Rating: 
Summary: The last film in Hammer's legendary Frankesntein series
Review: "Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell" is not only the last film in Hammer's Frankenstein series, it was director Terence Fisher's last work as well. Here we have Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing, back where he belongs after the debacle of "Horror of Frankenstein") playing the role of mentor. Young Simon Helder (Shane Briant) has been trying to follow in the legendary footsteps of Dr. Frankenstein but is convicted of sorcery by the authorities and imprisoned in Carlsbd Asylum. However, Simon is saved from being brutalized by the inmate's physician, "Dr. Victor," who soon has the young man helping him with his nefarious experiments. Since his hands were damaged in "Evil of Frankenstein," Victor has a mute girl named Angel (Madeline Smith) sew together his new creature (David Prowse again). Simon helps procure various organs until only the brain remains and Victor wants to use that of Professor Durendal (Charles Lloyd Pack), a musicial and mathematical genius prone to fits of violence. Frankenstein drives Durendal to suicide and performs the brain transplant. Now in the brutish body of the "monster," Durendal finds he can no longer play his beloved violin. Then the homicidal tendencies of the body began to take over, Simon has grave doubts about the entire experiment, and the Baron comes up with his most revolting plan ever as we head towards the final climax. Ultimately this is a slightly above average Hammer Frankenstein movie. Certainly the Baron is tipping back towards the amoral/sadistic side of his character, but the monster is almost as sympathetic a figure as it was in "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed." However, the blood and gore quotient is as high as you will find in any Hammer film. The biggest problem with "Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell" is that Victor's motivations are totally stripped away: Dr. Frankenstein makes monsters, so that is what he does in this movie. No longer a figure of ambiguity, Victor is now just like a force of nature, playing God and leaving the rest of the cast in his wake.
Rating:
Summary: The last film in Hammer's legendary Frankesntein series
Review: "Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell" is not only the last film in Hammer's Frankenstein series, it was director Terence Fisher's last work as well. Here we have Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing, back where he belongs after the debacle of "Horror of Frankenstein") playing the role of mentor. Young Simon Helder (Shane Briant) has been trying to follow in the legendary footsteps of Dr. Frankenstein but is convicted of sorcery by the authorities and imprisoned in Carlsbd Asylum. However, Simon is saved from being brutalized by the inmate's physician, "Dr. Victor," who soon has the young man helping him with his nefarious experiments. Since his hands were damaged in "Evil of Frankenstein," Victor has a mute girl named Angel (Madeline Smith) sew together his new creature (David Prowse again). Simon helps procure various organs until only the brain remains and Victor wants to use that of Professor Durendal (Charles Lloyd Pack), a musicial and mathematical genius prone to fits of violence. Frankenstein drives Durendal to suicide and performs the brain transplant. Now in the brutish body of the "monster," Durendal finds he can no longer play his beloved violin. Then the homicidal tendencies of the body began to take over, Simon has grave doubts about the entire experiment, and the Baron comes up with his most revolting plan ever as we head towards the final climax. Ultimately this is a slightly above average Hammer Frankenstein movie. Certainly the Baron is tipping back towards the amoral/sadistic side of his character, but the monster is almost as sympathetic a figure as it was in "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed." However, the blood and gore quotient is as high as you will find in any Hammer film. The biggest problem with "Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell" is that Victor's motivations are totally stripped away: Dr. Frankenstein makes monsters, so that is what he does in this movie. No longer a figure of ambiguity, Victor is now just like a force of nature, playing God and leaving the rest of the cast in his wake.
Rating: 
Summary: A new bizarre turn...
Review: A young doctor is sent to an asylum for sorcery when he has been using dead bodies for research based on Baron Frankenstein's studies. He ends up in the same hospital as Frankenstein did several years earlier, and he meets Dr. Carl Victor a.k.a. Baron Victor Frankenstein. Together they continue Baron Frankenstein's inquiries into the human body and life after death, but it takes a new bizarre turn. Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is an interesting story in the sense that it uses science in a peculiar, yet realistic, manner for its time. However, it does not save some of the awkward moments in the film that diminish the horror and leave the audience with an average cinematic experience.
Rating:
Summary: A new bizarre turn...
