Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974)

Neolithic Lobotomy Gone Astray.

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell is directed by Terence Fisher and written by John Elder (AKA: Anthony Hinds). It stars Peter Cushing, David Prowse, Shane Briant, Madeline Smith and John Stratton. Music is by James Bernard and cinematography by Brian Probyn.

Working under the name of Doctor Victor, Baron Victor Frankenstein (Cushing) is head physician at an asylum for the criminally insane. When Simon Helder (Briant), a gifted doctor himself and a follower of Frankenstein’s work, is committed to the asylum on sentence of sorcery, the pair quickly form a partnership that will unleash Frankenstein’s latest project…

Actually made in 1972 but released two years later, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell came out as Hammer Horror was li...

_**Formidable monster and nice Gothic ambiance, but too simple and drab**_

Hammer Studios did 7 Frankenstein films in 17 years from the late 50s to early 70s as follows:

1. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957); 2. The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958); 3. The Evil of Frankenstein (1964); 4. Frankenstein Created Woman (1967); 5. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969); 6. The Horror of Frankenstein (1970); and 7. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974).

Peter Cushing played Baron Frankenstein in every one of these except "The Horror of Frankenstein." The reason being "Horror" was a remake of the original story and they needed a much younger actor to play the role; they chose Ralph Bates (who superbly plays the love-to-hate satanist in "Taste the Blood of Dracula," released the same ye...

Certainly the most colourfully gory of the Hammer "Frankenstein" films and I think therein lies the problem. This is simply a rehash of so many earlier iterations; but there is nothing at all left to your imagination. The ruthless Peter Cushing ("Baron Frankenstein") has some more scientifically accurate dialogue but Shane Brent as his able, deviously ambitious, assistant seems to offer little more than eye-candy, as does Madeleine Smith as "Sarah". Notable for me is that the anthropoid monster is played by David Prowse long before he found his fame in a black cape. Having been given the brain of a professor, the monster looks in the mirror and sees his reflection and not surprisingly, gets a tiny bit cross. It's well made, this - the last feature from Terence Fisher - but offers little mo...