Monster A-Go-Go: Dr. Frankenstein's Monster

I'm not sure how I got this late into the month of October without talking about Dr. Frankenstein's monster, but there ya go. This stuff happens. So let's get down to brass tacks and analyze what it is about this monstrosity that makes him so entertaining.

Originally created from the mind of Mary Shelley, the story of "Frankenstein" deals with a scientist who animates a creature composed of human parts. The creature is not an evil spirit or a hell-spawn sent to Earth to commit crimes of unspeakable evil. Dr. Frankenstein's creation is just a simple-minded, borderline mentally challenged, undead servant who is completely unaware of its own strength and capabilities. When the creature accidentally kills a young girl, the local villagers grab their favorite pitch-forks and torches and decide to destroy the unholy construct for its crime.

Over the years, and thanks to a little help from the Motion Picture Association of America, the monster has gone through some pretty drastic changes. First and foremost, it seems the monster has adopted it's creators name and is now universally accepted as being called Frankenstein. Many films and other forms of pop-culture have demonized the figure and changed it into an actual monster that goes about killing people under the command of the loony Dr. Frankenstein, as can be seen in most of the Hammer Horror pictures of the '60s. Despite these changes, there's a great deal of appreciation that goes out for the original design. Many horror fans like to wear Frankenstein Knowledge as if it were fastened to the breast of their coat like a badge of honor because true love of the Frank scores some major brownie points amongst the more rabid of guru frightenologists.

Despite his decline into becoming more of a mindless beast, there still exists redeemable versions of the creature; my favorite being his portrayal in "Monster Squad" where he befriends a group of children and even sacrifices himself in the end to save their lives'.

Sure, Frankenstein's monster may look hideous and he may be nothing more than a mound of walking corpses, but its his innocence that makes him so charming. And as much as I love the pure of heart monster I also enjoy the destructive titan. In either version it comes down to one key feature that sort of defines the beast, he has no true identity and tries desperately to understand the strange reality that is his existence. There's something very meta about this monster, an element that exposes the horror of being an outcast. How one might survive in a world that wants you dead. It's a troubling thought but a thought that deserves some attention.