Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

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Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

Movie Poster
Directed by Terence Fisher
Produced by Roy Skeggs
Written by Anthony Hinds
Starring Peter Cushing, David Prowse, Shane Briant, Madeline Smith, John Stratton, Bernard Lee, Charles Lloyd Pack, Patrick Troughton
Music by James Bernard
Cinematography Brian Probyn
Editing by James Needs
Language English
IMDb profile
Peter Cushing in his final appearance as the Baron in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Peter Cushing in his final appearance as the Baron in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is a 1974 British horror film from Hammer Film Productions. It was directed by Terence Fisher and starred Peter Cushing and David Prowse. It was the final chapter in Hammer's Frankenstein series of films, and director Fisher's final feature.

It was filmed in 1972 at Elstree Studios, but was not released until 1974.

Contents

[edit] Production

This was Hammer's final Frankenstein entry. Some fans of the genre and of Hammer films in particular think it's masterful and others deem it a real low point.

The ultra low budget does show in Scott MacGregor's claustrophobic sets, unconvincing miniatures, and the monster's get-up is obviously a pull-over mask designed by Eddie Knight (though the monster is unique in the annals of Frankenstein cinema). But Fisher's direction and Cushing's consummate performance (adding complete madness this time to the character) display a true dedication to this kind of cinema, and the confinement of the asylum only adds to the doomed, somber mood. Prowse, who is now universally better known as the man who played (but did not voice) Darth Vader and who essayed the role of the monster in The Horror of Frankenstein, is able to give the part some empathy.

[edit] Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In this final film in the series, the Baron (Cushing) is housed at an insane asylum. He has been made a surgeon at the asylum, and has a number of privileges, as he holds secret information on the asylum's corrupt director (John Stratton). He uses his position to continue his experiments in creating mankind.

When Simon Helder (Shane Briant), a young doctor and fan of the Baron's work, arrives as an inmate, the Baron takes him under his wing as an apprentice. Together they work on a new creature. Unbeknownst to Simon, however, Frankenstein is acquiring body parts by murdering his patients. When the creature - lumbering, hirsute and dumb - is complete, it is bitter and intent on revenge.

The Baron's new experiment is the hulking, ape-like Herr Schneider (David Prowse), a homicidal inmate whom Frankenstein has kept alive after a violent suicide attempt and has grafted on the hands of a recently deceased sculptor (Bernard Lee). Since Frankenstein's hands were badly burnt in the name of science, the shabby stitch-work was done by Sarah (Madeline Smith), a beautiful mute girl who is nicknamed "Angel" who assists him. When Simon tells the Baron that he is a surgeon, the problem is solved.

Soon new eyes and a new brain are given to the creature in horror gore fashion. The creature ultimately runs amuck in the insane asylum.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Credits

[edit] Trivia


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)
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