Frankenstein: How James Cameron Got a ‘Beautiful’ 7-Minute Scene Deleted
Guillermo del Toro has revealed that a large scene was deleted from Frankenstein after feedback from James Cameron. The filmmaker recently shared that a seven-minute scene that he called “beautiful” was ultimately removed, offering a look into how the film’s final cut took shape.
James Cameron had Guillermo del Toro cut a long scene from Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro has revealed that a key creative decision on Frankenstein came directly from advice given by James Cameron. According to the filmmaker, Cameron urged him to remove an extended sequence from the film, despite praising its quality. Del Toro followed the recommendation without hesitation, resulting in a seven-minute scene being deleted from the finished version of Frankenstein.
Speaking during an appearance at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, del Toro explained that he does not rely on traditional test screenings. Instead, he shares his films with a small group of trusted peers. This circle includes filmmakers such as Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Rian Johnson, Steven Spielberg, and Cameron. Del Toro said, ”What I do – because we don’t test the movies – I show it to the 14, 16 most brilliant friends I know, and I’m blessed with good friendships.”
According to del Toro, the group operates on the understanding that feedback will be direct. He said, “A lot of people see the movie, they tell me what they think, and we have the agreement to be brutal. Jim [Cameron] came in, and he said, ‘Look, there’s this section’ – which is not in the movie anymore – ‘This is beautiful, but you gotta take it out. And it was about seven minutes…”
The director emphasized that when feedback comes from this group, he does not argue with it. He said, “When someone gives me a note that is in that circle, I do it. I don’t argue. You can’t invite people that you trust and then untrust them.”
Source: Comingsoon.net