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The Revenge of Frankenstein

The Revenge of Frankenstein

List Price: $19.94
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "Wonderfully complex study in lonelyness &social hypocrisy"
Review: After filming was finished on "The Horror of Dracula(1958)", Terence Fisher moved on wasting no time and started shooting a sequel to his "Curse of Frankenstein(1957)". Though while it would continue the story where "Curse" left off, Fisher deliberlty strayed far away as possible from the formula of his orginal, and dwelled more on a more personal take on the subject, a much more character-driven film, a little more Fisherian so to speak. And what unfolds is Fisher's wonderful view of the social hypocrisy of vitorian society, and it's many social orders, with at the same time explores the weak-minded simplitian's struggle in a society that lies and back-stabbs one another, a society in which an outcast of tragic cercimstances must find refuge from the people who denouce it and call it "Freak", one who feels that if he's like the common man, he won't be labeled uncommon. And to acomplish such as task, would have to call upon the "meaningful but misguided benifactor", who would be in this case,"The Baron". Fisher ingeniously removes the Baron Frankenstein from the usual hocus-pocus mad scientist formula, and injects him right into the very thing that the Baron despises the most, "Society". With it's everlasting forcing of hypocrtical views, that one can not help but side with the Baron. When it almost looks as though it's definate that the Baron finally gives the tortured soul a new body which would finnaly lift that curse , and at the same time shrine the Baron amoung the immortals of science, fullfilling both mens desires, society flushes it down the toilet by calling upon "ignorance". In this case ignorance is shaped in the form of a bumbling drunken janitor, who ruthlessly beats the Baron's experimental volunteer, resluting it back into it's democially depressed form, gaining canibal-like tendices, going on a killing excursion. This all gains the intrests of Carlsbruck's hypocrtical medical board, which gives them the chance to flush out that threat,that very thing they call evil.....or in other words their competion in the medical business..The Baron himself. Near the end in a stunning scene, executed with exellence by Fisher, the Depressed manic, justably name Karl, erupts distrubing a social event by clashing through some french windows , here the creature finds himself back in the begoded old world, in which he was transported from, to find himself back and defeated into that very world that denounced him, at the same time anouncing the Baron's down-fall. In the end, it seems that soceity's ignorance has one the battle, but it's the Baron who made a fool of society and whipped the floor with them, as he sets up another practice to continue his battle, and claim victory over his scientific desires. Fisher would tend to go more personal with the Frankenstein subject as he ventured on, starting with his Masterful "Frankenstein Created Woman(1967)." Which would push the whole Frankenstein-mirror image to it's fullest and finnaly to it's max with his masterpiece "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed(1969)"

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

Grade: A- 93%

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: BORING BORING BORING....
Review: Definitely not one of Hammer's better films. They just didn't know how to make a Frankenstein film. Cushing is back but the horror isn't. Again, acting and production values are fine---they just forgot to add the horror this time. Instead we have a dull movie that leaves you wondering what audience did they intend this for...you got a laboratory, a hospital, an assistant and a pretty girl but where's the monster? Just a fairly regular looking joe with stiches here and there. And he's literate! And he has a conscience. From a transplanted brain? I passed on this one and can't recommend it. I just don't see what other people see in it. It's just plain boring...

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Rather effective Hammer Horror movie
Review: effective second movie in the Hammer Horror Frankenstein series, that once again features Peter Cushing who plays the morally bankrupt scientist who continues his experiments to prove his theories to science. The Low budget film is boosted by the performances of the actors and the well written screen play.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic sequel looks great on DVD
Review: Few sequels live up to the expectations of the original. By taking a completely different approach (dropping the monster in favor of following the much more interesting Dr)than the Universal series of films, Hammer actually kept the series from becoming routine... What matters most, though, is the sharp writing, performances and intelligent direction.

Jimmy Sangster's script abandons all the history attached to the previous films and focuses on many of the issues that drove Mary Shelly's classic novel. He also focuses on the driven, obsessed Baron Frankenstein. Clearly this script (or film) had an impact on Christopher Isherwood's Frankenstein: The True Story filmed two decades later. Peter Cushing gives a skilled, sharp performance and, as usual, he is the film's secret weapon. He could play the phone book and make it interesting. This is one of his best performances in a genre film. Francis Mathews also gives a sharp performance as a doctor that becomes Dr. Stein's pupil.

The DVD looks stunning given the age of the negative. The colors are rich and the wide screen image has been preserved. The extras include the original trailer and production stills from the film. A running commentary from a Hammer film historian or someone involved in the production of the film would have been interesting. Perhaps that will happen when the next generation of high definition DVDs are available. Regardless, this is a fine film that has finally become available again for the first time in years. Snap it up while you can before this disappears as so often happens to Hammer films on video.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: More Good Stuff From Hammer
Review: Halloween is a good time to dip into the classic horror library, and there are few classics better than the Hammer horror films. Revenge of Frankenstein is the sequel to Hammer's successful Curse of Frankenstein. Peter Cushing returns as the good doctor. Having escaped the gallows 3 years prior, Dr. Frankenstein is living and practicing medicine in Germany under the name Dr. Stein. He splits his time between a successful practice and treating the poor. Of course he has not abandoned his research in creating life. His work with the poor serves as a good source of "materials". In this film he transports the brain of a disfigured assistant into a new body. Unfortunately, all does not go smoothly and Dr. Frankenstein once again becomes a wanted man.