Review: A young doctor is sent to an asylum for sorcery when he has been using dead bodies for research based on Baron Frankenstein's studies. He ends up in the same hospital as Frankenstein did several years earlier, and he meets Dr. Carl Victor a.k.a. Baron Victor Frankenstein. Together they continue Baron Frankenstein's inquiries into the human body and life after death, but it takes a new bizarre turn. Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is an interesting story in the sense that it uses science in a peculiar, yet realistic, manner for its time. However, it does not save some of the awkward moments in the film that diminish the horror and leave the audience with an average cinematic experience.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasing final Frankenstein film
Review: Although it is uneven at best, Terry Fisher's last film for Hammer and the last in the Frankenstein series, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell has a number of things to recommend it. Peter Cushing still brings considerable energy and acting chops to his portrayal of Frankenstein. Cushing has always played the Baron as a bit of a sociopath with his experiments (and, as a result, himself)the ultimate goal and center of his universe. His performance is anything but icy; the Baron is at turns charming and hypnotic like a dangerous snake. Shane Briant had become something of a Hammer regular around this time. He gives a fine performance as a doctor and scientist following in Frankenstein's footsteps (in fact he has a book entitled The Complete Works of Baron Frankenstein when he is arrested!). He's been paying a local to steal bodies from the cemetary for his "research". When the local (the marvelous and distinctive Patrick Troughton a former Dr. Who no less)interrogated by a police constable, he gives up his boss in no time flat. Sentenced to an asylum for the criminally insane, the new doctor meets the old doctor himself; Frankenstein, although crippled by disease, is still carrying on his old research. It turns out that Frankenstein had been sentenced to stay there as well but the director of the asylum has covered up Frankenstein's existence by claiming he had died some time ago. Suddenly, the new resident and the older, experienced Frankenstein take up where Frankenstein had left off creating a new creature. There's a number of new twists in John Elder's screenplay that make Monster well worth viewing. The DVD transfer is quite good overall. This edition has both advantages and disadvantages over the British DVD release. Unlike the British edition, this DVD is in widescreen. Kudos to Paramount for choosing to release it in its original aspect ratio. Perhaps there is an edition of this film available in widescreen overseas, but I haven't seen it. Paramount has duplicated the commentary from the British edition of this DVD. Unfortunately, the World of Hammer featurette isn't included nor the original theatrical trailer. Given the price, I'm a bit surprised. The theatrical trailer wouldn't have added greatly to the cost although licensing the featurette might have been an issue. Original actors David Prowse and Madeline Smith participate in the commentary along with genre historian Jonanthan Sothcott. The commentary is entertaining and interesting although it can't hold a candle to the one for Dracula Prince of Darkness where all the original principal actors were assembled. Still, it's an improvement when compared to the bare bones editions of Hammer classics that Warner Brothers released last year. The mono soundtrack sounds pretty good and isn't as muffled as the VHS edition I had before. That could have been the tape or the transfer so this improvement might be all that big a deal. The only complaint aside from the missing trailer and featurette, is the few chapter stops for the film. Perhaps its more expensive to encode films with multiple chapter stops (seems likely). That would explain the measly 12 chapter stops for a film that runs under 100 minutes. Oh, and this is the American release of the film so rumor has it (although I can't confirm this as I don't have a copy of the laserdisc edition nor the overseas VHS to compare it to)that Paramount's version was trimmed to earn an R rating when it was released in the early 70's. I can't comment on that but can say, if that's the case, it's too too bad that in this day and age we can't have the unedited version available when it's available in the Hammer vault. While Terry Fisher wasn't David Lean, James Whale or Alfred Hitchcock, he was a talented director working within a genre frequently looked down upon. Why Paramount and Hammer couldn't have dug up (pardon the pun)fresh information on the making of the film, or created a documentary with comments from Christopher Lee, Roy Skeggs (Producer) and others involved with Hammer about Fisher's career is beyond me. Yes, it would have added cost but more than a few fans would have paid the price to make it profitable. Still, all things considered Paramount has done a very good job with Monster. Now if we can only get Warner (or Universal can't remember which has the rights) to release Fisher's second best film Curse of the Werewolf on DVD, I'd be a happy Hammer fan.
Rating:
Summary: Frankenstein and the big hairy ape
Review: By the time I finally saw this one, I had heard a lot about it and yes most of it was bad. However, this film was overall better than I thought it would be, but not as good as it could have been. The film starts out pretty good and brings Frankenstein into the fold fairly well. The asylum was a good choice for a setting because it is a change from the isolated castles and dark basements. The story is nothing new, but there are enough moments to keep it interesting. The monsters trip through the graveyard really stands out as one of the better scenes. The ending was not the best, but compared to FCW and HOF it is certainly not the worst. Peter Cushing gives a good performance, he does tend to help keep this film together at times when it could have just fallen flat. He uses his bitter sarcasm and overbearing auhtority to keep things interesting. After seeing his "acting" in Demons of the mind and Captain Kronos, I fully expected Shane Bryant to put forth another bland,lame performance. He really does okay, not great, but good enough. Sometimes I did wish that Peter Cushing had more support in this one because there are times where you just wish they had a Michael Ripper or a Thorley Walters to help a little. The two biggest problems with this film are the monster and the ending. It is a shame when David Prowse looked better in HOF which was played for laughs than he does in this which is serious. The hairy suit and the big facial features just don't even come close to cutting it. They just should have used some simple surgery scars like in FMBD to make the monster look convincing. My other problem is the ending, it really seems like they put no thought into it. This film is pretty good, Hammer's Frankenstein series ended on a higher note than their Dracula series did.
