L'Empreinte de Frankenstein

I've watched this movie a few times and although Peter Cushing gave his usual great performance this film falls a bit short of the mark in Hammers' Frankenstein cannon. First and foremost, there is no continuity between this film and it's predecessor, the very well done,"The Revenge Of Frankenstein" This has a lot to do with Freddie Francis being Director instead of Terence Fisher. Kiwi Kingston looks like a 3rd rate Boris Karloff, however, being an ex wrestler, and not an actor, also, wearing very bad makeup he does his best with the material handed to him. The supporting cast, Sandor Eles, Peter Woodthorpe, Duncan Lamont, and David Hutcheson, do an OK job, it's just that with the very good "Curse Of Frankanstein" and the excellent "The Revenge Of Frankenstein" i was expecting a lot more. It's still a film worth seeing. Grab that popcorn and enjoy. John R. Tracy

This film appeared from no-where. It did not follow from The Revenge of Frankenstein, which had immediately preceded it, and the next film in the series, Frankenstein Created Woman, makes no mention of this film. This is a one-off film in the Hammer Frankenstein saga much in the same way that Scars of dracula is a one-off in the Dracula saga. For once, the story is rather flimsy, and the characters fail to build any pathos with the audience. The acting is good, but has no-where to go. It seems to be a remake of any number of Universal horror films rather than an original Hammer film. The direction is rather flat and the monster is just some monolithic doomsday machine running around, destroying everything. On the plus side, the atmosphere is suitably gothic and the costumes are realistic. It is, however, the least best Frankenstein film featuring peter Cushing.

MORD39 RATING: **1/2 out of ****

This was the first Hammer film I recall seeing as a kid, and I loved it back then. I am, admittedly, a Universal Horror addict and most probably enjoyed it because it was so much in that vein.

Now, decades later, I understand why Hammer fans dislike it: it's not what the Hammer Frankenstein series is supposed to be. Now that I've become well acquainted with all of the Hammer films I am inclined to agree somewhat...but it's still pretty good.

Peter Cushing is his reliable self as the Baron, and he seems to be given a more heroic twist this time around. The monster is not up to par, and it IS copied from the Karloffian image to some extent, but he's fun anyway.

The lab sets are fantastic, as is the music and gothic atmosphere. You can do much worse than this for a Hammer Frankenstein film (check out HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN and see).

Arguably the weakest entry in the series, "The Evil of Frankenstein" is still a hell of a lot of fun to watch. Peter Cushing, the elder statesman of English horror films, turns in a particularly vigorous performance as the relentlessly demonized Baron Victor Frankenstein, while Peter Woodthorpe is excellent as the sulky, sleazy stage hypnotist who gains control of Frankenstein's resurrected creature (Kiwi Kingston). Sure, there's a heavy reliance on formula, but this is a series of films about a doctor who creates misshapen monsters and animates them with electricity, after all. What is the actual difference between a critically acclaimed movie like "The Revenge of Frankenstein" and a 'bad' movie like this one? Is the distinction as sharp as you've been led to believe?

Ultimately I have to judge films--especially genre pictures--according to whether or not I find them enjoyable, and I've been enjoying this one for decades. When was the last time you saw a horror movie as competent (if unspectacular) as "The Evil of Frankenstein"? The fact that it's regarded as a lesser installment in Hammer's Frankenstein franchise merely underscores the high standard of the studio's output. Forget the critical potshots and allow yourself to be entertained :)

Peter Cushing makes the greatest Dr. Frankenstein and he certainly doesn't disappoint here. Hammer Studios made several Frankenstein films, and this may not be the best, but it certainly is worth the time.

After reviving his monster, Dr. Frankenstein enlisted the services of Zoltan the Hypnotist (Peter Woodthorpe, the voice of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings). Zoltan was a despicable character, and Woodthorpe was perfect for the role.

Sandor Elès as Hans, Dr. Frankenstein's assistant, and Katy Wild, as a deaf and mute beggar girl were also very good.

Of course, one would have wanted to see more of Caron Gardner, the Burgomaster's wife, but it was not to be.