David Bianculli

Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro speaking with Terry Gross last October.

He wrote and directed the film Frankenstein, which has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Original Score, Production Design, Sound, and Adapted Screenplay.

More after a break.

I'm David Bianculli, and this is Fresh Air.

Let's get back to Terry's interview with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.

He wrote and directed the film Frankenstein, a new interpretation of the story inspired by Mary Shelley's 1818 novel.

The film has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Costumes, Best Original Score, Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor.

Here's a clip from the film, in which Dr. Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Isaac, is addressing academics about his quest to create new life in a new man built out of body parts from the newly dead.

Del Toro fell in love at the age of seven with James Whale's 1931 film Frankenstein, which starred Boris Karloff as the creature.

Guillermo del Toro, speaking with Terry Gross last October.

His film Frankenstein has been nominated for nine Academy Awards.

That was Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle from the film Young Frankenstein.

After we take a short break, Critic-at-Large John Powers reviews Islands, a noirish new film.

This is Fresh Air.

In the new film Islands, out this week, a washed-up tennis pro gives lessons at a fancy hotel in the Canary Islands.

But when he meets an elegant woman with an unlikable husband, things take a noirish turn.

Our critic-at-large, John Powers, says the plot may sound familiar, but Islands takes you places you don't expect.

John Powers reviewed the new film Islands.

On Monday's show, Ethan Hawke.

He's been nominated for an Oscar for his starring performance in the film Blue Moon about lyricist Lorenz Hart.