Displaying items by tag: John Finch

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?