Frankenstein Page #2

We have all imagined that

in our time.

But gentlemen, you are not

here to think for yourselves.

You are here to learn

how to think for your patients.

You must learn, therefore, to submit

to the laws of physical reality.

But surely, Professor...

- What of philosophical approaches?

- Philosophical?

Those of the imagination "and"

the intellect, as in Paracelsus.

Paracelsus?

An arrogant and foolish Swiss.

- Albertus Magnus?

- He was exposed 500 years ago.

- Cornelius Agrippa?

- A sorcerer. What is your name?

Victor Frankenstein.

Of Geneva.

Another Swiss!

Mr. Frankenstein, here at

the University of Ingolstadt -

- we teach the study of medicine.

Chemistry, biology, physics...

- We study hard science.

- Surely they can be combined...

We do not study the ravings

of lunatics and alchemists.

Their fanatical speculations

do not heal bodies or save lives.

Only science can do that.

Now, have we your permission

to continue?

Nice coat. Don't take it too hard.

He doesn't like public humiliation.

- I am not mad!

- Of course you're not.

That's just what a rational person

would say to a complete stranger!

Henry Clerval.

And I'm completely crazy.

- Victor Frankenstein.

- Of Geneva.

Why don't you look

where I'm going?

That's Schiller.

Ornament of the playing field.

He's new, too. He looks at things

with his mouth open.

What are you here for?

- To research.

- I'm here to become a mere doctor.

A pity it has to do with healing

the sick. I find them revolting.

I'll have a good time, get my degree

if I can stop failing anatomy, -

- and then relieve old ladies of

their ailments and their daughters.

- Who was that?

- That's Waldman.

They say in his youth,

he could lecture God on science.

He got into trouble. Something

to do with illegal experiments.

What kind of experiments,

I wonder?

What was that about

rich old ladies' daughters?

It's a life of sacrifice,

but someone's got to do it.

The central nervous system

and the brain -

- are as complicated a set of organs

as you are ever likely to encounter.

Mr. Frankenstein,

the incision is yours.

Excellent. Mr. Clerval,

you may remove the cranial lid.

"Henry is still

struggling to pass anatomy."

- I was always terrible at anatomy.

- I'm learning a great deal.

"Prof. Waldman is remarkable.

God bless you, Victor."

- That's very nice.

- P.S. I've fallen in love.

"She is dark and beautiful,

and wags her tail when she sees me."

"Her name is Putzi, and she's the

friendliest sheepdog I've known."

"PS. Elizabeth,

I dream of how your hair shines...

... and of your arms and breasts,

and of our wedding night."

- What does it say?

- "Working hard and making friends."

More coffee, anyone?

Once and for all, Frankenstein!

Life is life, death is death.

- These things are real. Absolute.

- Rubbish!

That has been repeatedly challenged.

By "you", sir!

We don't know where death begins.

Hair and nails continue to grow...

Though a man's brain may die, his

heart and lungs continue to pump.

Frankenstein, I warn you what you

suggest is both illegal and immoral.

Rubbish!

"Dear diary, why does no one

understand me? PS, I am not mad."

You!

- Explain yourself.

- I came to study the new science.

The combining of modern disciplines

and ancient knowledge to create...

Create what?

We "can" change things.

You know that.

We can make great discoveries

if only we ask the right questions.

You must help me.

Come on.

- Victor...

- Come on.

Henry.

Lock the door.

For thousands of years,

the Chinese have believed -

- that the body is a chemical

engine run by energy streams.

- Fascinating! How do they...?

- Don't touch that!

Their doctors treat patients by

inserting needles like these -

- at various key points,

to manipulate the electric streams.

- Electricity is the key!

- Now, look at this.

Go on, touch it.

It feels warm.

How do you do?

- Turn it off!

- I can't, it's not working.

We must simply reduce the polarity.

A monkey's arm is like a human's.

- No arm is this strong!

- Now, this must work.

Let me help you, Professor.

You shall of course tell no one.

No one would believe you, anyway.

Dearest Victor.

Nothing much changes here.

Mrs. Moritz continues to love and

torment Justine, in equal measure.

Willie grows even more precocious,

and Father is so proud of you.

And I...

I just miss you, very much.

Please write soon, Victor.

Take vaccine, for instance.

But that isn't the whole answer.

- What do you mean?

- We can create life to cheat death.

- No, there's only one God.

- Leave God out of it.

If someone you loved had a sick

heart, would you give them another?

It's not impossible. And if we can

do that, we can replace "every" part.

We can create a being that won't get

old or sick. One better than us, -

- more intelligent, civilised...

- In our lifetime?

- No!

- How close did you get?

- Too close.

- I beg you, let me see these notes.

- No.

My work now lies exclusively

in the preservation of life.

- I abandoned my other research.

- Why?

Because it resulted in abomination.

- You're not sticking pox in me!

- Pox? They're giving us pox?

- It's harmless anti-pox serum.

- You just said pox!

It's harmless. Without it, this city

would be immediately quarantined.

- You're not sticking that in me.

- Yes I am. It's the law!

- Sit him down.

- You're not sticking that in me!

Professor?

Come on!

It's no use, Victor, he's gone.

Let him go.

- This shouldn't happen!

- Let him go.

It need not happen!

The hell with you!

Whatever you say,

you doctors are killers.

You murder people!

You're evil!

You're the ones that deserve to die.

God will punish you.

God will punish you.

My God, you were so close!

Of course, the power!

The materials were wrong.

You needed auxiliary sources.

"The experiment... a failure."

"Resulting reanimant

malformed and hideous to behold."

"This factor dependant on the

appropriate raw materials."

Raw materials...

- Come on! What are you afraid of?

- Everything! If the authorities...

We'll do this in secret.

I've got Waldman's journals.

- You stole Waldman's journals?

- We must complete his work for him.

Were it possible, and you had

the right to make this decision, -

- wouldn't there be a

terrible price to pay?

For the chance to defeat death and

disease, to give life to all, -

- to allow people who love each

other to be together forever...

I think it's a risk worth taking.

Justine, leave me alone.

I won't talk about it.

- But all the letters you read...

- I wrote them! It's been months...

- Elizabeth...

- Something horrific is happening.

I had to hide it from Father.

Now there are rumours of cholera.

- I can manage here. Go to him!

- He's probably found someone else.

If he was mine,

I'd have gone already.

But he isn't mine.

He's yours, and you must go to him.

Raw materials, that's all they are.

Tissue to be re-used.

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