To celebrate Halloween season, Hammer Time begins with a review of the horror film that made the movie studio famous world wide. Plagued by last minute changes to the story and makeup, Hammer’s interpretation of Mary Shelley’s famous novel still chills and thrills over fifty years later. But do not think it a shallow experience, for there is a real story in there too.
In the late 1950’s, British film studio Hammer Films decided to revive the old Universal monsters for another go around. Known mostly for their Quatermass adaptations, the studio focused on remaking Frankenstein. But Universal got wind of the plan and that forced rewrites to the script to avoid a lawsuit. The planned makeup had to change too. Sounds a bit messy, doesn’t it?
Thankfully, a good director, a competent script, and standout acting by Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee combined to produce a true classic in the horror genre. Not to mention the movie was a killer at the box office, partially due to it being in color – a change made due to Universal’s threats.
That ability to use color is pressed into service right away with a nice matte composition featuring a lone rider on his horse. Right away the appropriate gothic mood is set and further expanded upon, for it is a dank and dreary prison that the rider has arrived at. The priest (Alex Gallier) has come to the prison at the behest of Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), a possibly insane inmate with a curious story to tell before he is executed.
And oh what an ego Frankenstein has! Anytime someone starts with their childhood, you know you are in for an earful. Yes, it all started when he was a child, or more accurately, an imperious teenager. Prematurely in full control of his inheritance, young Victor (Melvyn Hayes) is quite arrogant and impatient with those he views as being below him.
A new tutor comes into his life, Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart) and that event gets the story rolling – and roll it does. This is a very fast paced movie, clocking in at a mere 83 minutes. It is nearly as unrelenting as Victor’s intellect and drive.
The years pass as Cushing narrates and soon we get to what we all have been waiting for: mad scientists at work. One of the hallmarks of Hammer films was the attention to period detail and lush sets. Compared to the laboratory of the 1930’s Frankenstein films, this one is very understated and not remotely as flashy. That is not to its detriment, however. It has a gritty realism that makes it more plausible, which helps with the suspension of disbelief needed for horror movies.
After initial success, Victor pushes farther into unsavory territory than Paul desires to and a rift begins. Simultaneously, Frankenstein’s cousin Elizabeth (Hazel Court) shows up to move in. She is to marry the Baron and that alarms Krempe. His noble if vague efforts to warn her away are to no avail as the redhead has been smitten with Victor since childhood. Nothing better to exacerbate a rift between men than having a pretty young woman enter the picture.
Not that Victor cares that much about Elizabeth. After all, he has the maid Justine (Valerie Gaunt) to fool around with. Not only is he showing sociopathic behavior with his experiments, he is a cad to boot. The way he torments the lusty maid over her jealousy shows a true cruel streak that goes well beyond intellectual detachment.
Drama was another key ingredient in Hammer productions. This critical ingredient is one that helped make them so much fun. Full attention to the characters is given and despite the pace of the movies they are fully fleshed out. There is something of a stage play feel to the productions and you never get the impression the cast is phoning in their performances.
Not content with grave robbing, Victor goes Burke and Hare in his quest for superior components to make his great creation. Whatever hints of humanity and likeability he had vanish as the layers of his mask are peeled back. What is revealed is a petulant man child who has never been told no. Cushing really put on a tremendous performance in the part and is often riveting.
Eventually, Victor succeeds in his mad quest to create life. Once dramatically revealed, the Creature (Christopher Lee) is a mute and homicidal grotesque with a face that would repulse a zombie. Actually, looking at the makeup employed, it occurs to me that it may have inspired later zombie movies. After all, he is the most famous of the reanimated dead.
Being a monster movie, the monster must escape and so he does. The film’s reimagining of the blind hermit scene is horrific, both blatantly and in one somber hint from a panned camera. Do not go into this film thinking to find the Creature sympathetic like Boris Karloff’s earlier version. This is something shambling out of a nightmare.
The Creature’s awkward movements are sometime painful to watch, which is a credit to Lee’s ability to act through makeup and using absolutely no dialogue. A few years later, that would be exploited again in The Mummy.
Personal conflicts explode as Victor slowly loses control of the situation, all the while believing he is in complete control. One scene in particular impressed me. It depicts a threat from his maid and shows his true character in a very nicely staged shot. Having him stand above her on the stairs reinforces his status and dominance over her. But her threats force him to descend to her level, literally and metaphorically.
Not something you expect out of a B-movie.
