Gods and Monsters

Genre: Drama/Biography.

Studio: Lions Gate.
Production Company: Unknown.

Project Phase: In the Can.

Who's In It: Brendan Fraser (Clay Boone); Sir Ian McKellen (James Whale); Lolita Davidovich; Lynn Redgrave; Jack Plotnik.
Who's Making It: Bill Condon (Director, Screenwriter); Paul Colichman, Mark R. Harris (Producers); Clive Barker (Executive Producer); Carter Burwell (Musical Score); based on the novel Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram.

Premise: The fictional biography of James Whale, the director of the 1931 version of Frankenstein, which starred Boris Karloff. The picture centers around the friendship Whale develops with his gardener (played by Fraser) and the director's mysterious death.

Release Date: October/November 1998.

Comments: This picture has such a cool premise -- not only is it a telling of how Whale created his adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and thus the classic Karloff monster for the twentieth century was born, but it promises to also show us a glimpse in the lives of the people who helped shaped the picture. It's good to see Brendan Fraser fleshing out his dramatic ability (he's had it all along -- go rent School Ties if you don't believe us). And Sir Ian McKellan as James Whale? Whoo-hoo!

Oh, yeah. The fact that Clive Barker is exec producing it helps as well, y'know.

Rumors: Unknown.

Scoop Feedback:

[Page draft submitted by 'Widgett'.]

November 11, 1997... Principal photography has already wrapped on this project. [Scoop provided by 'Widgett'.]

December 9, 1997... The film is now set to premiere at next year's Sundance Film Fest. [Thanks to the electrified 'localhhhhh'.]

December 14, 1997... Our first review of a screening for Gods and Monsters has materialized -- enjoy.

"...I saw a screening of GODS AND MONSTERS in Santa Monica, CA about a month ago. It is an uneven pic with some good performances. Ian McKellan is wonderful and Vanessa Redgrave is sensational (in an Oscar caliber performance) as his maid, who caters to his every whim despite her disapproaval of his lifestyle (he's homosexual and has a thing for young men). There is a memorable scene at a Hollywood party set about fifteen years after the BRIDE OF FRANKENSTIEN, where Karloff, Elsa Lancaster and Ian McKellan's director are reunited. Along with the flashback scenes of the making of BRIDE these are the best scenes in the movie and make it worth seeing for fans of the pic. Unfortunately, the story focuses on Brendan Frasier's character, a gardener whom Ian McKellan wants to get naked. While initially their blossoming friendship is interesting, when the picture drifted into the younger man's life (his emotionless trysts with a barmaid and his disconnection to his family in the midwest) I found myself greatly missing the director and his maid. It's typical Hollywood to have these great characters at the center of a story and instead to focus on a periperal ho-hum hunk." [Review submitted anonymously.]

January 11, 1998... Another scoop about the film has rolled in about Gods and Monsters, but this one's a bit different than the last entry. The anonymous writer told us that they were involved with the film in some unrevealed capacity, and informed us that there hasn't been any screenings of the film just yet. "The only print of the film remains safely in the vault of our lab in Hollywood. Absolutely no video copies have been made," they wrote CA. As a matter of fact, the scooper wrote, they had just viewed the completed film a few days ago, and loved what director/screenwriter Bill Condon had done up on the screen. But just as we were hoping for more, the email ended. Hopefully, someone out there who attends the Sundance Film Festival next week will be able to catch a showing of the picture and send in their review. We hope... [Submitted anonymous.]

April 27, 1998... This scooper reports that they've seen the final cut and call it "phenomenal. It features some of the best work Ian McKellen has ever done on film, a very accomplished performance by Brendan Fraser and an astonishing one by Lynn Redgrave. It's very faithful to the excellent book that it's based on, 'FATHER OF FRANKENSTEIN', by Christopher Bram. Highly recommended." [A quick commentary sent in by 'DShreeve1'.]

There's still been no word as to whether or not the picture will receive a wide release.

May 18, 1998... Six months after we first received news about a test screening in California, today a different scooper sent us more information (and a possible correction) about it...

"The scooper who says Gods and Monsters hasn't been screened is wrong. I know it was screened sometime in January or December. I saw it last month (in Santa Monica). I liked Ian McKellan and the maid, but if you're going expected some insight into James Whale and the creation of Frankenstein, you're going to be greatly disappointed. It mostly deals with Whale's homosexuality and his failing health, which causes him to suffer vivid memories from his past which are indistinguishable from his present surroundings. I personally didn't find his relationship with Brendan Fraser's character enough to support the film." [Sent in by Don.]

May 26, 1998... Carter Burwell is scoring Gods and Monsters. [Submitted by James Furlong.]

October 27, 1998.... "I feel pretty much the same way that the last scooper did about Gods and Monsters," our latest scooper starts off. "McKellen is phenomenal - he comes from the same part of England and is gay too, but the relationship between the aging Whale and some hunky gardener is kind of contrived. And the funny thing is, James Whale was a really really interesting guy! He not only directed the Frankenstein movies and The Invisible Man, but also did a version of Show Boat and reportedly became interested in the theatre while in a prisoner of war camp in WWI. Kind of silly, then, to invent a fictional gardener character who looks great with his shirt off to hang the movie on. Still, the film is well done and there's a scene that has Whale, who dismisses his monster movies publicly but laughs and laughs as he watches the Bride of Frankenstein in bed on TV." [Comments sent in by 'Smartass'.]



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