The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

As Good As It Gets

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is moping inside a jail cell, awaiting execution by guillotine for his crimes. Desperate for somebody to believe his story, he calls in a priest (Alex Gallier) and relates his sad tale. He'd been determined to realize his dream of contriving a man made being, and succeeded to some degree, bringing a scar faced brute (Sir Christopher Lee) to deadly life. But his associate / tutor Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart) had developed a severe case of scruples, deciding that absolutely nothing good could come of their activities.This was the film that really made the fortunes for Britains' famed Hammer Studios. They truly gave the Gothic horror a fresh coat of colorful paint in the 1950s, and set a standard in period detail and set decoration that they would maintain for over the next decade and a half. Even after period horror was no longer in vogue, they gamely continued in their pursuits. They played up the sex appeal of the material with their attractively costumed, lovely female cast members, and also upped the level of on screen violence.Hammer makeup expert Phil Leakey gave the towering Lee an appropriately gruesome face to behold, no matter if it's not iconic as Jack Pierces' work was in the Universal horrors of the 30s and 40s. Director Terence Fisher does a commendable job that would help see him become a favorite in house filmmaker for Hammer. And that laboratory equipment is quite fun to look at; there are some potent images here for fans to enjoy.Cushing is, as always, wonderful, and he makes a character that otherwise would come off as a coldly stubborn, dangerous fool a definite degree of likability. Lee does a fine job, equally menacing and somewhat sympathetic. Beautiful Hazel Court is our appealing leading lady, and Urquhart is excellent as the moral centre to Mary W. Shelley's classic tale. Valerie Gaunt, Paul Hardtmuth, and Melvyn Hayes are among those in an engaging supporting cast.Although not as thickly atmospheric as it might have been in black & white, "The Curse of Frankenstein" does entertain in a straightforward, quickly paced manner.Seven out of 10.

"It's alive!" So gasps Peter Cushing as Baron Frankenstein, as he infuses the spark of life into a creature previously dead. On this occasion, it is a puppy used as an experiment. Cushing, taking over from Melvyn Hayes (as the younger Baron), makes the part instantly his own. Every flicker of the eye, every movement, every sideward glance is meticulously measured – a trait of Cushing's acting, and one of the reasons he has been admired over the years by fans and fellow cast and crew members. As 'Curse of Frankenstein' starts, its credits intoned over swirling red smoke, Frankenstein is dishevelled and desperate, imprisoned for his foul deeds and a cert for the guillotine – his story is told in flashback.This was Hammer's first major success, the Mary Shelley novel condensed by writer Jimmy Sangster (but not as much as Dracula was the following year). Robert Urquhart, who played Paul Krempe, Frankenstein's tutor, walked out of the premiere, and in disgust gave an interview slating its horrific nature; needless to say, he never appeared in another cinematic film for Hammer. He was not alone – 'revolting, degrading, pathetic and depressing' are four words amongst many scathing reviews of 'Curse of Frankenstein' upon its release, usually from the prissy pens of the British critics. Happily, the film made seventy times the money that was needed to make it, which tells its own story.Goat's eyes, severed hands and heads, and Cushing's blood spattered lapels certainly brought 'Curse' a huge level of notoriety upon its release which fuelled its popularity and put Hammer forever on the map – as well as making stars out of both Cushing, and his 'creature' Christopher Lee (a role for which Bernard Bresslaw was also considered). Lee was chosen mainly for his height and smothered in car-crash make-up and an obvious wig, which provides an effective scare but is hardly memorable in the way that Jack Pierce's make-up had been for the Universal original. It is unfair to compare the two films however – they were made in a different age for a different audience - and that is the last time I shall do so.The few wisps of humour in this doom-laden story are provided by The Baron's affair with maid Justine, who naively believes his lies and tried to blackmail him, and another scene which involves The Baron politely asking for the marmalade during a genteel breakfast directly after the scene in which he locks Justine into his filthy laboratory with his reborn creature.The Creature has a magnificent introduction. Left in an emptying water tank, with its chest heaving, there is a crash which leads Frankenstein to scurry into his deserted laboratory. There stands his creation, uncoordinated arms and hands reaching to rip away the bandages covering his face. Phil Leakey's make-up is revealed, and the creature (or rather the late Professor Bernstein, whose brain is in the monster's head) immediately recognises the man who originally killed him and reaches out to strangle him. No mild-mannered monster, he still invites a kind of sympathy – in the way a rabid dog would invite sympathy for its plight, if not for its temperament.At the finale, we return to The Baron's incarceration, with Frankenstein facing the guillotine after his last hope, Paul Krempe, has wilfully failed to save him. Krempe is hardly as virtuous as he seems, I think. For all his gallant protection of Frankenstein's intended Elizabeth (Hazel Court), it is clear he has designs on her – by the film's end, he happily places an arm around her as he escorts her out of Frankenstein's cell. The cad.