The next part is something that becomes a staple of Hammer horror movies. That being a pretty young thing in a diaphanous white dressing gown. As a kid, these scenes and the action were the two things I always remembered about their movies.
Of course it follows that if a gal wears one of these gowns in the movies, she is in imminent danger. Somebody should have told Justine that before she wandered around the mansion. You just can’t get good help anymore…
Things come to a head as Victor’s arrogance finally exceeds his capabilities to handle, which in turn leads to an exciting ending. Feelings are hurt, fights are had, and the Creature attempts revenge upon his creator. All paths lead to prison for the true monster of the movie, Victor Frankenstein.
Thoughts
The Curse of Frankenstein is a very entertaining film, what with it blending horror, melodrama, and top notch acting. In its day, it was considered gory and I will say the makeup used on Christopher Lee is successfully stomach churning. Others who like the current torture porn movies that are labeled “horror” will probably find it quaint.
While “not rated”, I would classify it around PG to PG-13. There are far more explicitly gory things shown on broadcast television these days, but parents should be wary of showing this to kids. Most of the real nastiness is implied with the camera panning away.
Terrance Fisher’s direction is steady and often stylish. I wrote earlier that there is a stage play feel to Hammer movies and so you find scenes that will remind you of this. For all that, the thing that strikes me is the atmosphere. Brooding darkness fills the mad scientist scenes in contrast to the bright every day life scenes. It is a simple thing, but very effective I think.
Oddly enough, this was one of the few Hammer films I never saw in my youth. Being used to Cushing playing the heroic Van Helsing it was quite a treat to see him play such a truly loathsome villain.
To me this is a perfect movie for the Halloween season or any dark and stormy night. Recommended to teens and adults who like a good story to go with scares.
Technical
The Curse of Frankenstein is part of Warner Home Video’s Hammer Horror Turner Classic Movies Greatest Classic Films Collection. That is a lot of capitalized letters there! It is one side of one disc from a two disc set that also includes Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Horror of Dracula, and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave. It was quite the steal when I purchased it during an Amazon DVD sale.
I admit some concerns when I saw that it was only one side of a DVD, but the picture quality is very good and appears to be fully restored. It was kind of a shock to watch a Hammer film without scratches, flickers, and faded color.
Audio is mono and pristine. The bombastic and overly dramatic music so typical of the 1940’s and 50’s is present, which might jar younger people not used to it. I cannot say it was memorable, but it did not detract from the film.
Special Features are on the slender side:
Cast & Crew is less complete than the credits and is a waste of time.
Hammer Creates a Monster is filled with some production information and synopses of the sequel films.
Theatrical Trailer has the most over the top narration I have ever heard on a trailer. Seriously, it must be heard to be believed. Notable is the fact the Creature is only briefly glimpsed in shadows for a second. That is in direct contrast to Hammer’s next horror project, Horror of Dracula.
BEWARE! HERE BE SPOILERS!!!
One bit I enjoyed was whenever Victor and Paul fought, something bad happened regarding the experiment. From smashing the glass jar with the brain in it to the Creature escaping during their struggle near the end, it almost was a reoccurring gag.
The clearly frightened but always homicidal Creature watching Elizabeth from above was a well staged shot. The camera angle, the cuts, and the whole concept made for a very suspenseful scene.
The murder of a likeable and lonely old man, Professor Bernstein (Paul Hardtmuth), had a flawed execution in the practical effects. It still is effective from the character revealing aspect, since it shows how utterly ruthless and selfish Victor is. It is a far cry from the original novel, Frankenstein. There he was a repentant victim of his own pride and never was a murderer.
A darkly amusing contrast in shooting prowess between Paul and Victor also caught my attention. It only takes one shot from the shotgun for Paul to bring down the Creature, while Victor shoots at the Creature with a double barrel pistol only to hit Elizabeth with the first shot! There was a touch of pure nerdy incompetence to his fist fights with Paul too.
The burn stunt at the end was well cut between Lee and his stuntman. I have no end of admiration/disbelief at stuntmen who allow themselves to be set on fire.
The final scenes of Victor desperately pleading with Paul to back his story up really showcased Cushing’s acting ability. The disintegration of calm, composed Victor Frankenstein into a raving fool consumed by fear of death was nicely ironic. His being led to the guillotine which had just taken a test run was a perfect ending.
Oh and it looks like Paul ended up with Elizabeth. Nice to see the good guy finish first for once!
It is one thing to foreshadow the ending, but the single scene with the acid bath telegraphed it too clearly, methinks.
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