La Revanche de Frankenstein

Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is sentenced to the guillotine but he succeeds to escape facilitated by the hunchback Karl Immelmann (Michael Gwynn) to Carlsbruck in Germany adopting the alias Doctor Victor Stein. Three years later, he is a successful physician in a poor hospital. Doctor Hans Kleve (Francis Matthews) recognizes Frankenstein and blackmails him to be his assistant. Dr. Stein shows a perfect body and tells to Dr. Kleve that Karl will donate his brain to a healthy body. They successfully transplant Karl's brain to the new body and Dr. Stein hides Karl in the attic. However a snoopy janitor (George Woodbridge) witnesses the transportation to the room and tells to the nurse Margaret Conrad (Eunice Gayson) that the doctors have hidden a patient in the attic. Meanwhile Dr. Kleve comments with Karl that he will become a medical sensation and Karl is afraid of the situation. When Margaret finds Karl in the attic, he convinces her to release the straps that hold him to the bed. Karl runs to Dr. Steins's laboratory but he is attacked by a man that believes that he is a burglar. When Dr. Stein and Dr. Kleve arrive in the laboratory, Karl has already gone leaving two deaths on his path. What will happen to Karl and to Dr. Frankenstein?

"The Revenge of Frankenstein" is a good sequel of "Frankenstein" despite the title since there is no revenge. This is a good movie from Hammer and that is not a surprise having director Terence Fisher and Peter Cushing in the cast. Dr. Frankenstein giving explanations to Dr. Kleve about his transplantation procedure is very funny. My vote is seven.

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OK so maybe not. Even though this movie is called "The Revenge of Frankenstein" and the baron himself, who escaped the guillotine, also tells that he is planning on taking revenge, he never does so in this movie. Sloppy perhaps and also a missed opportunity. Nevertheless "The Revenge of Frankenstein" remains one of the best put together and most atmospheric Hammer movie. Esecially for late '50's standards, this movie is a surprising good and effective one that more than serves its purpose and has plenty enough to offer the viewer.

The story is well written and told, which is the main reason why this movie works out great. It also helps to make this movie one of the better ones out of the long line of Hammer Frankenstein movies. It's an interesting movie to watch with a great perfect horror atmosphere, all combined with the typical Hammer studio's style. The movie also features some morbid humor which suits the style of the movie even better and makes it an even more pleasant and entertaining one to watch.

Unlike other Frankenstein movies this movie relies on original and self developed and written elements. The Hammer studios throughout this way, practically recreated the entire character of baron Frankenstein, with its long line of Hammer Frankenstein movies. When I now think of baron Frankenstein, I automatically think of Peter Cushing portraying him, thanks to the Hammer movies.

The movie doesn't waste any time on things like character development, which is also the reason why the movie is only 89 minutes short. It makes the story flow well, without any drags or unnecessary moments but one of the consequences also is that some of the characters don't quite work out because of this, such as the Eunice Gayson character, who doesn't seem to serve a purpose in the movie. The movie also doesn't have enough emotional depth because of this. Even though the movie does some attempts to give the movie some depth, mainly in its sequences with the monster, the movie is too short and distant to really care about any of it. But at least they did a worthy attempt, which makes this movie an improvement over the first Hammer Frankenstein movie "The Curse of Frankenstein".

Peter Cushing is really great as the baron who has taken the name Dr. Stein, after escaping from the guillotine, to conceal his true identity. Cushing really seem at ease with his role and he draws all of the attention of the movie toward him. Unlike most other Frankenstein movies the Hammer Frankenstein movies aren't really about the creature but more about baron Frankenstein and his eternal morbid search for cheating the death and creating life. It's a good thing that this movie is about the baron and not really about the monster, for the actor who plays the monster in this movie (Michael Gwynn) is exactly convincing or a good enough actor. Further more the movie does feature some good British actors for the smaller parts of the movie, who all seem to fit their parts very well.

Through its atmosphere the movie does manages to create an overall overly present creepy atmosphere which does provide the movie with some good horror moments as well. Of course nothing too scary, since obviously all Hammer movies are obviously more entertaining than scary or serious. The movie also does feature some nice looking sets, costumes and effects which help to set up the mood.

A must-see for the Hammer fans, mainly thanks to its well written and told story.

8/10

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Direct sequel to "Curse of Frankenstein" is just as good. Dr. Frankenstein escapes the guillotine, changes his name to Dr. Stein, moves to another town and begins his experiments again. Naturally things go all wrong.

The story moves quickly and is very interesting, the color cinematography is just simply superb, the set design is exquisite and the acting is all good. Peter Cushing gives another great portrayal as the Baron--it's a wonder this man never got the praise he deserved, he was an excellent actor. Also Michael Gwynn gives a good performance as a result of the doctor's experiments.

It's not really scary and there's no real monster, but the plot is so interesting you don't really care! Well worth watching. A must see for the color alone.

This is one of those horror films thats more thought provoking than scary and that was one of the best things about these films from Hammer studios. Story has Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) being saved at the guillotine and popping up in Carlsbruch as Dr. Stein. The other doctors in the area are always talking about this mysterious doctor and one young doctor named Hans Kleve (Francis Matthews) discovers who he really is and wants to help him in his future experiments. They take the brain out of a deformed dwarf named Karl and put it into a body that was built by Dr. Stein and the operation seems to go well. Karl is healing well and responding to everything okay but he doesn't want to be a medical spectacle for everyone to gawk at so he convinces a woman named Margaret (Eunice Gayson) who works there to loosen his straps and he climbs out the window. One of the side effects of the transplant is cannibalism and he has a hunger for flesh. Also, Karls brain is telling him he is deformed so the rest of his body begins to change! This is one of the few films that Cushing made for Hammer studios that didn't have Christopher Lee in the cast as well. The sets look great as they always do and it really captures the look of what this part of Europe must have looked like back then. The best thing about this film is the story. After they transfer the brain from one body to another the brain tells the new body its deformed and it reminded me that this aspect of the Frankenstein story was dwelled on only rarely. There is some horrifying moments during this film but its really a science fiction story with the emphasis on science. Great atmosphere and solid performances add to this overlooked Frankenstein entry. Also, veteran character actor Lionel Jeffries plays a grave digger! Well worth a look.

Doctor Frankenstein has moved on having escaped the guillotine, set to pick up his work, he transplants a living brain into a body. The process seems to be successful, until the subject learns of his future.

I'm not quite sure they got the title right, it implies that Doctor Frankenstein is keen to take revenge on those that sent him to the guillotine, it's more a story about him picking up his work where he left off.

Frankenstein is depicted as ak almost sympathetic character, he seems to be trying to do some good, he's not trying to create a monster, he seems to be trying to bring science on a bit, it's an interesting take. Cushing is of course brilliant in the role.

I had no idea Michael Gwynn was in this movie, but he does a great job as Karl, he's damaged, he's violent, but he also manages to draw in a degree of sympathy too.

Very well made as you'd expect, and if you're watching on blu ray, the colours are incredibly vibrant. The sets are excellent, and there's the usual array of horror equipment that you'd expect.

Enjoyable.

7/10.