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Late to the Party: The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Published

8 years ago

October 4, 2016

Is Christopher Lee the definitive Frankenstein?

No. After watching Hammer’s The Curse of Frankenstein, I can confidently say that he is not. He makes a great one, but he is not the ultimate monster. Oh, and by the way, the monster can appropriately be called Frankenstein. It’s technically Victor Frankenstein’s son, so his last name would be Frankenstein. Just sayin’. Moving on!

“DID YOU EAT MY LAST TWINKIE!? WHAT DID I TELL YOU!?”

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) does a lot of things right. For one thing, the monster here is downright terrifying. Christopher Lee plays the creation here, and although his iconic voice is missed, his stature, paired with the wonderfully terrifying makeup, makes for a very effective creature. In 1957, the monster (in full color, no less) would have horrified audiences through and through. The first Hammer Horror film would feature more blood, more color, and more terror than the Universal Studios version from 1931.

The frights are here indeed, but they are few and far between. The film underutilizes Christopher Lee in an almost criminal way; the focus is more on the relationship dynamics between Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), his tutor-turned-assistant Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), and Frankenstein’s arranged fiancee, Elizabeth (Hazel Court). Straying from both the Universal film and the original novel, Victor Frankenstein is an absolute madman here. An evil genius; strong emphasis on evil. He will go on to kill people for his creation. He will treat people like dirt, only to come to them for help when he needs them. He will have no regard for anyone besides himself and completing his project – which, as you can guess, is animating a body pieced together from separate parts.

The cinematography in this film is one of the best parts about it. The Curse of Frankenstein makes clever use of zooming and also framing; not something you’d expect from a monster flick from the late 1950’s. Set design and coloration are both given much detail. The film is expertly made and is a joy to watch. It’s always refreshing to watch a monster film and have everything given proper attention, as opposed to only t
he main attraction.

So, maybe in that regard, I’m wrong about my assessment of Christopher Lee being underutilized. Maybe that’s exactly the point. The scenes in which he is shown on film are highly effective, and not only because he looks scary. There are scenes which exemplify extreme pity; the monster is eventually shot and the brain is damaged. Once revived, it is like a pathetic dog, chained up and forced to behave like a puppet. My heart sank at the sight of this, making me feel angry towards the mad doctor and his selfishness and the embarrassment that this creature who never asked to be created is forced to feel. While it lacks the playfulness that Universal’s picture had, it makes up for it in stern emotion and psychological themes.

Peter Cushing steals the show in the film.

I have nothing but praise for Cushing; while he is best known in recent years for being Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars, he may be the best Victor Frankenstein that I’ve ever seen. Though I still believe the great Boris Karloff is the perfect monster, there has not been an actor yet who is capable of topping Cushing’s performance as the mad doctor. It’s so heavy that I can almost describe the film as a dramatic play featuring a grotesque beast to amplify the emotional aspect of it. It’s a monster movie, and there’s no way around that, but it’s just as much a display of a cruel lack of morality.

If you go into this film expecting a corny monster movie, you are going to be disappointed. It’s not. It’s a deep film, though it may not seem that way at the surface; it’s what Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from 1994 should have bee. This film was around 40 years earlier and contains a much bigger impact. The Curse of Frankenstein is a film that should be watched with your full attention, not just thrown on the television in the background of a Halloween party.

But most importantly is what this movie did for Hammer. Christopher Lee would return as Count Dracula in 1958 with The Horror of Dracula, which will go onto being one of the best Dracula films ever made. The world of Hammer Horror is expansive and scary; had there been no Curse of Frankenstein, we may have never been able to say that.

Read the rest of the articles in Late to the Party by clicking here!

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

5 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

6 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

8 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.