Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Directed by	Terence Fisher
Written by	Bert Batt
Starring	Peter Cushing Freddie Jones Simon Ward Veronica Carlson Thorley Walters Geoffrey Bayldon Maxine Audley
Music by	James Bernard
Cinematography	Arthur Grant
Distributed by	Warner (Seven Arts)
Release date(s)	1969
Country	UK
Preceded by	Frankenstein Created Woman
Followed by	The Horror of Frankenstein
IMDb profile

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed is a British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Film Productions in 1969. The cast includes Peter Cushing (Baron Frankenstein), Freddie Jones (the Creature), Veronica Carlson and Simon Ward. The film is the fifth in a series of Hammer films centering on Dr. Frankenstein. It was preceded by Frankenstein Created Woman and was followed by Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell in the series however an uncanon Frankenstein film starring Ralph Bates was made in between, the film was called The Horror of Frankenstein and is generally considered a comedy.

In a sense, Frankenstein Must Be Destoyed comes closest of all Hammer's films to Mary Shelley's original concept. For the first time, the Baron's creation is a sensitive, articulate, misunderstood being who finally turns the tables on and destroys his maker.

The Baron is at his most ruthless here. He had begun life in The Curse of Frankenstein as a hopeless disciple of scientific progress at all costs, and capable of murder to further his own ends. He had mellowed slightly in The Revenge of Frankenstein, taken on a heroic dimension in The Evil of Frankenstein, and even become almost fatherly in Frankenstein Created Woman. But in Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, he is not above blackmail, rape, and murder.

[edit] Plot

Baron Victor Frankenstein is staying at a Boarding House while a former fellow-scientist resides in a nearby Insane asylum, slowly dying through lack of oxygen in the brain.

After discovering that the Landlady and her lover are both Cocaine addicts, Frankenstein blackmails them to help to transfer the brain of his friend into another body, thus saving him.

While he recovers, Frankenstein and the lovers relocate the Creature to a deserted manor house on the outskirts of London as the police begin to close in. The Creature awakens, and horrified by his appearance, escapes to his wife, who is too terrified to believe he is her husband. Wanting revenge, he pours paraffin around the house and allows his wife to go free.

Meanwhile, Frankenstein notices the Creature has escaped and kills the lovers. Heading to the house, the Creature sets it alight, stating:

"...You must choose between the flames and the police, Frankenstein..."

After attempting escape, the Creature carries Frankenstein screaming into the flaming house.

[edit] Trivia

• The scene where Frankenstein rapes Anna was filmed over the objections of both Peter Cushing and Veronica Carlson. It was cut from most prints on the film's original release, but has been re-instated on the DVD release.

[edit] External links

• Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed at the Internet Movie Database

Hammer Frankenstein films
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) | The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) | The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) | Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) | Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) | The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) | Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974)