Frankenstein: Crafting a Tale Eternal reveals writer and director, Guillermo del Toro’s vision and the artistry that helped craft the film! is open to the public through reservations. The exhibit ran from October 17th to November 9th at the Old Selridges Hotel in London. This was after the screening of the film at the BFI London Film Festival on October 13th before showing at select UK and Ireland theaters on October 17th. It started streaming on Netflix on November 7th. It has now opened at the NYA Studios West in Hollywood from January 5th to the 11th. This is to coincede with the award nominations. David Fincher, George Lucas, and Mellody Hobson hosted a screening on the opening night. The building at 1520 Wilcox Ave. is large with several movie posters covering the walls. A queue down the building’s street formed for many of the fans.
The costume of Elizabeth (Mia Goth), the work of Kate Hawley and her team, Frankenstein: Crafting A Tale Eternal, author’s photo.
It began with displays of Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus (1818), including a 1831, first edition of the book from Peter Harrington Rare Books in London. Shelley’s writing of the book and attempt to publish it is a story in itself. There is a enclosure with many panels and video with del Toro that detail the filmmaking process. I think these are excerpts from the book, Art and Making of Frankenstein (2025), by Sheila O’Malley. It ends with a green dress of Elizabeth’s costume with a drawing board of fabrics, designs, and sketches. There are faceless mannequins with puppet-like arms and fingers. A hallway leads to a split with Victor’s side on the left, recommended since you can follow the film’s story, and the Creature’s story on the right. So on the left is section of wall that shows the sketches that leads to the coffin masks of Leopold (Charles Dance) and Claire (Mia Goth). This includes her jewelry with Medusa mask.
There is a large painting of the family, Leopold looking severe, young Victor (Christian Convery) has an innocent face, and Claire looks downward. Then, the costumes of Leopold with his black hat and cape, Victor’s black coat and red kerchief showing both parents, and Claire’s red dress with veil. Excellent work by costume designer, Kate Hawley. The next room on the right has the blue dress and feathered headdress of Elizabeth (Goth) and the tuxedo of William (Felix Kammerer). To the side is a wall that has the Tiffany and Co. involvement with the film through jewelry. This is interesting since the research revealed parts that made it into the movie through scarab jewelry and back to the Tiffany's collection. On the other side is a large room of the lecture with Victor’s strange surgical tools and box, the grisly half-corpse which you can see up close, complete with the red ball in his hand, a machine chugs right below him.
Beauty, Horror, and Obsession all combine in this room with the dress of Elizabeth and the costume of Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), photo by the author.
Then, the debonair suit and red kerchief of Victor (Oscar Isaac) holding a cylinder. Continue forward and against a wal is the blue coat and black hat of Harlander (Christoph Waltz). Another room has the green dress and bonnet of Elizabeth before the Creature lashed to a table with the skin of his back peeled back!, and at the end Victor, sleeves rolled up with what looks like a butcher’s apron! The exhibit continues with the laboratory, a large, red cylinder, Victor’s work-like brown trousers and bloody shirt with rolled up sleeves, and the Creature with his chest and right leg opened on a table. Behind him is the Medusa sculpture, a case has a spider-like spinal attachment, and at the end is the miniature of the tower! Incredible work by production designer, Tamara Deverell! Some turns leads you to Elizabeth and the wedding which is the merging of Victor and the Creature’s stories. What is interesting is the room with Williams’s wedding tuxedo and Elizabeth’s white dress, this is later stained red below her torso like an apron.
Look to the right and there is a large mirror where you can glimpse the Creature! To follow the film’s narrative, I would recommend back tracking through the exhibit to the hall that splits the different stories. To the side of the hall is the red statue of the guardian angel bathed in red light. She has carving on her face like tears or the stitched parts of the Creature. Then, there is the heavy coat of the Blind Man (David Bradley). A case has some props of letter cards and books. On a chair is the open book of what looks like John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667). Across from the Blind Man is the figure of the Creature with furs and ragged coat, he has the face of Jacob Elordi, pale with patches of his face, and long hair. His dark hair is a highlight for hair department head, Cilona Furey. Continue onwards and there is a wall of the different actors like a folding of cards. To the right is the listening room where Alexandre Desplat’s music is featured with the film. The music runs throughout the exhibition.
The ragged furs and coat of The Creature (Jacob Elordi), a figure of mystery and horror, author’s photo.
The next room is the maps, stylus, and compass of Captain Anderson (Lars Mikkelsen). His heavy winter coat and boots are next to the table. The information card tells about the thought that went into the history of the ship, Horizon. Then, we get the patchwork coat and large hood of The Creature who was ominous in the film’s opening. On the other side is the prosthetic leg of Victor. Three crewmen of the Horizon are displayed. This leads to the wedding scene of William and Elizabeth. There is also a strips of cloth like an abandoned building, but to spotlight the dresses of two women at the wedding.
A little backtracking goes back to the Creature figure in furs near the beginning/end. There are some poster sized notes that look like Victor Frankenstein’s notebook, but also look like del Toro’s designs and notebook. This leads to a large bust of Jacob Elordi's head; half in red, eyes closed, and the other half is the pale Creature. A video there also features the work of theMakeup department; Mike Hill (prosethetic make up effects) and Jordan Samuel (makeup department head). Word of warning, there is darkness and red, moody lighting so when you go out into the sun, kinda blinding! Frankenstein: Crafting A Tale Eternal has many of the hard work from the departments all working together at their highest artistry to bring Guillermo del Toro's film to life!
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