fun watch for the high saturation dream vibes;so surreal the plot was constantly in danger of incoherence the plot of frankenstein feels impossibly specific and concrete compared to this movie lol

Ken Russell’s Gothic feels like a wild fever dream. It tells the story of a famous night in 1816 when Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori gather in a villa by Lake Geneva. But instead of a historical drama, we get an intense, almost absurd chamber piece that blurs the lines between reality and madness. The film feels theatrical in its exaggerated style, yet it’s strangely captivating. At the heart of the story are the characters and their experiences under the influence of drugs. They hallucinate, fantasize, and are haunted by their own fears and dark thoughts. The atmosphere is heavy and intense. The characters aren’t just battling with one another, but also with their inner demons. Each of them brings their own darkness to the surface as the night unfolds. Much of it feels like an absurd theatrical performance, where you’re never sure if what’s happening is real or just a product of their imaginations. It was for sure something else, but at some points, it kinda lost me. The whole theater-like experience, the talk, the weird scenes, lighting, and moments could easily throw me out of the movie. But I still kinda loved it. Also, it gave me a new crush, Natasha Richardson. Gothic isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re up for it, it’s a weird and wild ride into the characters’ messed-up minds. Ken Russell does a killer job showing all the creativity, fear, and madness in a way that really sticks with you. It’s definitely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of movie, and honestly, that’s what makes it so cool. And also Natasha Richardson.

Interesting and unconventional Horror tale. One of the more tame Russell films, which makes it more accessible, but it's still Ken Russell, so it's off-the-wall bizarre. Yet, it seems very plausible, and it's interesting to see what may have been going on during that fateful weekend with Shelley and Byron. Is this truly what inspired Frankenstein...?