A remake in the '80s? Derivations? Comparisons?
2. The popularity of the Frankenstein story, Mary Shelley's novel, the 19th. century tradition, the film traditions?
3. British production values: location photography, the 19th century, the laboratories and castles, the towns, carnivals? Beauty and ugliness? Good and evil? The special effects, explosive, violent? The romantic musical score?
4. Audience familiarity with the story and the characters, attitude towards Frankenstein, his work, the monster, the bride? The myths of horror stories ? science and religion, playing God, diabolical games? The power of life and death?
5. Sting as Frankenstein: presence, appearance, smooth but arrogant, his assistant and his death, the bride and the experiment, the electricity, the cosmic upheaval and the experiment out of control, the breaking of the machinery, the fire? The irony of the bride coming to being? The contrast with the monster and his being ousted from the laboratory?
6. The bride and her beauty, the success of the experiment? Her needing to learn everything. developing, educating by Frankenstein (a variation on the Pygmalion story)? The story. her being a cultivated lady, her place in society? Her own puzzles, the riding, the encounter with the monster. the confrontation with Frankenstein, the final reconciliation with the monster? The Pygmalion and Beauty and the Beast themes?
7. Frankenstein and his position in society, friends? His hold over the monster, his hold over the bride? His plans for her, his lust? Telling the truth to her? The revelation of the laboratory? The build-up to the confrontation with the monster. the fire and his death?
8. The film's focus on the monster as a character: his presence during the storm. the bride's rejection of him as ugly, Frankenstein's ousting him from the castle? His wandering, hunger, the encounter with Rinaldo? Walking with him, carrying him? Going to the city? The carnival, his proving his strength by hitting the peg? His care for Rinaldo, the bond of friendship, catching him in the tent, being a clown in the performance, the audience acclaim, his delight, Rinaldo's death and his grief, the Medal of Venice? The gradual humanising of the monster? His sharing by telepathy the experiences of the bride, and vice versa? His being hounded by the carnival people? His return? Helping Eva, the grief because of her rejection of him, the buying of the jewels from the tinker, his childlike simplicity, the return to the castle, the confrontation with Frankenstein, the fear of fire, the fight, Frankenstein's death, the reconciliation with the bride? The visit to Venice? The variation of the monster theme by humanising him?
9. Rinaldo as a character, personality, dwarf, meeting the monster, naming him Victor. eating the chicken,. sharing, educating the monster, helping to humanise him? Brains and brawn forming one person? His being carried? The carnival, the interviews, his shrewdness, the manager, Bela, the performance and his tricking the manager, enjoying his performance,, Victor being part of the act. the money demands, his being a victim, falling, the pathos of his death. giving victor the medallion? The superimposition of his face at the end?
10. 19th century society. elegance and decadence, seductions? The shock about the behaviour of Frankenstein? Standards and double standards?
11. The carnival, the manager and his meanness, gruffness, Bela and his being in the background, quiet, sinister? The influence of the manager in cutting Rinaldo's rope? The persecution by Victor, the brutality of his death? The frenzy of the carnival people and their persecuting Victor?
12. The intertwining of the two stories and their effect?
13. The blend of horror and elegance? A fable about power. science, religion, life and death?
