American Film Institute

Still from the 1974 film Young Frankenstein, directed by Mel Brooks. This parody of Frankenstein starred Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle and Marty Feldman (above), who played the role of Igor.

In the case of the good movie scientists, Frankenstein and Jekyll, they tried to advance genetic research to a level that was not known in society, but they did so, or at least convinced themselves that they were doing so, to help mankind. Conversely, the bad scientists approached the same goal of advancing science, but without regard to benefits for man.

Aside from that division between the two types, though, there were several shared characteristics among all five of the protagonists who were discussed in the earlier sessions, Jekyll, Frankenstein, Griffin, Moreau and Lavond: they were all accomplished scientists who strove to advance biogenetics beyond known possibilities; they were outcasts from society, either emotionally or physically, because of their views; and all of their experiments turned out badly.

Of the five, all died as a direct or indirect result of their experiments--except Frankenstein, who died in Shelley's novel, but lived on in the 1931 film to do more experiments in the 1935 sequel. And of the five, all but Moreau came to repudiate the essence of what they had done--interfere with nature.

Men beyond their time
Jekyll, Frankenstein, Moreau, Griffin and Lavond were all brilliant scientists [Lavond, though not a scientist himself, continued the work of the scientist Marcel], who were confident that they could push the laws of biogenetics past known limits. The accomplishments of Jekyll and Frankenstein had brought them to a certain level of respect within the scientific and/or medical communities, yet their quest to go beyond the confines of established scientific and moral boundaries became insatiable.

Despite their intellect, however, these scientists were also, in varying degrees, outcasts from society. Jekyll, Griffin and Frankenstein had an emotional isolation from family and friends, while Moreau and Lavond endured societal and geographical isolation.

Disregarding the warnings

	Some comic and campy turns on the genre:
	Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951) Blackenstein (1973) Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957) Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995) Frankenweenie (1984) I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) The Invisible Kid (1988) Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966) The Nutty Professor (1963) The Nutty Professor (1996) Young Frankenstein (1974)

A classic plot device of almost every "mad scientist" film is that the scientist is warned against his experiments, but never heeds the warnings. The warnings, both spoken and implied, within these films were: Don't tamper with nature and don't play god. Yet that is precisely what they did. In the cases of the good scientists Jekyll and Frankenstein, the warnings came from caring friends and loved ones who feared that they were going too far into areas regarded as sacrosanct. In both cases, the scientist let his egotistical quest for new biogenetic achievements override all religious, ethical or societal considerations.

In the case of the bad scientist Griffin, and the ersatz scientist, Lavond, the quests were to right wrongs that had been brought against them as much as advance science. Although in the film The Invisible Man Griffin's rationale for his experiments was not fully delineated, in Wells' novel Griffin had a desire for the wealth and recognition that invisibility would afford him. In Lavond's case, he rationalized the mutation of his victims--some innocent, like the serving girl, and others evil, like his former partner--by his self-proclaimed quest for justice.

Moreau was unique among the scientists, as he had no apparent reason for his experiments, other than the desire to advance biogenetic research and increase his power. Aside from the revelation that he was forced out of England and that Montgomery was a former student, the audience knows nothing about his background or motivation. So, rather than having a real or perceived moral or immoral goal, his was completely amoral, making a law unto himself.

Consequences of their actions
Although all of the good and bad scientists themselves suffered as a consequence of their experiments, in all cases, their actions also led to the suffering and often murder of others. In the case of Jekyll/Hyde and Griffin, their self-experimentations resulted in personality changes that caused them to kill innocent people. The Monster in Frankenstein and the men-beasts in Island of Lost Souls caused death, both intentionally and unintentionally. The Monster in Frankenstein killed a young girl, and the men-beasts on Moreau's Island killed Lota, the Panther Woman.

While Jekyll, Frankenstein, Moreau and Griffin discovered that the results of their experiments could not be controlled, Lavond had no such scientific problem. He did, however, come to realize that the unintended legacy of his experiments would cause his daughter and other innocents to suffer.