This gothic romance novel tells the story of a philosopher who discovered how to create life, without the full knowledge that his actions could cause grave consequences. Later, James Whale took over the project, replacing prospective star Bela Lugosi and cameraman Karl Freund, who were transferred along with Florey to Murders in the Rue Morgue (see below).

It was an intense vision that produced one of the greatest and powerful horror stories n the western literature, it is a story which assumed a mythic view as it taken into account the profound result concerning understanding of a man of his position in the world and the results of transgressing against nature and God (Gilbert, 2000, 1-4).Frankenstein, but we're also treated to perhaps the most oft-quoted movie line ever, and certainly the defining moment of Clive's career. By introducing this “explanation” for the Creature’s behaviour, the film mitigates the issue of Frankenstein’s culpability—or rather, it tries to. The hapless, bewildered, terrified Creature that stumbles out of the darkness of its basement-prison is, on the contrary, one of the screen’s true innocents. The next year, 1932, is one of the richest and most magical in the history of the genre film, with remarkable film following remarkable film – as we shall see in due course.

Weishaupt had modeled his group to some extent on Freemasonry, and many Illuminati chapters drew membership from existing Masonic lodges. Arriving on the set of Frankenstein, James Whale immediately made his presence felt, insisting upon the casting of two of his former collaborators in the roles of Henry and Elizabeth: Colin Clive, who had played Captain Stanhope in Journey’s End, and Mae Clarke, who had played Myra in Waterloo Bridge.They locked up the Monster, and then unlocked the door, injecting him with a sedative in the back which knocked him out after he had nearly killed Frankenstein. Similarly, the distance of Goldstadt Medical College from the Frankenstein village is strangely indeterminate (summoning up memories of Dr Seward’s travelling Sanitorium in Dracula). There is nothing and no-one in all the annals of cinema who can touch the Creature for sheer pathos. The image of Frankenstein's monster has been repeated many times since the release of this film in comic books and humorous skethes. The supreme blunder of Frankenstein is the idiotic subplot of the “criminal brain” stolen by Fritz and transplanted into the Creature.

Frankenstein and his faithful assistant Igor, the scene is derived from twentieth century imaginations and interests, not the novel itself. yet nevertheless carrying burning torches (as all good mobs would do in dozens of films afterwards), and wielding farm implements rather than guns.

The fictional character in the novel clearly shows the battle against the pre-established people’s attitude during that time. It also fails; because, “criminal brain” be damned, the Creature is unarguably the most complete of victims. When Frankenstein was re-issued thirteen years after its initial success, Shelley, by then beaten down by the tragedy of her life and attempting a shaky rapprochement with her still-hostile family, undertook a conciliatory re-editing her work, putting far more emphasis upon the religious implications of Frankenstein’s transgressions.

The first, fully in keeping with Frankenstein’s attempt to tamper in God’s domain, is the film’s constant vertical movement. This verticality, this reaching up, leads us into the Frankenstein’s most interesting theme: its constant insistence upon the importance of hands; hands as a point of contact, as a medium for communication; as the means of creation, and as the means of destruction. The laboratory, in particular, is a beautiful piece of design, stretching up as it does towards the life-giving lightning storm, and full to overflowing with Kenneth Strickfaden’s fabulous (and, of course, wholly decorative! Also featured in Frankenstein is Lionel Belmore, who plays the Burgomaster—and who would continue to do so, or at least appear in a similar role, in just about all of the Universal horror films that followed this one.Looking for a quick way to capitalise upon the huge and unexpected success of Dracula, Universal Studios made the obvious move and put into production an adaptation of Frankenstein. He was a proponent of Enlightened Despotism and, in 1784, his government banned all secret societies, including the Illuminati. The exact location of Frankenstein Village is never revealed in any of the films, but the August 12th, 1930 shooting script for Frankenstein indicates that it is located in Switzerland. He had a strong interest in reading the works of the ancient and outdated alchemists, and was fascinated by science and the "secret of life.