The year 1957 marked the beginning of Hammer Studios’ Frankenstein franchise. Hammer was an old but smallish English studio, dipping its toe in the horror genre with this earnest film shot in a somewhat garish full color. (In fact, this was the first Frankenstein movie ever to be shot in color. ) To avoid a copyright lawsuit from Universal–the studio that had essentially created the cinematic Frankenstein look and story that we all know–Hammer had to give the picture its own look and storyline.
This film pairs two actors that would go on to define Hammer horror: Christopher Lee (who often played Hammer’s Dracula) and Peter Cushing (who generally played Victor Frankenstein). This was the first movie that featured them both. And there’s also Hazel Court, who offers two more distinctions for Hammer’s horror movies…
The Plot: A young Victor Frankenstein assumes the family fortune when his mother dies. He hires a tutor (Paul, who later becomes a colleague and friend) and learns about anatomy and various aspects of medical science. With Paul, Frankenstein embarks on various experiments with animals, and eventually learns the secrets of life. He then decides to move on to creating a human being out of corpse parts. His friend and assistant, Paul, is reluctant, and finally insists on ending the ordeal (after a woman enters the picture). But a creature is created (albeit with a damaged, or “abby-normal,” brain) and then escapes, killing a few people along the way. Ultimately the creature is put down…but Victor receives his comeuppance.
The Monster. The creature is played by an almost-unrecognizable Christopher Lee. With no speaking lines and limited screen time, he clearly plays second fiddle to Cushing’s Victor Frankenstein. The monster has a face that looks like it was sculpted from baked brie, and sports a perpetually confused look on his face. He looks more befuddled than aggressive, and has a very odd, goth coloring. He looks a little like George Harrison after a bad car crash.
The Atmosphere. This is a 19th-century period piece, using Victorian costumes, horse-drawn carriages, lots of wallpaper, and the usual mad-scientist laboratory equipment. And, given it’s a Hammer film, it includes a healthy dose of cleavage. Victor’s wife is played by a bosomy Hazel Court.
In contrast to Universal’s plodding, gothic, and shadowy films done in black and white, the Hammer films had their own distinct style: full, saturated color; sumptuous costumes; gratuitous gore; and scantily-clad damsels.It seemed to be what audiences of the era were looking for, I suppose. But when I watch this film, I can’t help but miss the gnarled oak trees, the wisps of fog, and the stagey feel that characterized Universal’s classic Frankenstein movies.
General Comments: This is a recognizable version of the basic Frankenstein story, with very predictable plot developments telegraphed clearly and painfully. Victor is a heartless cad, the creature is a one-dimensional hulk, and the maid (who is also Victor’s mistress) is unsympathetic. The only person we really root for is Victor’s friend Paul.
Still, Curse of Frankenstein is known by horror fans to have resurrected (if you’ll pardon the expression) the horror genre. It did remarkably well at the box office, and led to a handful of further Frankenstein sequels by Hammer (as well as a raft of Dracula movies, and various other horror entries.) As we’ll see later, Hammer eventually copied its own movie again in 1970.
Tomorrow: In the same year the Curse of Frankenstein was released, American International Pictures (AIP), a fairly schlocky studio, put out I Was a Teenage Frankenstein. With a title like that, you expect little. And, to paraphrase Frank-N-Furter, it’s what you receive…in abundance! It’s available on YouTube for free!
Chasing Phantoms 