Mad Scientists, Alchemists in Literature (1)

Alchemy was the route of the mad scientist prior to the modern concept of the character type.

By Izzy at clker.com

Prometheus is the exception because he stole fire from the gods. That is a mythical technological advancement; it puts him in the category according to some writers.

Dictionary.com defines alchemy as a kind of chemistry and speculative philosophy. It explains that it was popular during the Medieval Period, and it was primarily involved with trying to change baser metals into gold.

Christopher Marlowe's Dr. Faustus is obsessed with alchemy, and treads the evil path to damnation. It sounds mad but not scientific. The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus was published in 1604.

By OCAL at clker.com

The mad scientist theme of modern times came from Mary Shelly's book Frankenstein (1818). But the doctor was influenced by an alchemist Cornelius Agrippa. According to Merriam-Webster, one definition of alchemy is " a power or process that changes or transforms something in a mysterious or impressive way." The doctor transforms body parts into a living creature using electricity.

Dr. Victor Frankenstein did horrible things with corpses trying to invent life apart from God. He thought his creature was appalling and was afraid of him.

When the creature had to make it on his own, his attempts to get along with people were bumbling. He started as gentle and naive, but the monster got hurt and stuck for revenge against his creator. Eventually, the monster in the movies was known as Frankenstein.

But are the stories that involve alchemy and not modern science really about mad scientists, or mad alchemists? But perhaps that is splitting hairs. Dr. Frankenstein did use electricity, so his experimentation is a little different, but alchemists used chemicals. Ah. Where to draw the line is the question.

Consider the Strange Case of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, wherein Gabriel John Utterson probes into the odd matters encompassing Dr. Jekyll, as Mr. Hyde takes over his personality, thus a battle of ultimate good and evil ensues. The doctor makes a tincture of a specific salt, but doesn't reveal the other ingredients. Alchemy perhaps?

He experiments on himself and discovers a despicable inner self. His objective was to control and rattle, or set in motion the fortress of identity. Apparently, he reached his goal, but it wasn't what he thought it would be.

The Island of Dr. Moreau  is a novel by H.G. Wells published in 1896. Moreau conducts animal experimentation trying to concoct them into humans. The doctor thinks this is alright, though trying to make people into animals would be coarse.

Edward Prendick is shipwrecked on the South Sea island where Dr. Moreau resides. Pendrick finds out about the experiments by encountering some of the creatures the doctor put together.  He is concerned that he may be a victim of the scientist madness, and he isn't a welcomed visitor. The doctor is killed by one of his creations. Prendick lives on the island and leaves when a drifting boat appears, and he is rescued.

Back in London, people think he is crazy when he tells his story. He fakes amnesia and moves to the country to get away from people because he thinks they might go back to an animal like existence.

Doctor Moreau definitely takes the mad scientist from alchemy to actual science using vivisection. All of these stories are concerned with philosophical and moral issues, and are well written stories, which is why they have endured the test of time.

10 Trivia Concepts from Dr. Faustus, Watch Video

10 Trivia Concepts from Frankenstein, Watch Video

10 Trivia Concepts form Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Watch Video





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Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff had a long career in which he played various kinds of roles, but he is most remembered for his roles in monster movies.

 Karloff  had acted in stage shows in Canada starting in 1909. Later, in Hollywood he acted in numerous silent flicks, but he had to work as a manual laborer to make ends meet.

Many of Karloff's earlier film credits are in movie serials. Also, called chapter plays, these were shorter flicks coming on before the main movie that included several episodes. These short films hinged on the cliffhanger, the vindicator and heroine are in dire straits until the next episode, wherein that particular cliffhanger is resolved, and finally the ending story when all is well. Two other movies that gave his career a push into the limelight were The Criminal Code and Five Star Final.

Boris Karloff''s role as the monster in Frankenstein (1931) boosted him to star status. Karloff turned a huge misshapen freak into a sympathetic character. He is like an ousted child in the monstrous body.  He played Im-hot-ep in The Mummy film of 1932. Im-hot-ep's way of regaining his lost love is spurious and questionable hinging on a moral dilemma that he doesn't see. But Karloff  projects a love for The Princess with his facial expressions and body language; his ominous aura is balanced with fragility. He exhibits this mix of character during his portrayals of monsters.

He co-starred in several films with Bela Lugosi like The Black Cat in 1934, The Raven of 1935, and The Body Snatcher in 1945. In 1941, he portrayed a cutthroat gangster in Arsenic and Old Lace on Broadway. His career included British television as Colonel March in the show "Colonel March of Scotland Yard."

His career finale films were low-budget horror flicks originating in Mexico.


The Mummy, 1932

Frankenstein Movie 1910

The Frankenstein movie mania has never ceased since 1910, when the original silent flick was loosely adapted from Mary Shelley's novel. This short film was the brainchild of J. Searle Dawley who wrote and directed it. It took three days to film the movie at Edison Studios. The monster is played by Charles Ogle, Victor Frankenstein is portrayed by Augustus Phillips, and Mary Fuller is the doctor's fiancée.

Charles Ogle began his acting career on Broadway in 1905. His first film role was in the 1910 Frankenstein film. Augustus Phillips acted in 134 flicks during his movie career. Mary Fuller started her acting career on stage. She debuted in film working for Vitagram Studios. She became a foremost actress challenging Mary Pickford in status.

The theme revolves around the issue of life and death as Victor Frankenstein becomes obsessed with its cryptic implications, while studying science at college. His vision of creating a human being plunges into the macabre, when he creates a monster instead of the idealized man he envisioned.

His creation sickens him and he returns home and is nursed by his fiancée. When he heals, they are to be married. Enter the monster that is envious of the doctor's sweetheart. The monster seizes a rose given to Victor Frankenstein by his sweetheart from the doctor's lapel. He sees his horrible image in a mirror and bolts away after the struggle knocks the doctor to the floor.

The monster longs for the friendship of his creator and returns on the night of the wedding and causes the bride to faint and Victor finds her. The monster enters the room again and struggle ensues and he overpowers the doctor and leaves again.

Upon his final return, he is absorbed into the mirror that he sees himself in and Victor comes in. Victor sees the monster as he looks into the mirror, but his own form slowly returns. His bride enters, they hug, which is the movie's finale.

Edison's Frankenstein (Book & Video)
Edison's Frankenstein 1910
1910 in Film: 1910 Films, Thunderbolt, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Frankenstein, French Films of 1910, Italian Films of 1910

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