Doctor Septimus Pretorius

Last updated
Doctor Septimus Pretorius
Bride of Frankenstein character
Created byWilliam J. Hurlbut
Portrayed by Ernest Thesiger
In-universe information
Species Human
GenderMale
StatusDeceased (original film)
Alive (Dark Horse continuity)

Doctor Septimus Pretorius is a fictional character who appears in the Universal film Bride of Frankenstein (1935) as the main antagonist. He is played by British stage and film actor Ernest Thesiger. [1] Some sources claim he was originally to have been played by Bela Lugosi or Claude Rains. [2] Others indicate that the part was conceived specifically for Thesiger. [3]

Contents

The character of Doctor Henry Jekyll (portrayed by Russell Crowe) in the 2017 film The Mummy , the only film in Universal's Dark Universe reboot, is loosely based on Pretorius, quoting his toast to "a new world of gods and monsters".

Character overview

Doctor Pretorius is a renegade mad scientist who persuades Henry Frankenstein to resume his experiments with bringing dead flesh to life. An amoral egomaniac, he has no regard for human life or ethics and cares only for his own prestige as a scientist.

Along with his sinister qualities, Pretorius is responsible for a large share of the film's dark humor. He eats a picnic dinner in a crypt, trades prissy banter with the Monster, and laments that the tiny ballerina he created "will only dance to Mendelssohn's 'Spring Song'". He claims that gin is his only weakness. Then later in the film, he claims his cigars are his only weakness when he first meets the Monster. Pretorius also delivers the famous toast "To a new world of gods and monsters!" midway through the film.

Pretorius is based on the Monster's own personality from the original novel.

In the film

A professor of philosophy at the University of Ingolstadt, Pretorius first points young Henry on the path toward his unwholesome experiments in giving life to the dead. He himself is "booted out" from his teaching post "for knowing too much". Pretorius seeks out his former student after learning that the Monster has survived being trapped in the burning windmill in the climax of the first film. Pretorius himself acknowledges that he may be insane in a conversation with Frankenstein, saying, "You think I'm mad? Perhaps I am!"

Pretorius performs experiments creating life similar to Frankenstein's. He unveils to Frankenstein a group of various homunculi—miniature living humans which he has kept in bottles and claims to have grown from "seed" like cultures. Each figure represents a different character:

He has been unsuccessful in creating a full-sized human. He proposes to Frankenstein that together they create a mate for his monster, with Frankenstein building the body and Pretorius supplying an artificially-grown brain. Frankenstein initially balks at the idea, but Pretorius reminds him that he is capable of exposing him to the authorities as the creator of the Monster who has done so much damage.

Later, he meets the Monster in a crypt where he has gone to steal bodies with his hired help Karl and Ludwig. Pretorius is dining using the top of a coffin as a picnic table. When the Monster asks him "Friend?", he gives him the remains of his chicken. He tells the Monster of his plans to create a mate for him.

The Monster, eager for companionship of any kind, considers Pretorius his friend. From then on, the Monster is willing to do anything that the scientist desires, such as kidnapping Henry's wife Elizabeth in order to force him to help Pretorius. Henry agrees and together the two scientists create the Bride of Frankenstein.

However, even the Bride finds her would-be husband repulsive, and the heartbroken Monster decides to end his life by blowing up the laboratory. He instructs Henry and Elizabeth to run, but barks at Pretorius and the Bride to stay, saying "we belong dead". Before Pretorius can flee, the Monster blows up the laboratory and the castle, presumably killing Pretorius, the Bride, and himself.

Psychosexual aspects of the character

Dr. Pretorius is frequently identified as homosexual, or as near to homosexual as could be presented on-screen in 1935. There is no direct reference to homosexuality in the film. Bride of Frankenstein director James Whale was openly gay and frequently included camp elements in his films. He directed Thesiger (himself identified in some sources as more or less openly gay) [4] to play the part as an "over the top caricature of a bitchy and aging homosexual". [3]

Gay film historian Vito Russo stops short of identifying Pretorius as gay, calling him instead "sissified" [5] ("sissy" itself being Hollywood code for "homosexual"). Pretorius serves as a figure of seduction and temptation, pulling Frankenstein away from his bride on their wedding night to engage in the "unnatural" act of non-procreative life. The Breen Office, responsible for enforcing Hollywood's Production Code, let Pretorius' behavior pass unchallenged. A novelisation of the film published in England made the implication even more clear, having Pretorius say to Frankenstein: "Be fruitful and multiply. Let us obey the Biblical injunction: you of course, have the choice of natural means; but as for me, I am afraid that there is no course open to me but the scientific way". [6]

Other appearances

Pretorius appears in Kim Newman's crossover novel Dracula Cha Cha Cha , as a colleague of H. P. Lovecraft's Herbert West. He appears as one of the horror movie spoofs in Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter and also appears in Allan Rune Pettersson's novel Frankenstein's Aunt Returns .

