Mary Shelley is the Godmother of Goths. She's so Goth, she lost her virginity on her mother's grave, and after Percy Shelley died, she kept his preserved heart, wrapped in poetry.
I suspect Mary Shelley would respect what Lisa does near the end of Lisa Frankenstein. I won't spoil what that action is - other than say it involves some handy needlework - but it is the most Goth thing I've seen on film. Ms. Shelley would appreciate the gesture, I think.
Lisa Frankenstein, directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of Robin Williams) and written by Diablo Cody, is a teen horror-comedy that plays like an unholy union of Mary Shelley's original source material, Edward Scissorhands, and Heathers. In a world of vapid teen culture, wicked stepmothers, high school crushes, and ineffectual adults, the least monstrous character is the rotting, reanimated corpse of the Victorian musician. He may occasionally murder people, but at least he knows how to play piano.
The creature does not kill for food. He doesn't eat living flesh. Nor is he a vengeful revenant, out to avenge the wrongs committed against him. He kills to defend Lisa or protect her honor, though it takes a while for her to appreciate him.
Despite the zombie and his murders, Lisa Frankenstein, while possessing its share of gross-out moments, is not that gory or scary. It has some blood and implied dismemberment, but mostly, the film revels in slime, grime, filth, and rotting flesh awkwardly stitched together. In a subversion of expectations, the Creature does not become increasingly decomposed as the story progresses, but through the aid of electricity and a faulty tanning bed, he gradually improves in appearance. He begins missing body parts, but Lisa ends up procuring the different bits he needs through various means.
The humor comes from the juxtaposition of otherwise horrific elements with cynical high school attitudes that defuse them. Lisa comes to terms with the existence of an actual zombie fairly quickly and tries to explain to him that when she said how she wished she could be with him, she meant dead and buried, not in a relationship with him. He's hurt, and she's sorry about the misunderstanding. Victorian passion meets modern teen angst.
Other humor is more gross out in nature. The creature, infested with worms and maggots, sneaks around the house and drops a slimy specimen in the stepmother's lunch, revenge for her treatment of Lisa.
Stylistically, Lisa Frankenstein resembles an early Tim Burton movie: kitschy, dark, celebratory of weirdos and outsiders. The story becomes grimmer, darker, and more violent as it progresses as Lisa struggles to control her life and keep the Creature a secret, but it also has its share of touching moments amidst all the strangeness. Even with missing body parts, the Creature still tries to act like a gentleman.
The characters are mostly one-dimensional types - evil stepmother, clueless dad, etc. - but some have surprising depth. The most notable example is Taffy. She's a popular cheerleader who is kind of vacuous, but she makes a genuine effort to befriend Lisa and watch out for her (a truly frightening version of this story could probably be made entirely from her POV).
Lisa Frankenstein has cult favorite written all over it. It's weird and grotesque but also silly and sincere, dark and violent as well as tame and sweet. It possesses an inspired lunacy, a bright, cheery movie with a dead, rotting heart.
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