I like the course Hammer took with the Frankenstein films. They focused on the "real monster" instead of resurrecting the same creature over and over. Cushing is always a pleasure to watch and he plays the role perfectly. The picture quality on the DVD is very good and is presented in widescreen format. There are some very minor scratches, etc. visible here and there, but they are minor and I doubt the film has ever looked this good. Colors are fairly sharp and clear, though not quite as good as the Warner release of "Curse". The sound is crisp and audible with virtually no hissing. There are virtually no extras on the disc save for a couple of stills and a trailer.

If you are looking to start a Hammer library, this disc should be high on your list just behind the aforementioned "Curse of Frankenstein" and "Horror of Dracula".

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: More Good Stuff From Hammer
Review: Halloween is a good time to dip into the classic horror library, and there are few classics better than the Hammer horror films. Revenge of Frankenstein is the sequel to Hammer's successful Curse of Frankenstein. Peter Cushing returns as the good doctor. Having escaped the gallows 3 years prior, Dr. Frankenstein is living and practicing medicine in Germany under the name Dr. Stein. He splits his time between a successful practice and treating the poor. Of course he has not abandoned his research in creating life. His work with the poor serves as a good source of "materials". In this film he transports the brain of a disfigured assistant into a new body. Unfortunately, all does not go smoothly and Dr. Frankenstein once again becomes a wanted man.

I like the course Hammer took with the Frankenstein films. They focused on the "real monster" instead of resurrecting the same creature over and over. Cushing is always a pleasure to watch and he plays the role perfectly. The picture quality on the DVD is very good and is presented in widescreen format. There are some very minor scratches, etc. visible here and there, but they are minor and I doubt the film has ever looked this good. Colors are fairly sharp and clear, though not quite as good as the Warner release of "Curse". The sound is crisp and audible with virtually no hissing. There are virtually no extras on the disc save for a couple of stills and a trailer.

If you are looking to start a Hammer library, this disc should be high on your list just behind the aforementioned "Curse of Frankenstein" and "Horror of Dracula".

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The revenge of Hammer productions
Review: In this addition to the series Dr. Victor Fankenstein (Peter Cushing) escapes hanging and is soon back to his old tricks. While walking through a graveyard the supposedly deceased Frankenstein comes across a grave robber and greets him "Good evening, I am Frankenstein" resulting in the robber having a heart attack and falling into the open grave!
Frankenstein soon gets back to practising medicine under the alias Dr. Stein; but a medical student soon discovers his true identity and threatens to expose Frankenstein unless he takes him on as his protege. Frankenstein reluctantly agrees and the pair soon embark on their first experiment- transplanting the brain of a partially paralysed man into a healthy new corpse (that doesn't sound right). Peter Cushing is good, the production atmospheric and the script above average. Not a classic, but recommended to horror fans nevertheless.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Curse was just the beginning
Review: Just when we thought we had the Baron on the guillotine, a clergyman was substituted and Peter Cushing returns to set up shop in a new village. Terence Fisher directs and does an admirable job of creating Hammer atmosphere. The creature is doing fine until the body it was transplanted into returns to the hunchbacked figure it was transferred from. All hell breaks loose and the Baron, already under scrutiny by the local medical board, is attacked by the patients he butchered in his hospital for the poor. However,the Baron's brilliant assistant comes to the.....but that's another story

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hammer's FRANKENSTEIN masterpiece...
Review: Like Universal's classic "Bride of Frankenstein", Hammer's REVENGE sequel surpasses its founding predecessor. The acting of Peter Cushing is superb as he portrays the utterly conscienceless, driven aristocrat-scientist. Baron Frankenstein himself is the focus of the film and neither "a monster" nor Hammer's justly-reputed atmospherics or production values are allowed to distract the viewer from the story of a man who icily defies the laws of God and Man. The story begins with the Baron's escape from execution. It moves immediately to Frankenstein's hospital-laboratory where under the guise of the elegantly insolent Dr. Stein, the Baron renews his project: to make a Man in the image and likeness of...? The final scene provides an answer even Shelley's novel did not portend or imply. Peter Cushing's Baron Frankenstein is the evil incarnation of the Nietzschean "superman", pursuing the ultimate knowledge of good and evil as an anti-Creator doing homage to himself. Hammer's REVENGE of FRANKENSTEIN may be the greatest and most frightening of all the Frankenstein films because it does not hedge its "bets" nor dilute them with FX razzle-dazzel. The film does pack a "Hammer's" wallop because its true theme is a study of THE BEAST......

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Superior Hammer Frank film
Review: Right up there with Horror of Dracula(my fave Hammer) and The Hound of the Baskervilles, this Hammer gem has all of the lovely technicolor Victorian atmosphere and macabre tendencies exhibited by title character. Cushing, as always, plays the Doctor wonderfully. Ol Peter could always be counted on to make even the worst Hammer film tolerable.
Film is right on cue with regard to continuity. We are taken to the guillitione(its as if Terence just kept filiming right after "Curse") and the good doctor cheats death only to continue brain experiments while working as a doctor for the filthy rabble by day. SEQUEL:THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN


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