The Reason the Actor Drinks So Much Milk in the Director's Frankenstein: A Detailed Analysis
Among all the unsettling visuals in Guillermo del Toro's monster movie, Dr. Victor Frankenstein portrayed by Oscar Isaac drinking the white beverage is particularly notable. Instead of the gruesome scientific work or the creation given life, it's this odd habit of consuming glass after glass of dairy throughout the film.
The Meaningful Role of Dairy in Cinema
Using a figure drink milk is often a cinematic shorthand to suggest their villainous or unbalanced. The device appears in numerous movies, including A Clockwork Orange to Inglourious Basterds. For example, in the Coen brothers' thriller, the actor's killer sips milk, while in Get Out, a key character does the same after the sinister plans are unveiled. Even The Last Jedi, Luke Skywalker drinking unusual dairy signals a drastic change in his character.
Image: Lucasfilm/Disney
One strong parallel for this film is Homelander from the popular series, whose obsession with milk highlights both his malevolence and childishness. Similarly, Victor Frankenstein's preference for milk underscores del Toro's view of him as emotionally stunted.
Insights from the Movie's Production Crew
In order to uncover the meaning behind this milk motif, the production group working on the project shared their insights. As per director of photography Dan Laustsen, and he collaborated with the director on several projects, the explanation is simple.
"Victor is essentially a child, and he’s still pure because he’s drinking the drink," Laustsen states. "Any typical guy would opt for alcohol or another beverage."
Image: Netflix
Kate Hawley, who worked on costumes for Frankenstein and previous director movies, expands on the metaphor.
"Victor is a manchild," Hawley says. "He's an angry kid that’s sort of matured. The dairy is a charming, delicious, small recurring individual ritual. It connects him directly to his parent. I love that selfish, youthful trait of Victor."
She adds that viewers can see containers of milk piling up in the street near the character's apartment early in the movie, when he meets another character. "It's a constant thing."
Image: Netflix
According to production designer the artistic lead, who worked on Nightmare Alley and this one, the milk ties back to the character's mother.
"Victor was fixated on his mother," Deverell states. "He was always a kid who didn't mature, up to he became a father of the Creature. So consuming dairy is kind of a representation of adolescence, of being linked to your childhood."
Deverell also points out that the drink may signify more than just his lack of growth. Another interpretation is that it exemplifies his intense determination to conquer death through his work.
"He doesn't drink," she explains. "He's focused. He's a researcher; a physician."
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the underlying meaning, one thing is undeniable: After watching this film, a glass of milk may not look the same again.
The film can be streaming currently on Netflix.