Rating:
Summary: Frankenstein Will Never Give Up His Work!
Review: Dr. Simon Helder (Shane Briant) is a would-be Frankenstein. After being caught with a room of human parts, which he purchases, he is arrested, put on trial and convicted of 'witch-craft.' He is committed to an asylum for the insane and finds that Frankenstein himself (Peter Cushing) runs the hospital. Of course Frankenstein has continued his experiment and with the aid of a young mute girl and Simon, manages to 'put-together' an ape like man from various inmates from the asylum. He has the brain of a genius, body of a killer, hands of a craftsman, and no soul. The movie has good effects, such as moving eyes in a jar. There is plenty of shock for 1973 and Peter Cushing gives another fine performance. This was Terence Fisher's last film.
Rating:
Summary: Frankenstein Gets Hammered for the Last Time!
Review: During the late 1950s, all of the 1960s, and the early part of the 1970s, Hammer Studios, a British film production company, made several successful horror movies featuring the famous and popular monsters from successful American films of the 1930s and 1940s. Characterized by gothic sets, exaggerated color, lots of blood, and lots of female cleavage, the MOST successful of these included a film series featuring Dracula and a series based on the Frankenstein mythos. Though generally low-budget productions, most of the Hammer films in the Frankenstein series were well made and were favorably received by horror fans in both Britain and the United States. The last in this series, FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL, is certainly not the best of the lot, but it is an entertaining movie that has many notable qualities. The script can admittedly be a bit tasteless at times, but it is nonetheless quite literate. It regards the good Doctor (Peter Cushing) not as a comical mad scientist, but instead as an intelligent, educated man who is so driven in his quest for medical knowledge that he has no regard for the feelings or needs of others. Selfish and egoistic, to be sure, but not insane. This point is emphasized by the story setting--an insane asylum of the Victorian era. Though Doctor Frankenstein was committed to the hospital as a resident by the English courts, he has since wrested control away from the inept administrator and hence runs the place by proxy. Of course, with such a stable of raw material at his disposal, the good Doctor has resumed his research into the reassembling and re-animation of the dead. As in the other such Hammer films, Peter Cushing does a very effective job as the driven and heartless Doctor Frankenstein. Along with fellow thespian Christopher Lee--who generally played the titular character in Hammer's Dracula movies--Cushing was at the forefront of the Hammer stable of actors, but American moviegoers will more readily recognize him from his role as Grand Moff Tarkin in 1977's sci-fi blockbuster STAR WARS. (The actor who played the monster in this film, David Prowse, also had a part in STAR WARS. Prowse was behind the mask of Darth Vader, though it was an American actor, James Earl Jones, who gave voice to the evil ex-Jedi.) Shane Briant is also quite good as the Doctor's medical protégé, and fans of British science fiction will be delighted by the cameo appearance of Patrick Troughton, who portrayed the second incarnation of titular character on the long-running TV series DOCTOR WHO. (Interestingly, Peter Cushing also once portrayed The Doctor in two theatrical movies based on the TV show.) Beautiful and buxom dark-haired actress Madeline Smith turns in a very affecting performance as a mute asylum resident who also assists Doctor Frankenstein in his ghastly experiments. Ardent fans of James Bond movies will recognize her from her role as Miss Caruso in the 1973's LIVE AND LET DIE. Bond fans should also recognize Bernard Lee, who had a recurring role in the venerable spy movies as M, James Bond's enigmatic boss. In FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL, Lee has a minor part as one of the asylum residents. Under normal circumstances, this film would receive a four-star rating. However, some of the gorier scenes that were cut for the original American theatrical release are also missing from the DVD release--a real no-no for serious film collectors. For example, there is a scene where Frankenstein, his hands damaged by a lab accident (depicted in an earlier Hammer film), literally bites down on a vein or artery to halt blood flow while his protégé sutures another part of the monster's body. With the scene cut, the two medical men discuss a problem with the suturing procedure, they move to begin the stitching, then it cuts to Frankenstein wiping his mouth with a handkerchief as he sardonically states to his assistant something like, "You see, I told you there is always a way around any problem." This creates a bit of confusion for the viewer, and for this cumbrous "amputation" of such scenes, the DVD receives only three stars. Overall, FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL will prove to be a fun and satisfying flick for longtime horror fans, but the general moviegoing audience my find it somewhat unpalatable.
Rating:
Summary: Late night Hammer Horror from the great Terrence Fisher!
