Frankenstein and Van Helsing can be portrayed in the similar limelight. Both stories go hand-in-hand in the themes and lessons that are created within each story. With that in mind, the main characters feel the same way and are both perceived as a monster of some sort by using Mary Shelley’s ideas in her novel Frankenstein.
In the movie, Van Helsing, that was broadcasted in theaters in 2004, Gabriel Van Helsing is the main character who is considered as the “Vampire Slayer.” Unfortunately for him, he was given a curse that led him to not remember his past. When searching for his past, he is led to a land called Transylvania where there are dark creatures that was driven and produced by Count Dracula. Count Dracula is known to be an evil vampire that is known to not be killed by anyone. With that in mind, Van Helsing wants to kill him for good because of the curse that he had put on many people.
Another main character is Anna Valerious. She is also a vampire hunter. She is part of the royal family who once lived on the land until Count Dracula demolished them all. Anna wanted to help Van Helsing destroy the evil monster so that she could bring her family back to life due to the curse that was bestowed upon her, her family, and her friends. Along their way to destroying Count Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein’s Monster try to stop them.
These scenes in the movie show similarity to the novel Frankenstein because, like the creature, there are monsters throughout the movie. In the novel, there was much fear towards the monster and little compassion for him too. This is shown throughout the movie of Van Helsing especially towards the Wolf Man who did not choose the life that he was given by the Count Dracula. In that case, everyone believes that he is a monster by choice and should be destroyed just like Frankenstein.
Frankenstein was never given a proper home full of compassion. Like the Wolf Man, he was told to destroy Van Helsing and Valerious. Count Dracula did not think that they should no longer be alive because he thought that they would ruin everything that he had worked for by destroying everything in his path so that Transylvania could be his.
The novel Frankenstein and the movie Van Helsing have similar themes through feelings and the physical reenactment of how both monsters were in a sense of how they were built and how they were treated. Both stories show a compelling stand point on how an author for a movie brings Mary Shelley’s ideas to life again. It shows the interest that has been around for many years. With that in mind, Mary Shelley’s ideas and knowledge is here to flourish for generations to come.
