Witness the curse of Frankenstein Frankenstein's monster is one of the most enduring characters in literature and film. Created by the mad scientist, Victor Frankenstein, the monster is a symbol of fear and the consequences of playing God. The curse of Frankenstein is not only confined to Frankenstein himself, but also extends to society as a whole. The main theme of the curse of Frankenstein is the dangers of unchecked ambition and science without ethical boundaries. Victor Frankenstein becomes consumed by his desire to create life, to be like God. He obsessively pursues his experiment, ignoring the moral and ethical implications of his actions.
The Baron marries the beautiful Elizabeth and has a life filled with creature comforts, but refuses to acknowledge his life is a failure–even in the last shot when Paul doesn’t corroborate his story and he’s being led by the jailers to the guillotine.
which for twenty years was just another British B-picture house until 1955, when they produced The Quatermass Xperiment , a watershed moment in violent horror sci-fi, a major hit, and - more importantly - a major hit in the United States , where British film companies rarely made serious inroads, then or even now. Victor moves on with his experiment and eventually creates The Monster Christopher Lee ; however, after an incident earlier in the movie in which the intended brain is accidently damaged after being knocked off a table, his creation isn t as perfectly realized as he had hoped.
He obsessively pursues his experiment, ignoring the moral and ethical implications of his actions. This hubris ultimately leads to his downfall and the unleashing of a monster into the world. The monster itself becomes a tragic figure, rejected by society and plagued by loneliness and despair.
Witness the curse of Frankenstein
(director: Terence Fisher; screenwriters: Jimmy Sangster/ based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley ; cinematographer: Jack Asher ; editor: James Needs; music: James Bernard; cast: Peter Cushing (Baron Victor Frankenstein), Christopher Lee (The Creature), Hazel Court (Elizabeth), Robert Urquhart ( Paul Krempe), Paul Hardtmuth (Professor Bernstein), Valerie Gaunt (Justine, maid), Noel Hood (Aunt Sophia), Fred Johnson (Grandpa), Marjorie Hume (Mother) , Melvyn Hayes (Frankenstein as a boy), Alex Gallier (Priest) ; Runtime: 83; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Anthony Hinds ; Warner Bros.; 1957-UK)
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The breakthrough film for Terence Fisher (“The Mummy”/”The Gorgon”/”The Brides of Dracula”), which marked the start of Hammer’s successful commercial run on horror pics. The studio specialized in redoing popular period horror films in color and with more graphic violence and sex. If compared to the James Whale “Frankenstein”(1931), where Boris Karloff played the monster, this pic doesn’t fair that well. In this pic the self-absorbed craven arrogant scientist, Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), is the monster and the monster he creates, played by Christopher Lee (with a lousy rag-tag make-up job and not much of a personality, and veering between being pathetic and menacing), is only the secondary monster. This film revitalized the British film industry, establishing Hammer Studios as an internationally renown production company. But I didn’t find it impressive, in fact I found the pic tacky, stiff and not that involving. The screenplay by Jimmy Sangster gets all the diabolical drama possible out of Mary Shelley’s classic shocking novel, but not its lyrical value .
It opens with Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) in a country Swiss jail, charged with murder and set to be guillotined, who gets his wish to see a priest, not for salvation of his soul but to tell him his crazy creation story and claim the monster is the killer and not him so he can avoid facing execution. The Baron appears to be a raving lunatic, because there’s no evidence that a monster exists.
We then follow through flashbacks the Baron’s story, starting with his youth as an orphan, living with his aunt ( Noel Hood) and cousin Elizabeth ( Hazel Court). A new tutor, Paul Krempe ( Robert Urquhart), was hired to help him discover the keys to life and the upstairs portion of his mansion was set up as an experimental laboratory. Soon the pupil surpasses in knowledge his tutor, who becomes his assistant. When a dead puppy was revived, the Baron believes he’s onto something and becomes obsessed with creating the perfect specimen and showing up the smug scientific community with his superior knowledge. Though a cultured and brilliant man, the Baron’s ego is unchecked and he becomes ruthless in getting only what he wants no matter the inhumane cost.
