- Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein comes to Netflix on November 7
- The filmmaker revealed that his previous films have hints of his vision for the adaptation
- Pinocchio, The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth all have traces of the new movie
I can’t understate it – Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein isn’t just one of the best Netflix movies of the year, it’s one of the best films of the year full stop.
We’ve seen countless adaptations of the famous gothic novel by Mary Shelley, but these often lead back to the same points of inspiration. For instance, the creature (not called Frankenstein, as we’ve often convinced ourselves) is typically depicted with green skin and bolts in his head, while the unhinged scientist Victor Frankenstein cackles as his creation is brought to life.
None of this happens in Del Toro’s vision… in fact, it’s almost the opposite. All the fear and hate we’ve been conditioned into believing transforms into love and intimacy, and that’s all thanks to how much the director is infatuated with the story itself.
But what if I told you that this perspective of Frankenstein – not to mention its exquisite visual craft – is something you’ve already seen? Speaking at a pre-release BAFTA Q&A, Del Toro revealed that the new Netflix movie has been staring us in the face for years… we’ve just not realized it.
Netflix movie Frankenstein is Del Toro’s ‘dream come true,’ but we’ve seen parts before
“Throughout my entire career, in every movie (if you watch it), from Cronos all the way to Pinocchio, there are hints of Frankenstein,” he explained.
“I am very grateful, because when I met [Netflix CEO] Ted Sarandos, he said, ‘what’s on your bucket list that no one has ever wanted to make?’ And I said, Pinocchio and Frankenstein. And he said, ‘Let’s do both.'”
Del Toro first saw Frankenstein aged 7 while being raised as a Catholic in Mexico. Later, he’d read everything and anything about Shelley and the romantic movement, dreaming of making this very movie if he “saved up enough reels” for his Canon 1014 XL.
Add all of this together, and you can see how we’ve got the end product that’s about to hit Netflix on November 7. If you don’t want to wait, Pinocchio is available to stream on the platform in all regions, but you’ll have to look elsewhere to watch Del Toro’s other films as those are available across several of the best streaming services globally.
It’s okay if you don’t have multiple subscriptions, though, because Pinocchio is certainly the closest tonal match to Victor and his creature, and that’s coming from someone who didn’t think either would work on the small screen. In reality, I need to be thanking Sarandos for making them both possible.
But what about all the eventual naysayers who think the new Frankenstein is one adaptation too many?
“I always thought [that] no one has done [an adaptation like] this,” Del Toro said. “I always say that adapting a book is like marrying a widow. You respect the late husband’s memory, but you got to get it on.” Isn’t that just the best thing you’ve ever heard?
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