In the Amicus horror film The House That Dripped Blood (1970), Geoffrey Bayldon, playing a mysterious antique shop owner, is made up and costumed to look like Ernest Thesiger as Pretorius.[ citation needed ]

In the 1973 NBC-TV miniseries Frankenstein: The True Story , James Mason portrays a Pretorius-like figure named Dr. Polidori (named for Lord Byron's real-life physician, John William Polidori, who was part of the 1816 gathering that produced Mary Shelley's novel and also the author of the story "The Vampyre"). Mason's Dr. Polidori enlists Victor to assist in creating the female creature Prima (portrayed by Jane Seymour).

The 1986 film From Beyond adds a Dr. Edward Pretorius at Miskatonic University (played by Ted Sorel) as a dark mentor for Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs). This Pretorius is an impotent sadist (with a room full of bondage gear) who is assimilated by "the Beyond" and attempts to drag others into it, boasting that the pineal gland growth brought on by the resonator is like "an orgasm of the mind".

The 1989 Akif Pirinçci novel Felidae and its 1994 animated feature film adaptation feature an insane Professor Preterius in the backstory performing increasingly dark experiments on the cat Claudandus.

In the 1998 independent film Gods and Monsters , directed by Bill Condon, Ernest Thesiger as Pretorius is played by Arthur Dignam in a flashback about the filming of Bride of Frankenstein. An earlier scene shows Whale's gardener Clayton Boon (portrayed by Brendan Fraser) watching Bride of Frankenstein on television, specifically the climactic scene of Pretorius and Frankenstein unveiling the Bride.

In the 2007 Frankenstein TV film, the character of Professor Jane Pretorius is based on Septimus Pretorius and served as Victoria Frankenstein's boss.She was portrayed by Lindsay Duncan.

In the Dark Horse "Universal's Monsters" novel The Bride Of Frankenstein: Pandora's Bride, Pretorius somehow survives the destruction of the tower lab along with the Bride. They escape to Germany where he teaches her to become her own woman.

In Mary Shelley's Frankenhole , the character Professor Sanguinaire Polidori (voiced by Scott Adsit) is based on Septimus Pretorius.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Whale</span> English film director (1889-1957)

James Whale was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: Frankenstein (1931), The Old Dark House (1932), The Invisible Man (1933) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935), all considered classics. Whale also directed films in other genres, including the 1936 film version of the musical Show Boat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John William Polidori</span> English writer and physician

John William Polidori was a British writer and physician. He is known for his associations with the Romantic movement and credited by some as the creator of the vampire genre of fantasy fiction. His most successful work was the short story "The Vampyre" (1819), the first published modern vampire story. Although the story was at first erroneously credited to Lord Byron, both Byron and Polidori affirmed that the author was Polidori.

<i>Bride of Frankenstein</i> 1935 American science-fiction horror film by James Whale

Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American science fiction horror film, and the first sequel to Universal Pictures' 1931 film Frankenstein. As with the first film, Bride of Frankenstein was directed by James Whale starring Boris Karloff as the Monster and Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein. The sequel features Elsa Lanchester in the dual role of Mary Shelley and the bride. Colin Clive reprises his role as Henry Frankenstein, and Ernest Thesiger plays the role of Doctor Septimus Pretorius. Oliver Peters Heggie plays the role of the old blind hermit.

<i>Frankenstein</i> (1931 film) 1931 film by Carl Laemmle

Frankenstein is a 1931 American pre-Code science fiction horror film directed by James Whale, produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., and adapted from a 1927 play by Peggy Webling, which in turn was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The Webling play was adapted by John L. Balderston and the screenplay written by Francis Edward Faragoh and Garrett Fort, with uncredited contributions from Robert Florey and John Russell.

<i>Gods and Monsters</i> (film) 1998 film

Gods and Monsters is a 1998 period drama film written and directed by Bill Condon, based on Christopher Bram's 1995 novel Father of Frankenstein. The film stars Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, and David Dukes. Its plot is a partly fictionalized account of the last days of the life of film director James Whale (McKellen), known for directing Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). A veteran of World War I, the aged Whale develops a complicated relationship with his gardener, Clayton Boone (Fraser), a fictitious character originally created by Bram for the source novel.

