A Personal and Cinematic Odyssey
Guillermo del Toro, the acclaimed Mexican filmmaker and Oscar winner, has finally brought his long-held dream to the big screen with “Frankenstein,” a film that explores themes of obsession, loneliness, rejection, guilt, and fear, as well as love, pain, longing for belonging, and the need for redemption and forgiveness. These emotions are encapsulated in a father-son relationship, mirroring that of the film’s protagonists and del Toro himself.
From Childhood to Cinematic Mastery
Del Toro’s fascination with Mary Shelley’s classic began at the tender age of 11, when he stumbled upon a Bruguera edition of the book during a trip to Maxi supermarket in Guadalajara. The story of Victor Frankenstein and his creature left an indelible mark on the young cinephile, inspiring him to bring this narrative to life on screen. He humorously recalls, “At 11, a kid from Guadalajara read the book and I was already making Super 8 films, vowing to create fantastical cinema in Mexico. If I had made a film like Cronos back then, it would have been a miracle. What has happened since is beyond words, sometimes it sounds cliché, but I feel like I’m drunk and will soon wake up.”
A 50-Year Journey Culminates
At 61, five decades after that fateful encounter, del Toro unveiled “Frankenstein” at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso in Mexico City, surrounded by the mural “La Creación” by Diego Rivera. The film, del Toro’s 13th feature, is a deeply personal exploration of his experiences, some of which he endured during his father’s kidnapping and others in his personal life.
The Power of Parent-Child Relationships
“Frankenstein” features Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the creature, alongside Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, and Charles Dance. The film, set to release on November 7 on Netflix, delves into the complex relationship between creator and creation, portraying them as fundamentally human rather than monstrous.
Intimate Conversations and Character Development
Isaac describes the creation of his character as a “deeply intimate process” born from personal conversations with del Toro. They discussed their fathers, the pain of parental experiences, religion, and the trauma of Catholicism. Both were moved to tears by the script’s profoundly personal nature.
Del Toro’s Artistic Vision
Del Toro envisioned Victor as more of an artist than a scientist, which required Isaac to develop a unique accent inspired by 1960s rock musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger. The film, clocking in at 2 hours and 29 minutes, premiered in the main competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2025, and received a standing ovation lasting 13 minutes.
The Importance of Emotional Authenticity
Del Toro emphasizes the significance of tone in storytelling, which he finds the most challenging aspect to achieve as a director. He strives to attain the perfect tone without fear, comparing it to cooking or crafting a sauce. The emotionally charged final scene of “Frankenstein” was the first to be filmed, as it set the tone for the entire narrative.
Crafting Complex Characters
Del Toro believes in building characters with all their complexities, flaws, and virtues. This approach allows him to explore themes like God, Christ, salvation, and grace from a holistic perspective. He famously states, “I hate perfectly good or evil characters. We’re all a mess by 8:30, saints by 10:30, idiots by 12:00, and jerks by 3:00.”
The Mexican Spirit in Cinema
When asked by Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, why he invests so much time and effort into his films, del Toro humorously responded, “Because I’m Mexican.” He explained that the Mexican way of achieving greatness is with “two hands and two eggs,” emphasizing the importance of artisanship, vision, color, texture, and ingenuity in his filmmaking.
