Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

Rating:
Summary: Brain from a genius, body from a killer, soul from hell...
Review: Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) marks the final installment of the Hammer Studios Frankenstein films and also the last film by perennial Hammer director Terrance Fisher.

The film stars Peter Cushing as Baron Von Frankenstein, aka Dr. Carl Victor. Confined to an asylum for the charge of sorcery due to his last foray into the creation of man, Frankenstein, along with the director of the asylum, orchestrated the death of Dr. Frankenstein and his new identity to allow for the Baron to assume the duties of staff doctor within the asylum. Frankenstein, now Dr. Victor, has a fairly free hand to do as he pleases due an intimate knowledge of some of the asylum director's peccadilloes and past indiscretions, and has once again begun his quest to create life where there was none before, from body parts culled from recently deceased inmates.

Dr. Simon Helder (Shane Briant) has just recently been committed to the asylum for trying to follow in Frankenstein's footsteps, and learns that Frankenstein is alive and well, working under his current pseudonym. I remember Briant from other Hammer films like Demons of the Mind (1972) and Kronos (1973). Dr. Carl allows for the younger doctor to assume his routine duties within the asylum, caring for patients, freeing up the elder to pursue his experimentations. The good doctor seems to have created quite the hairy behemoth, using various bits and pieces of some of the recently deceased, more interesting inmates. The monster, played by David Prowse (Darth Vader in the early Star Wars films), has the best features of these poor, departed souls, but lacks an adequate brain. Did I mention he is also very hairy? I probably did, but it's worth mentioning again as the dude is almost ape-like. But what's this? We are soon introduced to an inmate whose intellect far surpasses even his keepers? I am sure that will come into play later...

Also starring is the comely Madeline Smith as Sarah, a mute resident, also known to the inmates as Angel. She acquired the moniker while being in the service of Dr. Karl as his assistant, and having the ability to deal with the crazy people with a quiet, gentle bedside manor.

With the aid of his young assistants, Sarah and Dr. Helder, Dr. Karl completes the hideous creature, and all seems a success. But is it? What happens when you play mix and match with body parts from various individuals, not to mention various mentally disturbed individuals? The success is soon overshadowed by problems as the creature begins to understand his own being, from whence he came.

I thought this was a great 'last hurrah' for Hammer and Fisher, despite some of the concessions made due to a smaller budget, i.e. the obvious use of miniatures when showing exteriors of the asylum and the stiff and unresponsive suit worn by Prowse. Most of the film takes place in the confined quarters of the asylum, giving the viewer a sense of being trapped in a nightmarish world within. I really enjoyed the camaraderie between Dr. Helder and Dr. Karl, and I can't help but wonder if the characterization was carried over into real life between the Briant and Cushing. There were also a few neat surprises that help to flesh out the story, adding depth to the characters, allowing for a real interest to develop for the viewer. The gore is present, but another reviewer has stated that some of the more gory aspects have not been included in the film. I couldn't help laughing at the scene when Dr. Karl and Dr. Helder are removing the 'old' brain from the creature and Dr. Karl unceremoniously drops it into a dish on the floor (just throw that anywhere) and then proceeds to trip on the dish, spilling the contents over the floor, his reaction being that of someone who just knocked over a bowl of milk for kitty. A nice, little touch.

The print here looks really good and sharp, and special features include a commentary by actress Madeline Smith, actor David Prowse, and horror historian Jonathan Sothcott, one which I haven't had an opportunity to listen to, but sounds to be interesting.

Cookieman108

Rating:
Summary: Cushing shines but the monster's just not up to it.
Review: Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell is an aptly titled film. It is truly full of mood and drama, but it lacks a real sense of forboding and eeriness that previous turns provided. Further, Cushing, while always excellent, is just not his usual self. The DVD extras tell us he was still reeling from the death of his wife.
Though Fisher really approaches the subject matter rather scholastically rather than as one might hope, from a sense of foreboding, it isn't really the film as a whole that I have a problem with. It's the creature.
David Prowse (of Darth Vadar fame) plays the creature as best as can be expected given the costuming provided. The costume consists of a wetsuit all but completely covered in hair. Only the pectorals don't have long coarse hair on them. And the pectorals look extremely fake - papier macher fake. The monster looks less like a creature cobbled together from body parts than a gorilla suit or something left over from Murders in the Rue Morgue. Although it is explained that the body and head are from a man who was something of a "neolithic" nature, it makes little sense to choose him since Frankenstein never wanted a brutish creature before and even here he wants a refined brain and hands for his creature - so why have, what especially in the period's times, what would have been considered crude and low class bodily - a hairy brute with thick lips and heavy eyes?
I know the reasoning was for horror's sake, but I find a gorilla-like man far less horrific than a man stitched together looking gentile and refined underneath his stitches.