This is a great movie. This is a remake and it is great. Dr. Frankenstein creates a monster out of dead body parts. In this version he robes grave. He killers people to use to make his monster. He uses the monster to kill people when it is to his advantage. Somme young might think because a movie is old it is not scary. And they would be wrong. This is one of the scariest movies ever made. This movie has great story line. It also has great acting. It also has great special effects. This movie is based on one of the best horror stories ever told. And it is one of the best horror movies ever made. It is a must see. This is one of the best remakes ever.

The original 1931 Boris Karloff/James Whale version of Frankenstein, and sequel Bride of Frankenstein, are outstanding, but with the invention of colour British Hammer (Horror) Studios cashed in on having red blood in this remake of the classic Mary Shelley story, directed by Terence Fisher (Dracula, The Hound of the Baskervilles). Basically Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is awaiting execution for his crime of murder, he tells his story to a Priest (Alex Gallier). He starts from when he was a young man, Young Victor (Melvyn Hayes) inherited the Frankenstein estate following the death of his parents, he has had sole control as Baron since the age of five, this surprises Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), who the boy has hired to become his tutor, particularly in the field of science. Two years pass and Victor has learned all that Krempe can teach him, they collaborate on scientific experiments, and are one night successful in an experiment to bring a dead dog back to life, Victor suggests that they could bring a human to life, creating a human being from scratch. Krempe assists at first, but he withdraws following the scavenging of human remains to put this new body together, the body parts of this creature are assembled from a hanged robber's corpse, with hands and eyes purchased from charnel house workers, but for the brain Victor wants one with a lifetime of knowledge. With difficulty in finding a brain by practical methods Victor invites ageing and distinguished Professor Bernstein (Paul Hardtmuth) to the house, and in a moment of madness he pushes him from a staircase, it appears like an accident to others, after the burial Victor goes to the vault and back to his laboratory, but Krempe finds out what he did, there is a scuffle and the brain is damaged. With all parts assembled, including the damaged brain, Victor proceeds to bring his creature to life, but the monster (Sir Christopher Lee) does not have the professor's intelligence and tries to attack him, Victors locks up the violent and psychotic monster. But the monster manages to escape, and wanders into the woods, where it kills an old blind man, Grandpa (Fred Johnson) to a Little Boy (Claude Kingston), Victor and Krempe hunt it down, Krempe shoots it and they bury the body in the woods. While Krempe leaves town, Victor digs up the body and revives the monster, he uses it to murder his housemaid Justine (Valerie Gaunt), whom he had been having an affair with, she was threatening to tell the authorities about his strange experiments. The monster manages to escape again and threatens Victor's fiancée Elizabeth (Hazel Court), but Victor catches up to it on the roof, burning it with a lantern and causing it to fall into a bath of acid, completely dissolving its body, leaving no proof that it ever existed. Victor is arrested and imprisoned for the murder of Justine, Krempe is at the prison and comes to visit him, Victor begs him to testify, as the only other person that knows the truth, but knowing he is insane Krempe refuses, meaning that Frankenstein is led away to be executed by guillotine, it is uncertain whether his story is true or the ravings of an homicidal lunatic. Also starring Noel Hood as Aunt Sophia, Marjorie Hume as Mother and Sally Walsh as Young Elizabeth. Cushing is great as the demented doctor who believes he is creating a scientific breakthrough, he returned in five sequels, and Lee is menacing as the silent and deadly monster, the design and script are very well done, and being the first colour film from the studio it delivers on the gruesome scenes, it is a great horror film. Very good!