Why Lisa Frankenstein is a Camp Masterpiece
With the film drought from the SAG-AFTRA strike wreaking havoc on the options available in the cinema, regular moviegoers like myself are having to step out of our comfort zones in choosing what to watch. When I first saw the previews for Lisa Frankenstein, I was a little hesitant on how great it would be. Although Diablo Cody is an iconic writer, crafting masterpieces such as Juno and Jennifer’s Body, this film seemed like it was advertised for a younger audience, one who watches Riverdale unironically. However, I am one to admit when I am wrong (not really) and I found this film so fresh and campy. I am by no means a film-snob, but a casual lover of movies, so this film had many parts that I enjoyed. For starters: the FASHION.
A huge strength of this film was the fashion that came with it. Meagan McLaughlin, the costume director, absolutely knew what she was doing. In the dream interlude, Lisa Swallows, the protagonist, wakes up in a black and white world where she is wearing a Pabst Blue Ribbon ball gown. Never would I tie a beer company with a Victorian gown together, but oh my god, did it work. Paired with the makeup and hair gems, the clothing felt so dreamy yet so comical because of what she was wearing.
The plot itself, although could be seen as melodramatic, was a precise mixture of sweet, dark, and funny that perfectly walks down the line of camp. Even though Lisa and the Creature do kill people to acquire the body parts they need to complete what the Creature is missing, they attach these pieces by shocking him in a finicky tanning bed in their garage. So incredibly 80’s coded.
Another part of the film I loved was the lack of speech on the Creature’s (Cole Sprouse) part. I was afraid that her presence would take over the movie, but it was centered around Lisa. We learn a lot about her history and how incredibly traumatic it was, but it is given little attention in a manner similar to Heathers, arguably one of the most camp horror movies of all time. Her character is not believable, nor is the whole premise of the movie, but it was so fun to live in the ridiculous world where all of these strange characters operate.
So, if you are looking for something that will make you laugh out loud from its intentional absurdity, be gagged by the great fashion choices, and then be greatly disturbed by the gory acquisition of certain body parts, this is the movie for you. But please, do not go with a 13-year-old, this movie is definitely not supposed to be rated PG-13…
Strike Out,
Jaclyn Camp
University of Notre Dame
