There have been 3 breathtakingly great films that I have seen this year. The most recent was A SIMPLE PLAN, before that was THE MIGHTY and then there was the film that kicked it all off for me. Early this year, at the Sundance Film Festival, I saw GODS & MONSTERS. A fantastic film that I've advocated distribution for, along with screaming about the deserved Oscar noms for Ian McKellan and Lynn Redgrave. But hell, what the heck do I know... right? I mean, I'm just that damn oafish fella that runs off at the mouth too often. So here's one of you, a regular folk, and this is what he thought. Here ya go...
Hi it's Wesson. First thanks to Hanover Fist for posting that BAFTA would screen Bill Condon's "Gods & Monsters" tonight at the Simon Wiesenthal center in West LA. It stars Sir Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, and Lynn Redgrave in a film about "Frankenstein" director James Whale during his later years living as an old gay man who befriends his much younger and hunkier gardener.
Well I can say that before the screening I wasn't the least bit sure this movie would be as great as the rave reviews from AICN -- mainly because the reviews seemed so rooted in what I'd call "nostalgia-induced-blindness." The other reviewers (and Harry) were so pumped to see recreations of "Bride of Frankenstein" that they would lose all objective judgement over the film as a whole. So for me, I've never seen "Frankenstein" nor any other James Whale film (although now I soon will).
All I can say is: astounding. Actually, I can say more. I fear giving a complete rave review because I don't want the bar set so high that once you get in the theatre no film ever could fulfill those expectations (you'll see what I mean when you see Episode I).
It was just very well done in many ways. I say if you can give me complete characters and a fascinating plot, that's all I need. And, despite what I was thinking before I saw it, this film is not just for gay people -- it will definitely attract a gay audience, but it's not a "gay film" as such. Before I saw it I kept thinking it would be similar to another movie I loved: "Love & Death on Long Island" with John Hurt and Jason Priestley, about an old British man stalking, befriending, and falling for a younger straight guy. As much as I truly loved "Love & Death", this movie blows it away. It takes us so much deeper and presents so much more complete characters. Instead of dealing with a tale solely of lust and confused desire, "Gods & Monsters" has so many more layers, including Whale's being gay (& his old loves), being seen as a "has- been" to the rest of Hollywood, being lonely, depressed & sick, being in WWI, his childhood relationship with his father, what Frankenstein really represents, etc… What's equally impressive is the depth Condon gives to Fraser's character Clayton. Lynn Redgrave as Whale's housekeeper/caregiver was also terrific.
I wish I could find at least one bad thing about the film to give myself some credibility. Maybe Clayton's relationship with the woman he is trying to date becomes lost in the shuffle, as do Clayton's personal insecurities with his life's direction. With all that said, despite how wonderful this film is, it's probably still only a limited-release. But I hope that it comes out with the right push, because it truly is Oscar worthy.