Review: Frankenstein & the Monster from Hell (1974) is not a bad movie. Its not terribly exciting, but it definitely has it's moments and is worth a look for horror fans and most likely a buy for lovers of Hammer Films, Terrence Fisher, and Peter Cushing. I guess also for fans of David Prowse (body of Darth Vader) who plays "the monster from hell"! This is Hammer director Terrence Fisher's last film, another reason why it's worth a look. Fisher is responsible for much of Hammer's horror classics: all 5 Frankenstein films, Horror of Dracula, The Mummy, Curse of the Werewolf, The Gorgon, Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, Phantom of the Opera, the list goes on... This is also the last film in Hammer's Frankenstein series. It all started in 1957 with The Curse of Frankenstein, an absolute classic starring Cushing as Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as the Creature. This is followed by Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), Frankenstein created Woman (1967), and Frankenstein must be Destroyed (1969), which brings us to The Monster from Hell (1974). The plot concerns Victor Frankenstein (Cushing) being the resident medical doctor at an insane asylum where he secretly experiments with creating his own being. He's also a patient, by the way! He soon meets a young patient/doctor, Simon Helder (Shane Briant), who is sent to the asylum because he is caught doing similar experiments in the outside world. Frankenstein takes Helder under his wing and uses him to perform surgeries that he can no longer do because of his burnt hands. Frankenstein lets Helder in on what he's doing and introduces him to "the monster from hell" played and grunted by David Prowse of Darth Vader fame. Long story short, Frankenstein's creation grows tired of his lifestyle...and watch out! This film is nowhere near as bad/silly as others may write. Yes there are bits of cheese, a laugh or two, and some underacted scenes, but don't most horror films have that? Its not a scarefest, but its not a laughfest either. Besides,its Cushing, Fisher, and Hammer for cryin' out loud! Paramount's DVD has a good looking 16:9 widescreen transfer, decent dolby digital mono sound, and english subtitles. Making it special is a commentary by David Prowse, Madeline Smith (Sarah/"Angel", Frankenstein's initially mute assistant) and historian Johnathan Sothcott. It also can be purchased for the same price as renting it a few times! All in all, it isn't the best Hammer film to start with, but it has its good qualities, most importantly atmospheric direction from Fisher and a solid creepy performance by Cushing, may they both rest in peace. Thanks to both of them for giving us so many classics.
Rating:
Summary: Late night Hammer Horror from the great Terrence Fisher!
Review: Frankenstein & the Monster from Hell (1974) is not a bad movie. Its not terribly exciting, but it definitely has it's moments and is worth a look for horror fans and most likely a buy for lovers of Hammer Films, Terrence Fisher, and Peter Cushing. I guess also for fans of David Prowse (body of Darth Vader) who plays "the monster from hell"! This is Hammer director Terrence Fisher's last film, another reason why it's worth a look. Fisher is responsible for much of Hammer's horror classics: all 5 Frankenstein films, Horror of Dracula, The Mummy, Curse of the Werewolf, The Gorgon, Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, Phantom of the Opera, the list goes on... This is also the last film in Hammer's Frankenstein series. It all started in 1957 with The Curse of Frankenstein, an absolute classic starring Cushing as Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as the Creature. This is followed by Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), Frankenstein created Woman (1967), and Frankenstein must be Destroyed (1969), which brings us to The Monster from Hell (1974). The plot concerns Victor Frankenstein (Cushing) being the resident medical doctor at an insane asylum where he secretly experiments with creating his own being. He's also a patient, by the way! He soon meets a young patient/doctor, Simon Helder (Shane Briant), who is sent to the asylum because he is caught doing similar experiments in the outside world. Frankenstein takes Helder under his wing and uses him to perform surgeries that he can no longer do because of his burnt hands. Frankenstein lets Helder in on what he's doing and introduces him to "the monster from hell" played and grunted by David Prowse of Darth Vader fame. Long story short, Frankenstein's creation grows tired of his lifestyle...and watch out! This film is nowhere near as bad/silly as others may write. Yes there are bits of cheese, a laugh or two, and some underacted scenes, but don't most horror films have that? Its not a scarefest, but its not a laughfest either. Besides,its Cushing, Fisher, and Hammer for cryin' out loud! Paramount's DVD has a good looking 16:9 widescreen transfer, decent dolby digital mono sound, and english subtitles. Making it special is a commentary by David Prowse, Madeline Smith (Sarah/"Angel", Frankenstein's initially mute assistant) and historian Johnathan Sothcott. It also can be purchased for the same price as renting it a few times! All in all, it isn't the best Hammer film to start with, but it has its good qualities, most importantly atmospheric direction from Fisher and a solid creepy performance by Cushing, may they both rest in peace. Thanks to both of them for giving us so many classics.
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