Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell (Widescreen)

Good, solid sequel(but not as good) to Frankenstein Must be Destroyed has the good doctor in charge of insane asylum, carrying on experiment that involves a simean-looking monster played by David(Darth Vader) Prowse. Terence Fisher scores high marks with this gothic production and erie atmosphere. This one is somewhat reminiscent of "Revenge" as again, he is working in a hospital while carrying out experiment in secret. Plot also involves Frankenstein disciple sent to asylum for his work with Frankensteinesque experiments, and a beautiful assistant who must perform the actual "surgery" due to Frankenstein's burn-damaged hands. This one also has the best(if not campiest) title!

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell is an aptly titled film. It is truly full of mood and drama, but it lacks a real sense of forboding and eeriness that previous turns provided. Further, Cushing, while always excellent, is just not his usual self. The DVD extras tell us he was still reeling from the death of his wife.
Though Fisher really approaches the subject matter rather scholastically rather than as one might hope, from a sense of foreboding, it isn't really the film as a whole that I have a problem with. It's the creature.
David Prowse (of Darth Vadar fame) plays the creature as best as can be expected given the costuming provided. The costume consists of a wetsuit all but completely covered in hair. Only the pectorals don't have long coarse hair on them. And the pectorals look extremely fake - papier macher fake. The monster looks less like a creature cobbled together from body parts than a gorilla suit or something left over from Murders in the Rue Morgue. Although it is explained that the body and head are from a man who was something of a "neolithic" nature, it makes little sense to choose him since Frankenstein never wanted a brutish creature before and even here he wants a refined brain and hands for his creature - so why have, what especially in the period's times, what would have been considered crude and low class bodily - a hairy brute with thick lips and heavy eyes?
I know the reasoning was for horror's sake, but I find a gorilla-like man far less horrific than a man stitched together looking gentile and refined underneath his stitches.

The acting is superb, as usual and the sets are really top notch. The script is a bit thin, and the monster costume is really laughable, but it is a worthwhile film.

The DVD extras are another matter. I enjoyed them all but for the narrative. And those I might have enjoyed, but for the kind lady who had the female "engenue" role in the film. A mute in the film, in the DVD extras she just couldn't keep her mouth shut. She prattled on and on and on about any and every thing. She and David Prowse are the narrators of the audio and though they really don't have large enough roles to warrant this (it seems that Shane Briant should have been narrating it), they seem to want to talk incessantly about things that have nothing to do with the film at hand and the things they do discuss are not relavant to what is happening on screen. So many opportunities for interesting information transfer are lost as they pass them by. For instance, toward the beginning of the film, Shane Briant's character actually appears to be taking the full force of a real fire hose. His skin actually raises up red welts to the force of the hose as we watch the film, yet it is never divulged to us whether this was really the case. Rather the young lady goes on and on about how she really thinks the dress she was wearing was terribly dowdy. Well, you get the gist of it.

Watch the film - enjoy it - skip the audio commentary on the DVD extras.

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) marks the final installment of the Hammer Studios Frankenstein films and also the last film by perennial Hammer director Terrance Fisher.

The film stars Peter Cushing as Baron Von Frankenstein, aka Dr. Carl Victor. Confined to an asylum for the charge of sorcery due to his last foray into the creation of man, Frankenstein, along with the director of the asylum, orchestrated the death of Dr. Frankenstein and his new identity to allow for the Baron to assume the duties of staff doctor within the asylum. Frankenstein, now Dr. Victor, has a fairly free hand to do as he pleases due an intimate knowledge of some of the asylum director's peccadilloes and past indiscretions, and has once again begun his quest to create life where there was none before, from body parts culled from recently deceased inmates.

Dr. Simon Helder (Shane Briant) has just recently been committed to the asylum for trying to follow in Frankenstein's footsteps, and learns that Frankenstein is alive and well, working under his current pseudonym. I remember Briant from other Hammer films like Demons of the Mind (1972) and Kronos (1973). Dr. Carl allows for the younger doctor to assume his routine duties within the asylum, caring for patients, freeing up the elder to pursue his experimentations. The good doctor seems to have created quite the hairy behemoth, using various bits and pieces of some of the recently deceased, more interesting inmates. The monster, played by David Prowse (Darth Vader in the early Star Wars films), has the best features of these poor, departed souls, but lacks an adequate brain. Did I mention he is also very hairy? I probably did, but it's worth mentioning again as the dude is almost ape-like. But what's this? We are soon introduced to an inmate whose intellect far surpasses even his keepers? I am sure that will come into play later...

Also starring is the comely Madeline Smith as Sarah, a mute resident, also known to the inmates as Angel. She acquired the moniker while being in the service of Dr. Karl as his assistant, and having the ability to deal with the crazy people with a quiet, gentle bedside manor.

With the aid of his young assistants, Sarah and Dr. Helder, Dr. Karl completes the hideous creature, and all seems a success. But is it? What happens when you play mix and match with body parts from various individuals, not to mention various mentally disturbed individuals? The success is soon overshadowed by problems as the creature begins to understand his own being, from whence he came.

I thought this was a great 'last hurrah' for Hammer and Fisher, despite some of the concessions made due to a smaller budget, i.e. the obvious use of miniatures when showing exteriors of the asylum and the stiff and unresponsive suit worn by Prowse. Most of the film takes place in the confined quarters of the asylum, giving the viewer a sense of being trapped in a nightmarish world within. I really enjoyed the camaraderie between Dr. Helder and Dr. Karl, and I can't help but wonder if the characterization was carried over into real life between the Briant and Cushing. There were also a few neat surprises that help to flesh out the story, adding depth to the characters, allowing for a real interest to develop for the viewer. The gore is present, but another reviewer has stated that some of the more gory aspects have not been included in the film. I couldn't help laughing at the scene when Dr. Karl and Dr. Helder are removing the 'old' brain from the creature and Dr. Karl unceremoniously drops it into a dish on the floor (just throw that anywhere) and then proceeds to trip on the dish, spilling the contents over the floor, his reaction being that of someone who just knocked over a bowl of milk for kitty. A nice, little touch.

The print here looks really good and sharp, and special features include a commentary by actress Madeline Smith, actor David Prowse, and horror historian Jonathan Sothcott, one which I haven't had an opportunity to listen to, but sounds to be interesting.

Cookieman108