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FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL Starring Peter Cushing, Shane Bryant, Madeline Smith and David Prowse
Hammer Studios was the UK's answer to the Universal cycle of horror films. The late 1950s brought forth classics such as Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, Curse of the Werewolf and The Mummy. Becoming instant hits worldwide, Hammer continued to churn out variations of the Dracula and Frankenstein stories in the 1960s, while also venturing into the fresh territories of the undead, mysteries and witchcraft films. By the mid-1970s, Hammer was shutting down as harder R-rated fare was giving the studio stiff competition. Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is the last in a series of very successful Frankenstein-themed films. A hard movie to get a hold of in a high-quality home format (the only official US video version available was Paramount/Gateway's EP-speed, heavily cut VHS - missing a couple of minutes of gore), this film has finally been released by Paramount on DVD.
Dr. Simon Helder is a doctor studying from the legendary Dr. Frankenstein's collected works. When it is discovered that he has been using dead body parts in experiments intended to create a new, living man, he is arrested, tried and sentenced to live in the state asylum for the criminally insane. The young doctor finds out that Dr. Frankenstein had been sentenced by the same court for the same crime, and had died while in the asylum. When Dr. Helder arrives at the asylum, he is abused by the guards; however, the mysterious Dr. Frankenstein appears, and seemingly with great authority. After an initial examination by Dr. Frankenstein, Helder is informed by Frankenstein that his death was staged and that he is resident practitioner. Frankenstein further indicated that he gained such a high position because he was well aware of the abuse and corruption that was prevalent at the hands of the staff and the strange director, Klaus. Helder then gains the position of medical doctor, and along with another patient named Sarah (or "The Angel"), he assists Dr. Frankenstein with his experiments.
The patients at the asylum have their own unique personalities - and reasons - for being inmates. Among them are Professor Darindale, a mathematical genius who also has an aptitude for the violin; Talmud, a sculptor whose brain has wasted away; Schneider, an animalistic throwback with enormous strength. As the patients meet their demise, the Professor's brain is transplanted into Schneider's head and Talmud's dexterous hands are transplanted onto the creature's arms. A turn of events lead to the creature escaping and running wild, killing the director and facing an angry, armed mob of lunatics.....
All good things come to an end, and Hammer was no exception. The same year brought gorier and more modern-style Frankenstein films; the X-rated Warhol's Flesh for Frankenstein and the obscure - yet harsh - Frankenstein '80. Hammer was following the trend with scenes of graphic brain surgery, slashed throats and disembowelments. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell is presented by Paramount 1.85:1, enhanced for 16x9 televisions. The image is sharp, colorful and bright. However, the print used sparked much controversy amongst listserv and bulletin board members. The version on the disc is the trimmed R-rated version; an insert shot of Talmud's bloody stumps, an extended shot of the asylum director's slashed throat and some extended gore from the film's climax were cut out of the film. In addition, the surgery scenes were shortened, notably the "eye" surgery and the ever-infamous "hand" surgery, where Dr. Frankenstein goes to the extreme of clamping a squirting artery shut with his teeth. Uncut versions of Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell have been available through German and Japanese releases, and most recently, a Region 2 German release. Many fans argued over whether or not the purchase was worth it - a cut film vs. a cheap price (in some instances, the film has been sold in retail chains for as little as $5.00). It actually is better than watching the Paramount/Gateway VHS, which is missing a great deal more gore than the already-cut R-rated release.
The Dolby Digital Mono sound is nice and clean. Not punchy, but even. There are no distracting pops or hissing. The only extra on this disc is an audio commentary track with actors David Prowse (the monster) and Madeline Smith (the Angel). This track does not consist of much production information, but does contain interesting anecdotes.
This release is a mixed bag when one considers the fact that Paramount's DVD is the cut R-rated version. The film does, however, carry a favorable price tag. The transfer is excellent, but carries minimal extras; it is highly unlikely that Paramount will re-release this title in its uncut form. A fan's individual preference should determine whether or not they wish to purchase this release. |
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