Frankenstein - Der Schrecken mit dem Affengesicht

Deep within the heart of me exists a love for films featuring giant creatures battling it out for supremecy in the streets of Tokyo. I just remember watching them with anticipation as a small child, waiting in anxiety to see who the victor would be of these mommoth clashes. Of course, with familiar characters like Gamera, Rodan, Mothra, Ghidra, Gigan, Baragon, King Kong, and, of course, Godzilla stomping Tokyo in each film, this one, titled "Frankenstein vs. Baragon" here in the U.S., takes the cake for taking the most risks.

This film sets up many important things for the Toho universe: It introduces Baragon, who would later become a favorite of the genre. In additon, it makes political statements on nuclear testing. Oh, and on a side-note, it also *takes Frankenstein's monster, grows him to giant heights, pits him against Baragon, and puts a classic Gothic monster's face into the gallery of gigantic monsters to rummage Japan.* If you aren't impressed by the first two factors, at least appretiate the third one simply for its camp value.

AND WHAT CAMP VALUE IT IS! The fights in this are some of the best of the Toho universe. Frankenstein looks like an overgrown caveman, and Baragon is effectively established as a leading monster. And while most of the battles simply take place in a few mountains outside of-- you guessed it-- Tokyo, the fun still exists, and its as just as a good time as you'll find in any given Godzilla or Gamera flick.

Silly, cliched, stupid, pointless...and one heckuva good time! LOOK OUT FOR THE BEATING HEART OF FRANKENSTEIN! AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T EAT IT!

*** out of ****

This is one of my favorite films as a kid. I have always been a big Toho fan. Godzilla of course was/is my favorite "Actor". It would have been nice if Godzilla would have been in this film as originally planned, but Baragon is just fine. Why this film has such a low rating of 3.7 is beyond me.

I have an original full screen terrible transfer copy of this film on VHS but I still enjoyed it. When I found out that this movie was coming to DVD I bought it as soon as I could. Boy was I surprised when I opened the DVD case. Inside were 2 DVD's. Disc 1 was the original uncut version of the film in Japanese with optional English subtitles and disc 2 was the English dubbed edited version. Both are 2:35 widescreen versions!!! If you want to buy this movie make sure it is the 2 disc release. You will be glad you did.

Later that night I put disc 1 in my DVD player and watched the movie for the first time in it's original version with subtitles on my big screen TV with popcorn by my side enjoying every minute of it.

This movie was made for kids and the young at heart. It is a fun movie and nothing more. I give this film a 7.0 rating.

As a fan of the genre. I had the opportunity recently view this film. As a child I remembered watching this film during the days of "Afternoon Movie Theater" I believe that it was called at Channel 7? It was known as "Frankenstein Conquers the World" and it was quite entertaining. I was young and things of that nature would entertain me. Anyway, back to my review. The movie starts out with a very eerie tone accompanied by very chilling and memorable music, thanks to maestro of music, Akira Ifukube. I believe the score of this music was excellent which I believe help or even save the movie at times. The audience is presented with a World War II torn Germany who gives up Frankenstein's heart to the Japanese. After it's arrival in Japan for experiments, Hiroshima is destroyed by a A-bomb and shifts to present day in Japan. Helps the movie in the fact that gives off enough background information. Anyhow, the Frankestein's heart was supposedly eaten by a young boy who survived the destruction of Hiroshima. Scientist's find the boy for further experiments after he has committed criminal activities (eating dogs, rabbits, etc..)for his survival. The boy grows in a rapid pace and has to be placed in a larger cell for his own protection. He escapes and hides in the forest and hills of Japan. The second monster introduced and first appearance ever in the Kaiju genre is the ever popular, Baragon. He does his monster destruction and eventually meets up the overgrown and poorly designed Frankestein. Of course this is main attraction of this film. The fight scenes are pretty kool and enjoyable. I don't ever remember seeing two monsters going at it as much as this movie, maybe the exception of Baragon and Godzilla in "GMK: Giant Monsters All Out Attack". Sufficed it to say, Frankenstein wins out and kills Baragon surrounded by a forest of fire. I happen to watch the Japanese version where the Giant Octopus appears and engages in combat with Frankestein and eventually fell off the cliff, taking its entangled prey with him into the sea. A prequel to "The War of the Gargantuas"!! Although I've seen the "Americanized" version of this film with the ending deleted, an earthquake type scene. With the flames in the background, the land would open up and engulf both Baragon and Frankenstein to the bottom of the earth. I still prefer the Japanese version. Overall, very underrated and entertaining film. But, believe me, the score of the film is what gives an added punch. More like, destruction, despair and sadness with a touch of domination. If you're a fan of the Japanese Sci-Fi genre, I would view this one.

A weird film with Nazis storming Dr. Frankenstein's lab and taking the heart of Frankenstein's monster to Hiroshima in 1945. What could happen but the Hiroshima blast. 20 years later eats the radioactive heart and literally becomes Frankenstein's monster. He eats a dog, a classroom bunny, and lots of garbage. He then starts growing and growing intill he is a 100 foot tall caveman Frankenstein and deuls with this bunny-eared dinosaur named Baragon in a fight to the death. Weird and very Japanese.

This is one of the more entertaining (and yet still bonkers) Toho monster rallies and at some points you can actually feel your grip on sanity beginning to weaken. Like many Frankenstein movies you do feel a certain amount of sympathy for the monster (not Baragon though, who looks like he escaped from a toy shop) and actually wish he would deliver a massive ass-kicking to the immaculately dressed, white gloved troops who are shooting at him. Baragon spitting feathers and the pig-on-rails scenes alone are worth the admission price. The sheer lunacy of this movie even exceeds that of King Kong Lives! Sadly the best scene is missing: the one in which Nick Adams' agent persuaded him to turn up for this particular engagement.