Gods and Monsters (1998)

That was an excellent one.

As Good As It Gets

Absolutely Fantastic

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

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.

This superb biographical film of the B-movie director James Whale (Frankenstein 1931, Bride of Frankenstein 1935, The Invisible Man 1933 and Show Boat 1936) has been put on my shelf for many years after my first viewing almost 10 years ago. I have no background information about the director and his works neither, but the worldly- famous Frankenstein franchise has no international barrier here, the interlinked amalgamation of the monster in his film and the director's own later years is a magic maneuver, which includes the identity reversal of the creator and the monster, its sociological overtone reflects vividly in our epoch. The strong cast is the cornerstone of the film, Ian McKellen finally has achieved the performance of his lifetime, he has devoted himself whole-heartedly as the wrenched director on his preordained destiny and emancipated an empowering dominance all over his scenes, his skillful theatre experience enhances both the pathos and the momentum of his tragic fate, which come so strong as to leave me unprepared for an emotional thrust. Brendan Fraser as the opposite drop-dead gorgeous gardener, exudes an angelic attractiveness which has lost in all his subsequent films. Alongside with Sir McKellen, the late Lynn Redgrave also received her second Oscar nomination for her role, the trustworthy maid who annotates the most sophisticated human emotion mixed with unrequited passion, admiration, jealousy, desperation and many others from a rather plain character, which is a textbook epitome of interpretation a supporting role. Another linchpin of the film lies firmly in its Oscar-winning script, full of witty remarks which could be a tug-of-war between sardonicism and sympathy, by comparison Bill Condon's directional capacity is being overshadowed. Anyway, Gods & Monsters has become one of my all-time favorite now.

There were three reasons why I wanted to see Gods and Monsters. One is because it was about James Whale, the director who gave us those innovative classics Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The second is that I love Ian McKellen, and when I saw he was going to play James Whale I thought expect a great performance from a great actor. The final reason is the late Lynn Redgrave.After seeing the film, I was really impressed. The period detail is sublime, costumes, sets and scenery are gorgeous and the cinematography is excellent. Another delight was the footage of Bride of Frankenstein for example, that were great to watch. The story is very simple but it is very effective and touching, the score is haunting and beautiful and the screenplay is very well written and insightful.The film is also very elegant and poignant set during Whale's twilight years where Whale was ostracised for being a box office failure and homosexual. While there is the occasional drug-addled sexual hallucination and the story is very simple, Gods and Monsters does explore the horror genre with effortless assurance and wit, while making interesting and powerful pointers of friendship for example.And of course the acting is excellent. Ian McKellen as I have said already was one of the reasons why I wanted to see this film, and he gives another brilliant performance in the title role. Brendan Fraser also gives one of his better performances as the heterosexual gardener, while Lynn Redgrave gives a marvellous turn as Whale's housekeeper.Overall, touching and wonderfully acted. 10/10 Bethany Cox

"Gods and Monsters" released in 1998, but set in 1950's Hollywood, boasts some fine performances. Ian McKellan plays film director James Whale, most known for directing "Frankenstein" and a few sequels. The aging Whale becomes infatuated with his young hunky gardener, played by Brendan Fraser. Fraser is playing very much against type here, considering what roles he was known for then and now. Fraser plays Clayton, a man who has some ambition about becoming an actor. Lynn Redgrave is also on hand, playing Whale's stern maid. Redgrave's performance is a hoot -- she plays it very much over-the-top, but it works great for the role (she received an Oscar nomination). This film, on the surface, seemed to be about the aging gay guy (McKellan) versus the young good-looking straight guy (Fraser). While this plays into every stereotype about gay men (they lust after every straight guy -- which is nonsense), I was pleasantly surprised that it is about so much more. Clayton seems to long for a father figure, having never been close to his own. He seems to find that a bit in Whale, although we are never sure whether his attempts to please Whale are self-serving (his ambition) or that he really may like him as a friend and father figure. The film has an odd ending and takes some twists and turns, so I won't give all that away, but a few notes about the performances. Some comments seem to suggest Brendan Fraser was miscast. I disagree. While it's true he has to hold his own next to two veteran actors of stage and screen (McKellan and Redgrave) his role is far more complex and difficult than either of the two leads. It is a shame Fraser hasn't done more dramas. Anyway, this is a decent film with good production values. Even if you are turned off by the subject matter, open your mind enough to give it a try.