McKellen plays the director of the Bride of Frankenstein, James Whale, who after two successful films becomes a recluse and forms an unlikely friendship with a young gardner.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 17-JUN-2003
Media Type: DVDOne of the most critically acclaimed films of 1998 and winner of several awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters is a compassionate speculation about the final days of James Whale (1889-1957), the director of Frankenstein and 20 other films of the 1930s and ’40s, who was openly gay at a time when homosexuality in Hollywood was discreetly concealed. Adapted and directed by Bill Condon from Christopher Bram’s novel Father of Frankenstein, the film stars Ian McKellen in a sublime performance as the white-haired Whale, who is portrayed as a dapper gent and amateur artist prompted by failing health into melancholy remembrance of things past. Flashbacks of lost love, World War I battle trauma, and glory days in Hollywood combine with Whale’s present-day attraction to a newly hired yard worker (Brendan Fraser) whose hunky, Frankenstein-like physique makes him an ideal model for Whale’s fixated sketching.
The friendship between the handsome gardener and his elderly gay admirer is by turns tenuous, humorous, mutually beneficial, and ultimately rather sad–but to Condon’s credit Whale is never seen as pathetic, lecherous, or senile. Equally rich is the rapport between Whale and his long-time housekeeper (played with wry sarcasm by Lynn Redgrave), who serves as protector, mother, and even surrogate spouse while Whale’s mental state deteriorates. Flashbacks to Whale’s filmmaking days are painstakingly authentic (particularly in the casting of look-alike actors playing Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester), and all of these ingredients combine to make Gods and Monsters (executive produced by horror novelist-filmmaker Clive Barker) a touchingly affectionate film that succeeds on many levels. It is at once a keen glimpse of Hollywood’s past, a loving tribute to James Whale, and a richly moving, delicately balanced drama about loneliness, memory, and the passions that keep us alive. –Jeff Shannon
Buy “Gods and Monsters” For Only $7.72
April 2, 2008
#1
It was a waste of money. In my opinion, it was just shy of being labeled a porno film.
April 2, 2008
#2
I never would have bought this except that I lost the copy I naively borrowed from the library, and I needed a replacement copy. I tried twice to watch it, and both times quit in disgust.
April 3, 2008
#3
A waste of time.
Glory for old time movies that try to claim a life in a new world, and they don’t.
Don’t bother, a nice tape to record over.
And the last time I buy a film because Brandon Frazier is in it. Naked or not!
April 3, 2008
#4
I couldn’t believe how bad this movie was. I was ready and willing to be proven wrong about my negative impression of Brendan Fraser’s acting ability, based on what others had said of this film, but ended up with further confirmation that he is a lousy actor. I ordinarily like movies that are slow moving and antithetical to shoot-em-up blockbusters, but this picture C…R…A…W…L…E…D…, and suffered from dry dialogue, to boot. On top of everything else, this film was predictable, and I continued watching only to see if a fantastic surprise ending would redeem it. No dice- the end certainly did not justify the tedious means.
In addition to a badly written script and substandard acting, the actors’ accents seemed overdone (too theatric) and fake. It was a real drag to watch this movie.
April 3, 2008
#5
What in the hell was this???? I rented this mostly because of Brenden Fraser and based on the few reviews I read. I guess I should have read more of them, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who found this movie a total bore.
I was hoping it would get better, maybe a surprise scene in the middle or the end of the movie but it never happened!
That’s two hours of my life that I’ll never get back.