House of Frankenstein

People here were a bit harsh here at IMDb (imagine!). This movie is not near as bad as some would say. I can't really get into made for TV movies, mini-series or even drama series. That being said, this was mildly entertaining. I watched the whole thing just now on Chiller's lame excuse for a horror channel and it took me 4 hours that could have been better spent. I am not saying that this is a masterpiece (I rated it a 6) but if you are like me and come here to IMDb to check out a movie before watching it - don't listen to the naysayers. It was pretty decent. The costumes were not that bad. The head vamp's rubbery ears I could get past though his wings looked like fabric instead of living tissue. Ah well, the story was good and Teri Polo may be the hottest woman alive. Frank was a bit goofy looking but I think they were trying to make him look less fantastic to aid in everyone's disbelief. This may not have been worth 4 hours but if we could get a DVD version without commercials it would definitely be worth the watch.

If fiction's three deadliest predators of man (Frankenstein's Monster, vampires, and werewolves) were loosed upon modern L.A., what would happen? This well-done miniseries attempts to answer that question. The results are a pretty lively horror film, with excellent special effects, good makesup, and a terrific cast. I'm surprised they didn't send this one to the theaters...all three and a half hours of it. Hey....it could have passed as a horror film's "Titanic."

What really makes it work it the fact that they don't resurrect the traditional monsters of the old Universal films, but the actual literary beasts. The Frankensten Monster is straight from the book, against both humans and vampires in an effort to meet his own deadly agenda. The werewolves and vampires also closly follow their incarnations from ancient folklore, representing evil incarnate. Together, these three kings of Undead manage to make an exceptional made-for-TV effort. Just one question: Where was the Mummy's Curse?

*** out of ****

Saw the film and thought that it was fairly interesting. It was entertaining and kept relatively close to the mythos of the various characters involved (Vampire, Werewolf and Frankenstein's monster.) The special effects were okay and the makeup was okay as well, with a minor problem I had with Franstein's creature. The makeup for actor Peter Crombie I felt didn't convey the kind of 'fear' of what the monster should have. He looked more or less like an old wino or junkie with scars; Fairly harmless looking (aside from some metallic bolts on his forehead). If they were attempting to make the monster appear benign and non lethal, then they succeeded. Also, he should have appeared a bit taller I think. He seemd to be the same height as "Fernando", the semi blind character he befriends. (How tall is Pete Crombie anyway?) other than that, it's a pretty good film with enough chills to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Anyone who liked Kindred The Embraced should like this mini-series. I found the themes to be somewhat similar and really enjoyed both shows. The acting and story line were very professional and interesting. I consider House of Frankenstein 1997 to be a 'keeper' and have waited impatiently for several years for it to be released to the public.

I was surprised to see what a low rating this 4-hour mini got. I found House of Frankenstein '97 to be a very enjoyable waste of time, especially since I had never heard of it before. It's nothing too special, but I would definitely watch it again. I agree with an earlier reviewer that it had the same tone and feel of Kindred: The Embraced. The only flaw of the movie is that it displeases it's target audience. I think they may have forgotten who their target audience was entirely. Horror fans want HORROR!! Despite the fact that monsters are running around the big city, it's not really a horror movie as much as it is a cop drama. But it's an entertaining cop drama. Pasdar is great and he should work more. I've been a fan of his since Near Dark and his short-lived television show, Profit, was nothing less than amazing. The rest of the cast was fine with no one really standing out. The make-up is another story that can be summed up in two words: Greg Cannom. He seems to have recycled some of his work for Bram Stoker's Dracula, but dammit I don't care. It's great. And that's about all I can say about House of Frankenstein '97. I enjoyed this mini-series but I don't think it will ever find an audience. Hopefully it will locate its own niche.