“I know what it feels like to be God!” was a line considered
to be blasphemous at the time, and led to several states requesting their own
custom edits of the original film. Kansas had originally requested 32 scenes in
the film to be cut before it could be shown (cutting the film in half). The
drowning scene was also highly controversial, and cut by some east coast
states.
While we’ve had centuries of literature that describes such
acts in greater and more graphic detail, it’s interesting to see what some
areas viewed to be unfit for the screen in these pre Hays Code days. 6 years
prior to the film, the Scopes Monkey Trial on teaching evolution made
headlines. I find that in some ways, the
dispute with the concept of Frankenstein as a sort of “God” figure, is a
conflict of traditional religious America (the Bible Belt area, anyone?) facing
issues with coming to terms with modern scientific ideas, as well as ourselves
(many more states had issues with facing the monster being tortured by the
torch, perhaps a little too close for a certain faction of Americans at the
time?). The “God” line, wouldn’t be put back in the film until 1999.
-Aaron Swaidner
I felt that the God comment was appropriate and important, as it gave us insight into some of Dr. Frankenstein's motivation for his experiments. As is true of many 'mad men' throughout history, ego is a big motivator for questionable acts and dangerous inventions.
ReplyDeleteIronically, his statement, "I know what it feels like to be God," actually makes the Dr. seem more human.
-PK-
Is it safe to say that Dr. Frankenstein had a mental breakdown in the process of trying to create the perfect man/creature? Because during the discussion we talked about how the monster in the novel was much more of a mash-up of parts more grotesque as opposed to the film.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I have always wonder and been perplexed about in the Frankenstein story is the idea that the monster came from many different body parts of several different people. Why? If the doctor wanted to create life, why start with and already created being? And, why piece him together? Wouldn't it be easier to do it from a whole person? I didn't read the book, so maybe they explained it better.
ReplyDelete