Frankenstein will never die. Know this.
While some form of the monster may come and go, the mad scientist responsible for all his carnage will never completely disappear. Hammer’s final moments with their first incarnation of his evil, gloriously played by Peter Cushing, might have sent him to the gallows pole but, deep down inside, all of us knew that it wasn’t really the end of his disturbing obsession with reanimating the dead.
But how could it continue?
Producer James Carreras knew this and, armed with a mock-up poster for a fake sequel to Hammer’s hit, Curse of Frankenstein, was able to pre-sell the film to American theaters, securing their willingness to support Hammer Productions. It was a genius move, sealing Hammer’s future legacy in the States. Unfortunately, there was no such film in the works. I mean, according to Jimmy Sangstar (who wrote the original script for Curse of Frankenstein), the bad ol’ doctor was dead and bloated.
But Carreras had promised the film. While that’s probably not the best way to conduct business, especially when you are responsible for a soon-to-be major horror production outlet, that’s what happened when Hammer Studios set out to put together their first (of many!) sequels in the Frankenstein series with Peter Cushing.
And the resulting film was as glorious as the first. With direction once again provided by Terence Fisher and a phenomenal set design from Bernard Robinson, The Revenge of Frankenstein opens at the gallows as Frankenstein (Cushing) switches places with a priest and has that smug bastard beheaded instead, thanks to the help of a hunchback named Karl (Oscar Quitak) who is promised a brand-new body by Dr. Victor Frankstein.
With a name change in place, Dr. Stein starts working on the poor in a nearby village. It’s a strategic move which also gives him access to the rich as his reputation in Carlsbrück grows and grows. Oh, he’s not out to win hearts, mind you. He just wants access to body parts with which to continue his unnerving work with the lifeless . . . except this time he’s convinced he can transplant a human brain from one body to another. Pay no attention to the chimpanzee he successfully operated on, though. He’s only eating flesh in the corner of the lab . . .
. . . wait. What?!
That’s right. It seems this operation has a few unexpected side effects. It’s here where Robinson’s production effects in the set design really help the audience see the levels of Frankenstein’s madness. The gothic overtones; the rich details in the lab; everything points to an amoral madness which can never be cured for this diseased dilettante of the medical profession.
Stein’s new apprentice, Doctor Hans Kleve (Francis Matthews), knows who Stein really is and doesn’t care. He’s a fan of Frankenstein’s work and wants to help him in any way he can . . . until the mad scientist crosses way too many lines in an effort to give Karl a new body (Michael Gynn) with which to woe the new nurse (Eunice Grayson) and her lovely lady lumps.
With several classic scenes of British horror and a party scene of sheer embarrassment, The Revenge of Frankenstein shocks viewers with its willingness to GO THERE with the mad experiments on the human body as the poverty-stricken patients eventually turn on Frankenstein and mercilessly attack him until he is seconds away from death. The resulting film is at once haunting and horrible with its grisly depictions of a mad scientist working beyond his abilities and the carnage left in his wake.
And, thanks to screenwriter Sangstar’s insight (based on his own experience with Carreras’ promising of future films to overseas audiences), the film ends with Frankenstein making yet another perfect escape . . . his brain now housed in a body he had been preparing in secret. His name? Doctor Franck. And Franck looks a lot like Cushing as the twisted doctor continues with his unfinished work.
Filmed at Bray Studios mere days after The Horror of Dracula had wrapped, both cinematographer Jack Asher and make-up artist Phil Leakey returned to cement their legacy with Hammer. Everything fell into place, making this British creeper an unforgettable journey into the dark heart of medical ambition. It’s still got a tortured taboo as its central crux, but here - thanks to the inclusion of Karl - the patient is a willing participant . . . for the most part.
But the results, punctuated by composer Leonard Salzedo warbling string-laden soundtrack, are deeply disturbing, providing a pivotal look inside the mind of the menacing Baron . . . who will definitely return!
The Revenge of Frankenstein is now available on blu-ray with a 4k remaster from Indicator. It is almost out of print.
Indicator Series
Home Video Distributor: Powerhouse Films
Available on Blu-ray - July 19, 2021
Screen Formats: 1.66:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Video: MPEG-4 AVC
Audio: English: LPCM Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Region-free playback
One of Hammer’s most enduring and successful releases, 1958’s The Revenge of Frankenstein was a swift sequel to The Curse of Frankenstein, their box-office smash of the year before. It ushered in Hammer’s most commercially lucrative period, and secured their new-found reputation as purveyors of gruesome Gothic horror. Expertly and ingeniously re-working the classic tale, Jimmy Sangster’s script sees the titular doctor continue his grisly experiments under a new guise in a pauper’s hospital. Peter Cushing, in sparkling form, clearly relishes the role of Dr Frankenstein – creating an enduring anti-hero that would come to define both Hammer’s, and his own, on-screen personas.
Video
The Revenge of Frankenstein is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Powerhouse's Indicator imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1. The 4K upgrade is appreciated as the colors absolutely pop throughout. Eastman Kodak might not be the cleanest looking print but this transfer delivers the goods with this spot-on transfer. It’s a nice 4K 1080p transfer with a few impressive results. First, there’s no denying that this film, wiped clean of dirt and debris, has never looked better. Colors are bold and dynamic and that fake blood is more obvious than ever. That being said, there are a few problems with shading as most of the blacks bleed into other colors more often than they should. Obviously, there are some issues with the original film stock and while the sets are glorious under the restoration, it is more than obvious details aren’t exactly being picked up like one might expect. None of that can be helped, though, due to the budget of the time.
Audio
The original Mono audio is included with this release. Not bombastic but has enough of crescendo to capture all the screams.
Supplements:
Commentary:
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There are two commentaries included with this release from Indicator. The first is with Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby and the second is with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman. Both are endlessly fascinating and fun to listen to, especially if you are fans of Hammer.
Special Features:
Loaded with great supplementals, the 4k restoration is only one of the many perks in this release from Indicator.
- Back from the Dead: Inside The Revenge of Frankenstein
- Hammer's Women: Eunice Gayson
- A Frankenstein for the 20th Century
- Arpeggios of Melancholy
- Outtakes Reel
- Super 8 Version
- Theatrical Trailer
- Joe Dante Trailer Commentary
- Image Gallery
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Approved.
Runtime: 90 mins
Director: Terence Fisher
Writer: Jimmy Sangster; Hurford Janes; George Baxt
Cast: Peter Cushing; Francis Matthews; Eunice Gayson
Genre: Horror | Sci-fi
Tagline: New and Greatest Frankenstein Masterpiece.
Memorable Movie Quote: "How can I do me dance without me legs?"
Theatrical Distributor: Hammer Films
Official Site:
Release Date: June 18, 1958
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: July 19, 2021
Synopsis: Having escaped execution and assumed an alias, Baron Frankenstein transplants his deformed underling's brain into a perfect body, but the result proves to be mortally perilous.
