Displaying items by tag: Jimmy Sangster

HORRORS OF FRANKENSTEIN

UK, 1970, 95 minutes, Colour.

Ralph Bates, Kate O'Mara, Graham James, Dennis Price, David Prowse, Jon Finch, Bernard Archard, James Hayter, Joan Rice, Veronica Carlson, James Cossins.

Directed by Jimmy Sangster.

In the 1950s, Hammer Studios began a series of films focusing on Frankenstein, Curse of…, Evil of… And Dr Frankenstein was played by Peter Cushing. He does not appear in this film, from 1970, the writer of the first two films, Jimmy Sangster, writer of other horror films, coming again to this theme and directing the film.

Dr Frankenstein, younger, is played by Ralph Bates, arrogant, narcissistic, cruel, killing the opposition, a ladies’ man… And the film capitalising on the more explicit presentations of sexuality and nudity that emerged during the 1960s.

Mary Shelley’s original stories are echoed but the film takes the narrative beyond her original novel.

For fans of the horror films from Hammer Studios – but it does not have the inspiration and quality, style and tone of the original two films.

1. The work of Mary Shelley? 18 century? Science and fantasy? Scientist playing God? Creation of creatures, monsters? This variation on characters created by Mary Shelley?
2. The setting, Germany/Austria, castles, the forests, costumes and decor? The interiors of the Frankenstein Council? The laboratory?
3. The interpretation of Victor Frankenstein, Ralph Bates’ presence and performance, style? Seen in class, drawing, reminded of the teacher, the punishment and Victor’s refusal, his challenging of the teacher, overcoming him? His friendship with William? The presence of the women in the class and the attraction to Victor? The graduation and his return home, with William?
4. The scene with his father, his father, sexual liaison with Alice, his demands on his son, refusal for his education? Victor, the gun, altering it, hunting, his father’s death? The funeral? His inheritance?
5. The character of Victor Frankenstein here, young, obsessed, narcissistic, obsessive, sociopathic, science, his aims, playing God, creation, but a creator more like Satan than God? His behaviour in the Castle, his reliance on Alice, sexual, criticising her cooking, bringing in Stephan? His continued work with William and William support?
6. Employing the gravedigger, having the arm and stealing it from the University, the various body parts, the number of deaths, his drawing of the human body and numbering its parts, filling in the parts?
7. Elizabeth, her father, the encounter with the highway men, William wanting to help, Victor and his shrewdness, the rescue, shooting the highway man? Henry, police, past friendship, the investigations?
8. The meal with Elizabeth and her father, poisoning him, his death, the gravedigger getting his skull, the brain, the scratch and the deterioration, preserving the brain?
9. The doctor, his concern about Victor, his visit, his being electrocuted? The gravedigger, his money, greed, putting him in the that? The unscrupulous deaths?
10. Elizabeth, her property, coming to the Castle, in love with Viktor, his being willing to have a recipe housekeeper?
11. The experiments with William, William and his suspicions, critique, deciding to leave, Victor killing him?
12. The final creation of the creature, the experiments with the animals, electric power bringing them to life, the turtle? The appearance of the creature, giant, not speaking? Victor and his controlling him?
13. The creature, out in the countryside, the little girl, the deaths, Henry and the police investigation, Stephane and his being blamed? Imprisoned? Victor’s callous this interest in everything, his lies, covering? The attack on Elizabeth, her testimony, Henry arriving?
14. Victor and his sessions with the creature, the police search of the house, Victor and his hiding the creature – in the bath? The little girl playing, turning the taps, the acid, the destruction of the creature, the skeleton?
15. Leaving Victor for further experimentation?

LUST FOR A VAMPIRE

UK, 1971, 93 minutes, Colour.

Barbara Jefford, Ralph Bates, Susanna Leigh, Yutte Stensgaard, Michael Johnson, Helen Christie, Mike Raven, Christopher Cunningham, Harvey Hall, Michael Brennan, Jack Telford, Christopher Neame..

Directed by Jimmy Sangster.

This is a film from Hammer Studios, based on writings by Sheridan Le Fanu, the Irish writer who preceded Bram Stoker with vampire stories. Two other films were associated with this feature, The Vampire Lovers and Twins of Evil.

Hammer had moved into horror films in the 1950s with Frankenstein and Dracula stories, featuring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and ensemble casts. By 1970, with the 60s enabling more “open” storytelling, especially in sexuality sequences, this film tries to capitalise on this, especially the setting and the finishing school of glamorous young adult women.

The basic plot is the familiar one, a Castle of vampires and their emerging every 40 years, wreaking harm on the village, the village people up in arms and finally storming the castle. Interestingly, they call on a bishop to lead them in the siege, his praying, restraining them and urging that vampires are killed by a stake through the heart. And, of course, they can be repelled by a cross or a crucifix.

An affluent and rather arrogant novelist appears doing some research, becomes infatuated with one of the young women who disappears. In the meantime, a sinister count appears, looking like a younger and minor Christopher Lee (whose actual eyes are used in a final confrontation scene) who is able to resurrect the daughter of the castle who then insinuates herself into the school, falling in love with the author, vaporising the very prim teacher and researcher who is infatuated with her (played by Ralph Bates who also appeared in Horror of Frankenstein). And there is the mysterious Countess played by Barbara Jefford.

Hammer films were always intriguing, sometimes classics, sometimes exploitative, especially in the later years, as with this film.