The Horror of Frankenstein [DVD] [1970]

Top Print and a very informative commentary track add to the enjoyment of this disc.
A short interview with Veronica Carlson is fascinating as are her superb paintings.
In all a very good DVD.

not quite sure what to make of this film it is well made well acted and well filmed but is not the traditional hammer film.It is a mixture of horror and comedy a severed arm giving a two finger salute is an example of this.theres plenty of bulging boobs and a good number of deaths which should keep the traditional hammer fan happy.the reason it was not well recieved i think it was ten years or so ahead of its time, if it had been released about the time of american werewolf it would have been thought more of.the acting cast range from ralph bates and kate omara to david prowse the overall quality of acting is probably better than most of hammers frankenstein movies but it has lost two things one being atmosphere the other peter cushing.It is a good film just not for the purist,it is a irreverent retelling of the original frankenstein and certainly worth the small price tag.

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The Horror Of Frankenstein is out of Hammer Studios and directed by Jimmy Sangster. Based around the famous characters created by Mary Shelley, the screenplay is co-written by Sangster with Jeremy Burnham. It stars Ralph Bates, Kate O'Mara, Veronica Carlson, Dennis Price, Graham James & David Prowse.

After a dastardly deed sees him inherit the family estate, Victor Frankenstein continues with his anatomy experiments......

Originally released as part of a double bill with Scars Of Dracula, The Horror Of Frankenstein saw Hammer Studios take a different approach with the titular monster. Gone was Peter Cushing, who in a publicity shoot was seen "handing over the reins" to the next generation, and in came a more comedic and talky take that takes in the permissive society and the British Welfare State! Sangster's movie should be viewed as a comedy with horror elements, it's clear from the outset that the makers here have tongue firmly in cheek. What else can you derive from a film that has a dismembered hand flicking the V's? Or a casual observation that Kate O'Mara has gained weight in the breast department? I kid you not, and it is damn funny.

The most interesting thing about the film is the young Frankenstein himself, perfectly essayed as being a dandy egotist by Bates. He is in fact the villain of the piece. Here is a man who kills innocents with single minded glee, just so he can create life; deliciously bonkers really. The sexiness comes from O'Mara and Carlson who seem to have entered a "who has got the biggest cleavage contest", while Dennis Price of Ealing fame is wonderfully colourful as a grave robber happy to let his wife dig the graves! Yes it's a wacky movie alright. Even the monster, played by future Darth Vader David Prowse, seems to be in on the joke. Throw him a doggy chew and he'll do anything for you. I think the creature was more irked about having to wear a diaper more than anything else.

Sets and costuming are still of a high standard, but this is a different Hammer Frankenstein. Fun and even a little devilish in its writing, it's not, however, one for the scare purists. 6/10