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Sorry, James, but I think you let the rude behavior of the folks behind you
detract from your enjoyment of one of the year's best films. You said that
"something was missing" from this film. What was it? Are you nostalgic for
the Whale or Hammer interpretations of the Frankenstein myth? You must admit
that Branagh made a point of being more faithful to the original Shelley novel
than many of the classic "Frankenstein" films. (For instance, check out David
Wickes' absurd TNT rendition.) Branagh may go a little overboard at times,
which probably can be blamed on his Shakespearean background, but I thought
he was surprisingly subtle in his presentation of the film's major themes.
Some of my favorite moments, though, were less than subtle. Did anybody notice
the apparatus that gave De Niro life looked a lot like huge testicles?