Film:
Gods and Monsters
 Year: 1998
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Country: USA Genre: Drama |
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Director:
Bill Condon |
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Starring:
Ian McKellen,
Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich |
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No trailer available |
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Gods and Monsters Synopsis - Gods and Monsters is set in 1957, and is based around the story of legendary Frankenstein directors James Whale's final months. Whale's health is failing and, following a stroke, deeply buried memories of his earlier life in England, his film career and of his time in the Trenches come back to haunt him. His reliance upon stoic housemaid Hannah is no substitute for friendship, but when his interest is peaked by the new muscle- bound young gardener, Clay, the remaining life he has to live is invigorated. Whale is openly homosexual, Clay an ex-marine is not, but the two connect and so develops a friendship. |
| Review of Gods and Monsters - Gods and Monsters is a very clever film. With his film work and life intermingling, we see the parallels with the electricity running through Frankenstein's monster being used to bring him to life, and the obvious allusion of how the stroke has affected the wiring of Whales own brain. Further more we see the influence of the carnage of The Great War in his work of bringing body pieces back to life. On another level this is a story of two very different men coming together as friends. Ian McKellen is superb, as are both Brendan Fraser and Lynn Redgrave in this overlooked classic. |
| The reasons I recommend Gods and Monsters are: 1. A fantastic, insightful and very poignant story. 2. Superb performance by Ian McKellen. |
