Review of The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) by Matt F — 28 Oct 2010

Horror of Frankenstein was the sixth film in the Hammer Frankenstein canon and the only one not to star Peter Cushing as the titular scientist. But not the red-headed stepchild of the series as has been suggested by some. Quite the contrary, it's easy to dismiss because of its sardonic tongue in cheek take on the subject matter (and its notable lack of Cushing). I think many people take it as parody and stop there without giving it a chance.

In fact, I think the strongest point in its favor is Ralph Bates as Victor Frankenstein, reinventing the role and breaking out of the shadow of Cushing entirely. He could have very easily phoned it in, seeing the big shoes he had to fill. But instead he made the role his, envisioning the good doctor as a cold, callous prick for whom human life was incidental to his experiments and the end ALWAYS justified the means. It is a performance that bears strong comparisons to Jeffrey Combs' Herbert West in Re-Animator. And he had the youth, the looks and the flamboyant demeanor to come across convincing as a sneering, womanizing, grave-robbing dandy.

Horror of Frankenstein is, in my view, seconed maybe ONLY to Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed in the Hammer Frankenstein films.