Thursday 16 September 2010

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (4 Stars)


The last of the Hammer Frankenstein films, this was better than the previous three. The setting of an old mental asylum conjurs up a gothic atmosphere as eerie as any of the early Hammer films. Unfortunately the film contains the least realistic of all the monsters. His arms look like they're made of leather, not skin.

Noteworthy is the small part played by Patrick Troughton, one of my personal favorite actors. It's a mystery to me that he was never given any big film roles, the peak of his film career being "The Omen". Even when he played small roles he overshadowed the actors around him.

Madeline Smith was (in my opinion) the most beautiful actress of the 1970's. It's a shame that her body stays covered up in this film. More of her is on view in "The Vampire Lovers".

I can't be 100% certain, but isn't that Liz Gebhardt cradling a baby for about 30 seconds in the penultimate scene? She isn't credited, but it looks like her.

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