The acting is superb, as usual and the sets are really top notch. The script is a bit thin, and the monster costume is really laughable, but it is a worthwhile film.

The DVD extras are another matter. I enjoyed them all but for the narrative. And those I might have enjoyed, but for the kind lady who had the female "engenue" role in the film. A mute in the film, in the DVD extras she just couldn't keep her mouth shut. She prattled on and on and on about any and every thing. She and David Prowse are the narrators of the audio and though they really don't have large enough roles to warrant this (it seems that Shane Briant should have been narrating it), they seem to want to talk incessantly about things that have nothing to do with the film at hand and the things they do discuss are not relavant to what is happening on screen. So many opportunities for interesting information transfer are lost as they pass them by. For instance, toward the beginning of the film, Shane Briant's character actually appears to be taking the full force of a real fire hose. His skin actually raises up red welts to the force of the hose as we watch the film, yet it is never divulged to us whether this was really the case. Rather the young lady goes on and on about how she really thinks the dress she was wearing was terribly dowdy. Well, you get the gist of it.

Watch the film - enjoy it - skip the audio commentary on the DVD extras.

Rating:
Summary: A return to familiar gothic traditions...
Review: Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell was not famed Hammer Studios' final film, but it in many ways represents the swan song of the premiere maker of vintage gothic films. Not only does the film play well even today, it has an incredible number of fascinating facts surrounding its production that makes it particularly notable. Consummate actor Peter Cushing and director Terence Fisher can be viewed as founding fathers of Hammer Studios, and this film marks a return to the spirit of the early days. It stands as the final entry in the famed Frankenstein series starring Peter Cushing as Dr. Frankenstein, and David Prowse makes an unprecedented second appearance as a Hammer monster. Some wonderful actors appear in even the smallest of roles, the overall look and feel of the film is wonderfully dark and serious, and the story is allowed to tell itself, foregoing sex appeal for violence and intellectual passion. Despite its almost ridiculously paltry budget, Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell truly shines as Hammer's last truly gothic motion picture.

Baron Frankenstein is dead; there's a death certificate to prove it, and he's buried in the yard of the insane asylum where he spent his last days. One young researcher sets out to fill his shoes, however, eventually being arrested for "sorcery" and consigned to the same mental institution as his idol. Simon Helder (Shane Briant) inquires about Dr. Frankenstein as soon as he arrives. The story of the Baron's death notwithstanding, he quickly recognizes the asylum's Dr. Victor as none other than Frankenstein himself. Assisted by the mute and ever so lovely Sarah (Madeline Smith), known as Angel among the inmates, the doctor has continued his work. He explains to young Dr. Helder how he managed to "kill" Frankenstein and get himself appointed the medical doctor in the asylum, and soon the ever-curious Helder is an active participant in the doctor's ongoing unconventional medical experiments. Rather than resurrect the dead, Frankenstein is now working on making a new man piece by piece based on an existing flawed creation. With the help of Helder's surgical skills, the men have soon given an animalistic misanthrope the hands of a craftsman and the mind of a genius, but of course the newly created monster seems less than overjoyed with his new life.

I am an unabashed fan of Peter Cushing; he was the ultimate gothic actor, a meticulous perfectionist who demanded the serious commitment of everyone surrounding him on whatever project he was working on. In Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell, he makes one of his most memorable entrances and delivers a sterling performance. At this particular time, Cushing was in deep mourning over the recent loss of his wife, and he is as grim and emaciated as you will ever see him. This makes his obviously whole-hearted commitment to this role all the more amazing. This sixth and final Hammer-produced Frankenstein film offers yet more proof that Peter Cushing is the greatest horror actor to ever live. Madeline Smith is just beautiful and delivers an amazing performance almost wholly devoid of spoken lines, and Shane Briant, looking quite James Spader-like, makes young Helder an admirable and deserving new underling of Dr. Frankenstein's. The monster is played wonderfully by David Prowse, the man who would later serve as the man behind the mask of Darth Vader; his costume isn't that impressive, but it works well given the budgetary constraints this movie operated under. Doctor Who fans will no doubt note the presence of Patrick Troughton as Helder's bodysnatching accomplice at the beginning of the film; Troughton would of course go on to become the second man to play Doctor Who on the famed BBC television series.

Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is vintage Hammer horror, a really quite extraordinary achievement given the monetary and personal constraints the production faced. Terrence Fisher and Peter Cushing make an unbeatable combination, even when both men are laboring under heavy burdens of their own. The DVD comes with a commentary by actress Madeline Smith, actor David Prowse, and horror historian Jonathan Sothcott, and this commentary ranks among the best and most interesting I have ever heard. The trio expound upon all types of things, oftentimes going beyond the subject of the film itself to relate fascinating stories about their fellow performers and about the very history of Hammer Studios as well. All of this adds up to a film that all Hammer fans simply must own.

Rating:
Summary: Hammer Studios' last gothic masterpiece
Review: Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell was not famed Hammer Studios' final film, but it in many ways represents the swan song of the premiere maker of vintage gothic films. Not only does the film play well even today, it has an incredible number of fascinating facts surrounding its production that makes it particularly notable. Consummate actor Peter Cushing and director Terence Fisher can be viewed as founding fathers of Hammer Studios, and this film marks a return to the spirit of the early days. It stands as the final entry in the famed Frankenstein series starring Peter Cushing as Dr. Frankenstein, and David Prowse makes an unprecedented second appearance as a Hammer monster. Some wonderful actors appear in even the smallest of roles, the overall look and feel of the film is wonderfully dark and serious, and the story is allowed to tell itself, foregoing sex appeal for violence and intellectual passion. Despite its almost ridiculously paltry budget, Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell truly shines as Hammer's last truly gothic motion picture.

Baron Frankenstein is dead; there's a death certificate to prove it, and he's buried in the yard of the insane asylum where he spent his last days. One young researcher sets out to fill his shoes, however, eventually being arrested for "sorcery" and consigned to the same mental institution as his idol. Simon Helder (Shane Briant) inquires about Dr. Frankenstein as soon as he arrives. The story of the Baron's death notwithstanding, he quickly recognizes the asylum's Dr. Victor as none other than Frankenstein himself. Assisted by the mute and ever so lovely Sarah (Madeline Smith), known as Angel among the inmates, the doctor has continued his work. He explains to young Dr. Helder how he managed to "kill" Frankenstein and get himself appointed the medical doctor in the asylum, and soon the ever-curious Helder is an active participant in the doctor's ongoing unconventional medical experiments. Rather than resurrect the dead, Frankenstein is now working on making a new man piece by piece based on an existing flawed creation. With the help of Helder's surgical skills, the men have soon given an animalistic misanthrope the hands of a craftsman and the mind of a genius, but of course the newly created monster seems less than overjoyed with his new life.

I am an unabashed fan of Peter Cushing; he was the ultimate gothic actor, a meticulous perfectionist who demanded the serious commitment of everyone surrounding him on whatever project he was working on. In Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell, he makes one of his most memorable entrances and delivers a sterling performance. At this particular time, Cushing was in deep mourning over the recent loss of his wife, and he is as grim and emaciated as you will ever see him. This makes his obviously whole-hearted commitment to this role all the more amazing. This sixth and final Hammer-produced Frankenstein film offers yet more proof that Peter Cushing is the greatest horror actor to ever live. Madeline Smith is just beautiful and delivers an amazing performance almost wholly devoid of spoken lines, and Shane Briant, looking quite James Spader-like, makes young Helder an admirable and deserving new underling of Dr. Frankenstein's. The monster is played wonderfully by David Prowse, the man who would later serve as the man behind the mask of Darth Vader; his costume isn't that impressive, but it works well given the budgetary constraints this movie operated under. Doctor Who fans will no doubt note the presence of Patrick Troughton as Helder's bodysnatching accomplice at the beginning of the film; Troughton would of course go on to become the second man to play Doctor Who on the famed BBC television series.

Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is vintage Hammer horror, a really quite extraordinary achievement given the monetary and personal constraints the production faced. Terrence Fisher and Peter Cushing make an unbeatable combination, even when both men are laboring under heavy burdens of their own. The DVD comes with a commentary by actress Madeline Smith, actor David Prowse, and horror historian Jonathan Sothcott, and this commentary ranks among the best and most interesting I have ever heard. The trio expound upon all types of things, oftentimes going beyond the subject of the film itself to relate fascinating stories about their fellow performers and about the very history of Hammer Studios as well. All of this adds up to a film that all Hammer fans simply must own.

Rating:
Summary: Solid Hammer Fare
Review: Good, solid sequel(but not as good) to Frankenstein Must be Destroyed has the good doctor in charge of insane asylum, carrying on experiment that involves a simean-looking monster played by David(Darth Vader) Prowse. Terence Fisher scores high marks with this gothic production and erie atmosphere. This one is somewhat reminiscent of "Revenge" as again, he is working in a hospital while carrying out experiment in secret. Plot also involves Frankenstein disciple sent to asylum for his work with Frankensteinesque experiments, and a beautiful assistant who must perform the actual "surgery" due to Frankenstein's burn-damaged hands. This one also has the best(if not campiest) title!

