La maledizione dei Frankenstein

Susan Denberg was a Playboy Playmate in 1966, and had four screen appearances, before she went back to Europe. She becomes Dr. Frankenstein's latest subject.

Each of these films seem to get more and more elaborate as Dr. Frankenstein stretches the bounds of science. Of course, one has to believe in the existence of a soul to follow his logic, but that is his definition of life.

After her boyfriend Hans (Robert Morris) is unjustly executed for a murder committed by three spoiled rich kids, Christina (Denberg) takes her own life. But, Frankenstein works his magic and puts Hans soul into Christina and the horror begins as they take their revenge.

Peter Cushing returns as Baron Frankenstein in the fourth and possibly strongest of Hammers Frankenstein movies. Directed by Terence Fisher, it sees Susan Denberg killing herself after seeing her lover unjustly framed for murder and guillotined. She is resurrected by the Baron and his assistant (played by Thorley Walters), with her lover's soul in her, and sets off to avenge his death. Hammer went for something different here, the focus being on the metaphysical dimensions of Frankenstein's work as opposed to the physical, such as the question of the soul, and its relationship to the body. Critics seemed to hate it, but it has an army of fans including Martin Scorsese, who picked the movie as part of a 1987 National Film Theatre season of his favourite films. Released the same year as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the Summer of Love, this movie has some very far out notions upon which its plot hangs, yet it never descends into campiness or melodrama, and is just a great Peter Cushing Frankenstein film.

Dr. Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) has discovered how to contain the soul of somebody after they had died. His helper Hans (Robert Morris) is (unjustly) found guilty of a murder committed by three other men and guillotined. Hans' girlfriend Christina (Susan Denberg) kills herself. Frankenstein saves Hans' soul and puts it in her. She comes out as a beautiful woman but has Hans thirst for revenge...

As you can see logic does not play a strong role in this picture. For one thing Denberg is introduced as a dark haired, horribly scarred woman. After the "operation" she's blond-haired and looks perfect! Also, when she goes out to kill the men responsible for Hans death, she seems to know EXACTLY where they'll be (I love how she just guessed that Johann would be in a coach and it would break down). Still, Hammer films were never strong on logic so this can be forgiven. Also there's some dreadful day-for-night shooting (another Hammer trademark). Despite all this I DO love this film. It moves quickly and has some pretty bloody scenes (for 1967). There's also a flash of nudity in a bedroom scene.

The acting is very good. Thorley Walters gives a good performance as Dr. Hertz; Morris is actually pretty good as Hans; even Denberg isn't bad (although her voice was dubbed). Best of all, of course, is Peter Cushing. He plays Frankenstein to perfection showing the doctors obsession with creating life.

One of the better Hammer Frankenstein movies. Just turn off your mind and enjoy. I give it an 8.

Frankenstein Created Woman(1967) is the most complex and tragic of all the Hammer Frankenstein films. DR. Frankenstein in the film tries to figure out a way to beat death by the transference of the soul. Susan Denberg is excellent as the deformed turned avenging beauty named Christana. Terence Fisher's brilliant direction in this movie is enough to show that along with Mario Bava was one of the best Horror directors of the 1960's. The movie is about how ignorance can have an effect on an entire community. Frankenstein Created Woman(1967) is a thought provoking horror flick that ends on a depressing note.

As I watch more Hammer films, it strikes me just how sad so many of them are.

Innocents and lost souls find themselves in a similar place in the afterlife, and it never ends happily for them there either. Here you have Susan Denberg, born with a facial disfigurement, taunted by the local toffs, who then sees her boyfriend executed. And that's just the start of her problems before an inevitable downbeat ending.

Hammer horror films, these days, are usually remembered mostly for Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and also quite often for their campness. But they're almost always quite serious-minded horror tales that rarely have the get-out of a joke or a comedy character. They're also surprisingly aware in terms of societal issues. I can just imagine the three upper-class blokes who taunt Denberg here being members of the Bullingdon Club or something.

Certainly one of the better or even best Hammer films that I've seen.