Christopher Bram is an American author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frankenstein's monster</span> 1818 fictional character by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus as the main antagonist. Shelley's title thus compares the monster's creator, Victor Frankenstein, to the mythological character Prometheus, who fashioned humans out of clay and gave them fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Thesiger</span> English actor

Ernest Frederic Graham Thesiger, CBE was an English stage and film actor. He is noted for his performance as Doctor Septimus Pretorius in James Whale's film Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Frankenstein</span> Character from Mary Shelleys 1818 novel "Frankenstein"

Victor Frankenstein is a fictional character and the main protagonist and title character in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. He is a Swiss scientist who, after studying chemical processes and the decay of living things, gains an insight into the creation of life and gives life to his own creature. Victor later regrets meddling with nature through his creation, as he inadvertently endangers his own life and the lives of his family and friends when the creature seeks revenge against him. He is first introduced in the novel when he is seeking to catch the monster near the North Pole and is saved from near death by Robert Walton and his crew.

Dr. Waldman is a fictional character who appears in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and in its subsequent film versions. He is a professor at Ingolstadt University who specializes in chemistry and is a mentor of Victor Frankenstein.

<i>Son of Frankenstein</i> 1939 film by Rowland V. Lee

Son of Frankenstein is a 1939 American horror film that was directed by Rowland V. Lee and stars Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. The film is the third in Universal Pictures' Frankenstein series and is the follow-up to the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. Son of Frankenstein stars Rathbone as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein who, with his wife Elsa and son Peter, returns to his late father's estate. Near the castle lives Ygor, a crazed blacksmith whose neck was broken in an unsuccessful hanging attempt. Among the castle's remains, Frankenstein discovers the remains of the monster and decides to try to save his family name by resurrecting the creature to prove his father was correct. He finds, however, the monster only responds to Ygor's commands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frankenstein (DC Comics)</span> DC Comics character

Frankenstein is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is based on the Frankenstein's monster character created by Mary Shelley.

<i>Frankenstein: The True Story</i> 1973 film by Jack Smight

Frankenstein: The True Story is a 1973 British television movie loosely based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. It was directed by Jack Smight, and the screenplay was written by novelist Christopher Isherwood and his longtime partner Don Bachardy.

<i>Frankenstein</i> in popular culture

Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, and the famous character of Frankenstein's monster, have influenced popular culture for at least a century. The work has inspired numerous films, television programs, video games and derivative works. The character of the Monster remains one of the most recognized icons in horror fiction.

<i>Father of Frankenstein</i> 1995 novel by Christopher Bram

Father of Frankenstein is a 1995 novel by Christopher Bram that speculates on the last days of the life of film director James Whale. Whale directed such groundbreaking works as the 1931 Frankenstein and 1933's The Invisible Man and was a pioneer in the horror film genre.

Frankenstein is a 2007 British television film produced by Impossible Pictures for ITV. It was written and directed by Jed Mercurio, adapted from Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus to a present-day setting. Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, a female geneticist, accidentally creates a monster while growing her son's clone from stem cells as an organ donor in an effort to prevent his imminent death. The film was broadcast on 24 October 2007, to an average audience of 3.6 million.

<i>Mary Shelleys Frankenhole</i> American adult stop motion-animated television series

Mary Shelley's Frankenhole is an American adult stop motion-animated television series created by Dino Stamatopoulos for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. The series premiered on June 27, 2010 and ended on March 25, 2012, with a total of 20 episodes, over the course of 2 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Lavenza</span> Fictional character

Elizabeth Frankenstein is a fictional character first introduced in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In both the novel and its various film adaptations, she is the fiancée of Victor Frankenstein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bride of Frankenstein (character)</span> Fictional character

The Bride of Frankenstein is a fictional character first introduced in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and later in the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. In the film, the Bride is played by Elsa Lanchester. The character's design in the film features a conical hairdo with white lightning-trace streaks on each side, which has become an iconic symbol of both the character and the film.

<i>Frankenstein</i> (Universal film series) American horror film series

Frankenstein is a film series of horror films from Universal Pictures based on the play version by Peggy Webling and the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. The series follow the story of a monster created by Henry Frankenstein who is made from body parts of corpses and brought back to life. The rest of the series generally follows the monster continuously being revived and eventually focuses on a series of cross overs with other Universal horror film characters such as The Wolf Man. The series consists of the following films: Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), House of Dracula (1945) and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).

References

  1. Musetto, V.A. (2007-10-21). "Where Oh, Werewolf". New York Post . Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  2. Jones, Stephen (2000). The Essential Monster Movie Guide: A Century of Creature Features on Film. Watson-Guptill. p. 63. ISBN   0-8230-7936-8.
  3. 1 2 Skal, David J. (1993). The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror. Penguin Books. p. 185. ISBN   0-14-024002-0.
  4. Curtis, James (1998). James Whale: A New World of Gods and Monsters . Boston: Faber and Faber. p.  240. ISBN   0-571-19285-8.
  5. Russo, Vito (1987). The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies (revised ed.). New York City: HarperCollins. p.  50. ISBN   0-06-096132-5.
  6. Egremont, Michael, quoted in Skal p. 189