Frankenstein

I busied myself to think of a story -

- which would speak to the

mysterious fears of our nature -

- and awaken thrilling horror.

One to make the reader

dread to look around.

To curdle the blood and quicken

the beatings of the heart.

The dawn of the 19th century.

A world on the brink of revolution

and scientific advances -

- that would bring profound change.

The lust for knowledge was great.

Among the pioneers,

Captain Robert Walton -

- was obsessed with

reaching the North Pole.

But his voyage uncovered a story -

- to strike terror into those who

would venture into the unknown...

ARCTIC SEA, 1794

Tell the captain,

we've got to take in the topsail.

She's going to rip.

- We have to drop the sails!

- All hands to the mast.

Take the wheel.

Captain, we've hit the ice.

Iceberg ahead!

Hard to starboard!

Help!

Hold on!

Put your backs into it, men!

- Let's go!

- Captain, this is useless.

- Should we just lay down and die?

- The men are exhausted.

I have not come this far

to give up now.

They knew the risks. We'll chop

our way to the Pole if we have to.

Then you

run the risk of mutiny, Captain.

- Did you say mutiny?

- Yes I did, sir.

We proceed north...

as planned.

- At the cost of how many lives?

- As many as it takes!

There's something out there.

What the hell is that?

- Who is your captain?

- I am.

- Who the devil are you?

- I've no time to talk.

Bring your men and follow me.

- Now!

- Stay where you are.

"I" give the orders here.

Get the dogs!

Leave them.

They're already dead.

Get back to the ship.

Everybody, back to the ship!

- Bears don't kill like that!

- Maybe it wants the man.

Or the captain!

I made my way from St. Petersburg

to Archangel on foot.

Then I took a whaling ship north.

When we hit the ice, I used dogs.

What's out there?

I spent six years planning this.

My entire fortune.

I will not be stopped by you

or some phantom.

Do you share my madness?

- No, not madness.

- What then?

There's a passage to the North Pole.

I will find it.

- At the cost of all your lives?

- Lives come and go.

If we succeed,

our names will live on forever.

I will be hailed as

the benefactor of our species.

You're wrong.

I, of all men, know that.

Who are you?

My name...

...is Victor...

...Frankenstein.

GENEVA, 1773

- Mother!

- My wonderful son Victor!

You are the handsomest, kindest

most wonderful boy in the world!

Madam!

You will spoil the boy.

- Would you two leave us, please?

- Doctor.

Come along, Justine.

Victor, this is Elizabeth.

She's coming to live with us.

She's lost her mother and father

to the scarlet fever, Victor.

- She's an orphan now.

- Think of her as your own sister.

You must look after her,

and be kind to her.

Always.

- How is the imminent arrival?

- A little frisky today.

- You used to chase fireflies.

- When I trapped them, they died.

And you cried. You wanted

them to glow by your bedside -

- to light you as you read.

You were so hungry for knowledge.

Such a serious little boy.

You've become

such an earnest young man.

All these strange and ancient books.

You'll be a greater doctor

than your father.

But you know, Victor...

Life shouldn't be all study.

There's such fun to be had!

Give me that back, Mother!

Change partners!

Caroline,

you mustn't exert yourself!

The new baby

will be a natural dancer.

You'll be the envy of

all the young ladies and gentlemen.

Justine!

Justine,

may I have this dance?

Madam!

- You must decide!

- The baby's in the wrong position.

- I can't...

- Cut me to save the baby.

She'll be all right. Your father's

the finest doctor in Geneva.

Father?

Father, how is she?

I did everything I could...

Mother!

Bring her back!

Please, bring her back.

Bring her back!

THREE YEARS LATER

Beloved wife and mother

Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein.

Oh, Mother!

You should never have died.

No one need ever die!

I will stop this.

I will stop this.

I promise.

Victor, you're obsessed.

What is that?

Energy.

It never disappears, just changes.

From wax, to

the convulsions of a mechanical dog.

The applications are limitless.

- Come outside, it's a lovely day.

- Go away, I'm busy.

What's this?

It's for spraying the electric eels.

Put it down.

It's not for playing with.

It's not for playing with.

Put it down, don't...

Give me that!

Come on!

We should be grateful to Victor

for abandoning his experiments.

Well, who says I have?

- What do you mean?

- Look!

- You knew this would happen.

- No, but I hoped it would.

I've never seen one so large.

- Isn't it wonderful?

- You shouldn't have done this.

- We must take cover. A tree!

- No, that's the wrong thing.

- What about Willie?

- What are we to do?

Spread out.

Elizabeth, take this.

- Come on, quickly!

- What is that?

- Dig it into the ground.

- Now what?

- Willie!

- Everyone down.

Give me your hand.

It'll be fine.

- I hope you know what you're doing.

- Willie, don't look up!

Wait!

One, two, three...

Now.

- How do you feel, Elizabeth?

- Alive!

Ladies and gentlemen, friends!

Gather round and listen.

As you probably know,

tomorrow my son Victor leaves me -

- to pursue a career in a profession

that I am not unassociated with.

Modesty!

My one regret is that his mother...

...my late wife, is not here...

...to share the pride...

...which our son

fills me with, tonight.

Yes.

She wanted you to have this,

Victor. On your graduation.

And in it she has written:

"This is the journal of

Victor Frankenstein."

The rest of the leaves are blank, -

- to be filled with the deeds

of a noble life.

We'd better go in,

before they miss us.

Just a little while longer.

I don't know when we'll be

alone together again.

Oh, dear Victor!

- I'll miss you laughing at me.

- I'll miss you making me laugh.

How do brothers and sisters

say goodbye?

Perhaps they never have to.

I won't, if you won't.

Are you my sister?

Sister...

...friend...

...lover.

- Wife?

- Yes!

- Then come with me. Marry me now!

- No.

- Then I'll stay.

- I want so much to be your wife.

But as long as you're away,

I belong here.

I want to make this house live.

It will be home for our children.

You must go, and do

the great things you need to do.

I want you so much.

I'll be here when you return.

Each holiday. Every visit.

Then, on our wedding night...

Until then.

INGOLSTADT, 1793

- How was your journey?

- Very good, thank you.

- We've only got attic space...

- It's exactly what I'm looking for.

But there will be a great deal

of scientific equipment delivered.

I'm sure you appreciate the need

for a proper laboratory.

Putzi likes you.

This will be perfect.

"The foolish and vain

force their views by the rod."

"But knowledge is power

only through God."

Our motto. Easily forgotten

by you young men in a hurry.

But perhaps the greatest mistake

that all students make, -

- during their time here,

is to suppose -

- that they can ever have

an original or creative thought.

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