Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Like one who, on a lonely road,

Doth walk in fear and dread,

And, having once turned round, walks on,

And turns no more his head;

Because he knows a frightful fiend

Doth close behind him tread.

-Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner"

I faced a plethora of choices when selecting the movie to watch for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. After reviewing some of the adaptations, I decided to go with Kenneth Branagh's 1994 version, as it seemed to be the most consistent with the actual book and featured Helena Bonham Carter and Robert De Niro which peaked my curiosity.  Furthermore,  I wanted a film that would capture Frankenstein's monster as the philosophical, heart wrenching, misunderstood creature Shelley portrayed, instead of the grunting (though still lovable) freak of nature popularized in early cinema.
The movie got off to a good start with the setting of the ship trapped in the freezing Arctic, as this was essential to the narrative of the entire novel.  I could have done without the musical score and half of the scenes of Frankenstein frolicking around with Elizabeth through various fields and parlor rooms, but these were minor annoyances, which would be done with soon enough.
Branagh, being king of the Shakespeare movies in the 90s, did a fantastic job in my opinion, really demonstrating the madness of Frankenstein's scientific obsessions in the moment and then his disgusting cowardice as he was quick to reanimate it and quit it shortly afterwards.  Plus, as Shelley didn't go into much detail as to the workings of Frankenstein's laboratory, I enjoyed the cinematic vision of water, electric eels, levers and pulleys, electricity, and fire as his experiments were created. 
But on to the real victory of this movie: De Niro as Frankenstein's monster.  I know, I know, I was skeptical at first, but this man nearly had me in tears as he portrayed this sensitive, misunderstood misfit who's only want in life was to have a friend.  Even when I tried to brace myself for the scene when he was brutally cast out from the family's cottage in the woods, my heart practically broke in two as I watched him sob alone in despair afterwards.  While reading the book, I wanted nothing more than to tear anyone limb from limb who was hurtful to this creature, although I still have a soft spot in my heart for Justine, whose low status and innocence could only end in tragedy.
All in all, I was very pleased with this adaptation.  I even loved the added twist when Frankenstein reanimates Elizabeth and I am one of THOSE people who hates when screenplays divert from the book (seriously I am probably the most annoying person to see a movie with if I've read it).  Plus I have to say Helena Bonham Carter plays a mean dancing corpse.  While other versions have succeeded in bringing the campiness or the horror of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to the screen, I will always lean towards those that choose to bring to light one of the greatest cautionary tales of all time.