The Baron procures the body of a hanged highwayman and to get the brain he wants, the Baron pushes a genius mathematician ( Paul Hardtmuth) over his castle’s railing. He uses extortion to get Paul’s reluctant help. The lower-class maid (Valerie Gaunt) is used as a sex object. The Baron only laughs at her when she says he promised her marriage. When she threatens to go to the authorities to report his unauthorized experiment, the aristocrat locks her in the lab and allows the monster to rip her apart.
The Baron plans to marry his cousin Elizabeth, whom he accidentally shoots when the monster escapes from the lab. In the end, no one else but Paul has seen the monster (who is brought back from the dead and escapes, but is killed when catching on fire from an oil lamp and falling through the skylight into an acid bath). When Paul visits the jail, he refuses to acknowledge the presence of a monster. The Baron will go to his death blaming Paul for ruining his creation by shooting the monster in the eye and thereby ruining his perfect brain. The Baron will not recognize that he has become a monster, not even caring that his creation killed an innocent blind grandfather and the others.
The Baron marries the beautiful Elizabeth and has a life filled with creature comforts, but refuses to acknowledge his life is a failure–even in the last shot when Paul doesn’t corroborate his story and he’s being led by the jailers to the guillotine.
It was made on a low budget of $250,000 and took in over $7 million in the international market. The lurid film set the regrettable trend for such cheesy, nasty and deplorable horror pics; though one must admit these Hammer pics all had style.
REVIEWED ON 10/30/2010 GRADE: B-
(director: Terence Fisher; screenwriters: Jimmy Sangster/ based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley ; cinematographer: Jack Asher ; editor: James Needs; music: James Bernard; cast: Peter Cushing (Baron Victor Frankenstein), Christopher Lee (The Creature), Hazel Court (Elizabeth), Robert Urquhart ( Paul Krempe), Paul Hardtmuth (Professor Bernstein), Valerie Gaunt (Justine, maid), Noel Hood (Aunt Sophia), Fred Johnson (Grandpa), Marjorie Hume (Mother) , Melvyn Hayes (Frankenstein as a boy), Alex Gallier (Priest) ; Runtime: 83; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Anthony Hinds ; Warner Bros.; 1957-UK)
With his grotesque appearance, he is unable to find acceptance in the world. The monster's actions, although born out of anger and revenge, can also be seen as a result of society's rejection and mistreatment of him. The curse of Frankenstein is not limited to the creation of the monster, but encompasses the way society treats those who are different or misunderstood. As witnesses to the curse of Frankenstein, we are forced to confront the consequences of our own actions and the responsibility we have towards the creations we bring into the world. It serves as a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of unchecked scientific progress and the importance of compassion and understanding towards those who may be different from us. In conclusion, the curse of Frankenstein is a timeless tale that explores themes of ambition, responsibility, and the perils of societal rejection. It serves as a warning to humanity about the dangers of playing God and the importance of valuing and accepting those who may be different from us. Only by witnessing and understanding the curse of Frankenstein can we hope to break free from its grasp and create a better world..
Reviews for "The Curse of Frankenstein Returns: A New Generation Faces the Monster"
1. Bob - 2/5 - I went into "Witness the Curse of Frankenstein" with high hopes, but I was sorely disappointed. The film lacked depth and substance, and it felt like a cheap imitation of the classic Frankenstein story. The acting was subpar, with wooden performances that failed to evoke any emotions from me. The special effects were also underwhelming, and the scares were predictable and unoriginal. Overall, I found the film to be a forgettable and uninspiring experience.
2. Lisa - 1/5 - "Witness the Curse of Frankenstein" was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. The plot was incoherent and confusing, and the characters were poorly developed. I found it hard to follow along with the storyline, and the pacing was off. The film failed to generate any genuine scares or create a tense atmosphere. The lackluster special effects and shoddy makeup only added to my disappointment. I would not recommend wasting your time on this film.
3. Mike - 2/5 - As a fan of the Frankenstein story, I was excited to watch "Witness the Curse of Frankenstein". However, the film failed to live up to my expectations. The script was weak and lacked originality, offering nothing new or interesting to the Frankenstein mythos. The performances were lackluster, and the characters felt one-dimensional. The film relied too heavily on jump scares and gore, neglecting to build suspense or tension. Overall, "Witness the Curse of Frankenstein" was a missed opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to the iconic story.