Rating:
Summary: Great Low-Budget Horror Film
Review: I believe this film is an all out great horror fanfare! Cushing is simply brilliant as the infamous Doctor and Bryant is also equally great as his protogue. Sure, "the monster from hell" lacks a bit in the make up department and his olger suit is quite a bit cartoonish but hey, its pretty good for a Hammer film wich is entiled "Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell". Hammer films are some of my favorites and this is no exception, its a great horror piece, really good for those cold dark nights to watch while eating pizza.

Rating:
Summary: Sad farewell to a great film series
Review: I'm not going to rehash all the other reviews. I'll simply say the inspired melding of art /commerce that was the Hammer Frankenstein series (at least the Cushing / Terrence Fisher entries) ends with The Monster from Hell, and there's a slight but perceptable sadness to it all. Cushing continues the charecter arc from FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED - in light of the tragedy that results from his ruthlessness in that adventure he has now holed up in the private universe of an insane asylum, working away on a pathetic creature that is 180 degrees from the "superior human specimen" that was the goal of his early days. But he hardly seems to notice; the experiments themselves have taken the place of the results in importance as the end of the film reveals. The true monster from hell is the purgatory Frankenstein has made for himself, endlessly repeating the same failed quest.

Overall this is far from the best of the saga, but it's highly enjoyable and fitting in it's own right.

Paramount's DVD of this title is really great, and although the film was rather threadbare budget-wise it looks wonderfull on disc (the tacky asylum model looks TOO sharp). Although a penny-pinching exercise Hammer at least spent the money where it counts - on Cushing and Fisher. Both Cushing's Frankenstein and Fisher's career end here, and it's a dignified tribute.

Rating:
Summary: Monster's Ball
Review: If I had seen this movie as a child, it would have scared the living daylights out of me. Seeing it as an adult, it still gave me bad dreams. I really didn't expect such a classic Hammer production from one of their later films. It suggests the style from about ten years earlier in the full bloom of Hammer Horror. True, the monster is definitely on the low-budget side, but when he shambles toward you JUST before the door gets shut there is a deep primordial shudder evoked.
The story revolves around the most appropriate question of "what would Frankenstein do if he lived in an lunatic asylum?" The answer, not surprisingly, is to find new ground to plow in the old cemetary. Rejecting Universal's formula of creating new mayhem for the old monster to stumble through, Hammer's Frankenstein creates new "monsters" with their own, original baggage and issues. Also, they continue to twist the theme of "who is the real monster?" with new horrors consistently pointing to the diabolical Baron himself. In this area, Peter Cushing is fabulous. One wonders if the studio would have existed at all without him and Christopher Lee.
Another theme is presented again: degrees of evil. Frankenstein is a maniacal sociopath surrounding himself and exploiting those who have sinned in some awful manner. This is the truly horrifying nature of Monster from Hell. The asylum could be a metaphor for Hell and the inmates, damned souls. The ending fulfills this allegory: no one is leaving, and the torture begins anew.

Rating:
Summary: Not Bad, but not that great either.
Review: Last of the Hammer Horror Frankenstein films finds Peter Cushing playing the Baron one last time, this time in a aslysum where he is training yet another young scientists his theories on science (however insane these theories are). The monster looks more like a deformed gorilla, and lacks the chilling performance of Christopher Lee or the humanity of Boris Karloff. This was the last Frankenstein film that Cushing appeared in, and you can tell that they really had run out of ideas.

Rating:
Summary: The last hurrah
Review: OK folks, you more or less know what you're getting into when you watch a movie called "Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell". But what you do not expect is a good movie, which is what you will end up with. The plot is a young doctor (Shane Briant) is arrested for sorcery (he was caught grave robbing) and sentenced to an insane asylum. There he meets Dr. Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), who is now beleived dead and living under an assumed identity. Then the two soon continue Dr. Frankenstein's experiments, this time stitching body parts from recently decesed inmates. The result is a ugly, disgusting monster with the brain of a mathmatician. The body (of a murderer) takes over the brain, and so as you can expect mayham erupts in the asylum. Cushing is an old hand at playing Frankenstein by now, and so he is very cozy in the role. Madeline Smith plays a mute, so her acting was limited to body movements and eye expression. Shane Briant is alright as the assistant, a little wooden, but that is to be expected. You can tell that the budget was barely there, the outside of the asylum looked like a train set model, and the monster suit looked way too fake. The film is rated R, but I think that is because of the times. There is some graphicly bloodly kills, but I think today it would have gotten away with a PG-13. Not bad, and the last good Hammer film before the studio shut down.