Gods and monsters

Gods and Monsters is a biography of film director James Whale who created one of the screen’s great mythic heroes in the classic version of “Frankenstein”. Beginning in the 1950s when Whale (Ian McKellen) is largely forgotten or only remembered through camp nostalgia, the film traces Whale’s increasing obsession with his gardener, Clayton (Brendan Fraser). As Whale’s health deteriorates, his memory increasingly draws him back to the pivotal moments of his life: his rejection of his harsh working-class youth; his service in World War I and his loving affair with a fellow soldier; and his years directing in the classic Hollywood era. Combining biography and a mature examination of the possible love between homosexual and heterosexual men, “Gods and Monsters” ends up being a loving tribute to both the classic Hollywood era and the possibility of transcendence for working-class people. Based on the book “Father of Frankenstein” by Christopher Bram. Cast includes Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser and Lynn Redgrave. (Awards: Winner of the 1998 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay)