Starring Kathryn Newton and Zombieland’s Emma Stone as a teenage zombie hunter blended with the beauty of Mary Shelly’s most well known works the Lisa Frankenstein is set to launch in February 2024. The writer who previously won an Oscar for Juno also co wrote the story zooms in on post romantic soft comedy with elements of horror set in the ’80s. The Lisa Frankenstein dives into a story which encapsulates love, fits within societal constraints, and the search for the purpose in life itself, all of this while maintaining a dark sense of humor.
Synopsis
In 1989 a high school girl known as Lisa Swallows, who is lost with her day to day life and is bullied along the way, is the star of the movie. She remains socially distanced due to her constant urge to connect with people around her and so spends her time day dreaming with a vivid imagination.
A simple storm once turned Lisa’s boring life into an extraordinary one where she comes across a decomposed corpse (Cole Sprouse) from the Victorian era and names him CAL. The series Hoping to erode those typical ’80s perspectives, Mitchell began working on restoring Cal to life. However this turned into a comedic sitcom as the two went on a journey to assimilate Cal into society.
As Lisa brings Cal up to speed with contemporary civilization, she is equally forced to handle the scrutiny of her colleagues, an eccentric high school social structure, and the curious interests of her fellow scientist, Dr. Shelley (Carla Gugino), who wants to know more about Cal’s strange background. The story starts off easy and light hearted but then gets darker when Lisa realizes that she might have to face the consequences of her own actions which in this case does deal with morals and ethics.
Cast & Crew
- Director: Zelda Williams
- Writer: Diablo Cody
- Producers: Mason Novick, Diablo Cody
- Cinematography: Paula Huidobro
- Music: Isabella Summers
Main Cast:
- Kathryn Newton as Lisa Swallows
- Cole Sprouse as Cal (The Reanimated Corpse)
- Liza Soberano as Trixie (a classmate and rival of Lisa)
- Henry Eikenberry as Jake (Lisa’s love interest)
- Carla Gugino as Dr. Shelley
Production
The film ‘Lisa Frankenstein’ was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana because of its peculiar look combining gothic beauty and 80s America suburbs. Williams directed the film her first real feature. She is the daughter of the late Robin Williams. The film was written by Diablo Cody who authored Juno, and Williams teamed up with her to ensure the film retained Cody’s humor and drama.
The artistic direction of the film exhibits the kind of atmosphere that was prevalent at the end of the 1980s. The film features music that made the decade so remarkable. Lisa Frankenstein, distributed by Focus Features, was first showcased around Valentine’s Day, reaching out to people who were in search of an eccentric mix of romance and horror.
Themes and Symbolism
The Most Fundamental Need of the Individual, the Need to Belong:
To begin with, Lisa Frankenstein is a film centered around the basic human need of companionship. Lisa’s decision to bring Cal back to life is a representation of her desire to start a relationship in a way that suits her, without considering what society feels about it. Cal, in this case, is both a work and a lover. And this represents the way Lisa tries to seek free expression within the confines of accepted social behavior.
The Ethics of Creation:
The film alludes to the ideas from the original Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, especially in the sense of the ethical aspects of giving life to the lifeless. Lisa’s character raises issues of autonomy and accountability when it seems she wishes to change Cal into a model of some husband she desires, not taking into account the challenges to such an ideal conception.
High School Satire:
The high school setting allows the film to gently mock the recurring issue of adolescent insecurities and the need to fit in. Starting with the concept of being a ‘freak’, Lisa’s transformation is remarkably opposite, becoming a way of life for her as she seeks to help Cal, which seems to provide a rather subtle, comical self-acceptance satire.
Critical Reception
When released, Lisa Frankenstein received shut eye reviews from critics and the public. Many critics cited Kathryn Newton as the saving grace of the movie and actors who all felt well coordinated, including Cole Sprouse, who portrayed Cal, argued how well the role was able to combine both comical and charming at the same time. It even seemed that the chemistry between the leads was appreciated, and was highlighted as one of the good things about the movie.
Zelda Williams’ first film has imaging that stands out and passes through the first trial of directors, being able to distinguish between comedy and comedy with a lesser degree of darkness. In addition, Diablo Cody, with constant streams of humor, merges the film with the Gothic approach. Unfortunately, some reviewers are more critical, their grievances often crying about pacing and pacing changes, which regrettably disrupt the natural flow of the narrative.
In Rotten Tomatoes, Lisa Frankenstein stands at a 61% positive review, showing mixed feelings and even emotions toward the film. While some audiences liked the fact about it being so new, others said that because of that newness some things were so new that they barely built on that idea.
Performance at the Box Office
Lance Makalatan’s movie ‘Lisa Frankenstein’ released during the Valentine season and grossed about $38 million for an estimated budget of $15 million, which was a huge jump for a niche genre movie. The success rate of the movie can be attributed to a wide range of cast that consisted of teens and adults, and its release on the streaming devices after the movie indicates great potential of it being a cult classic.
Cultural Impact
What the movie did differently than most others films is how it helped in bridging the gaps between different genres of art hence Lisa Frankenstein distinguishes itself from others. The movie draws attention to c themes from all ages and places since it’s a reinterpretation of the Gothic classics set in the 1980s with a lot of humor.
The film also deepens Zelda Williams’ debut as a great director. The sharp writing in Cody’s script paired with Williams direction guarantees that Lisa Frankenstein will be viewed as a fulfilling comedy horror.
Conclusion
Lisa Frankenstein should be approached as a light-hearted and warm love letter to Mary Shelley’s creation. The trilogy is visually pleasant as it masterfully combines comedy, horror and romance, and it delves into such universal themes as tenderness, identity, or personal duty, which adds another layer of complexity that makes it a little deeper than just being eccentric on the outside.
For fans with a taste for the unusual and unknown, Lisa Frankenstein comes as a welcome dose of creativity into a familiar story, twist forming the understanding that even the dead are able to find a partner in the most unimaginable of places.
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