Before setting out to review a bunch of Frankenstein films, I screened Dracula adaptations, and, for the most part, I was disappointed with the sequels. That includes Universal's "Dracula's Daughter" (1936) and Hammer's "The Brides of Dracula" (1960), as well as most but now all of the rest of Hammer's Dracula series. The Frankenstein films, however, have had a better track record for sequels. Universal's "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935) and "Son of Frankenstein" (1939) are arguably better than the original 1931 film, and the 1940s films aren't without merit, either. And, so, Hammer continues this trend with "The Revenge of Frankenstein," a film that's about as worthwhile as the original "The Curse of Frankenstein" (1957) and in some ways better.
Although still a rather meager affair, this production includes more sets, supporting characters and extras than the first feature. As opposed to "The Brides of Dracula," which neither featured Dracula or any brides of his, and most of the rest of their Dracula series, as well as many of Universal's monster movies, for that matter, "The Revenge of Frankenstein" is loyal to the storyline of its predecessor and picks up where it left off. In it, Baron Frankenstein, now under the alias of Dr. Stein, continues his experiments with reanimation and assemblage of cadavers. Once again, his laboratory is full of flashing and spinning gizmos, bunches of wires, tubes and bubbling beakers. Instead of the water submersion of the bodies, however, this time, except for the brains still, the bodies are kept standing in glass boxes pumped with steam.
Unlike its predecessor, there's also a hunchback, named Carl. He seems like an amalgamation of parts of the hunchbacks in Universal's Frankensteins and, with his deformed arm, part Inspector Krogh from "Son of Frankenstein." Like Bela Lugosi's Ygor from "The Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942) and the hunchback Daniel from "House of Frankenstein" (1944), Carl enlists the doctor to transplant his brain into a new body, and like "House of Frankenstein," where Daniel fell in love with a gypsy girl, Carl falls for an assistant at the doctor's clinic.
"The Revenge of Frankenstein" is blatantly classist, as it depicts the poor of Dr. Stein's clinic as pickpockets and otherwise dishonest and violent, as lazy and dirty by choice--because it keeps them warm. On the other hand, that's not as bad as the series' depiction of the nobleman Dr. Frankenstein as a murderous mutilator--a far cry from the sympathetic and tragic figure of Mary Shelley's book, or Universal's characterization. Admittedly, quite a bit of the movie is contrived and rather silly, including the bit about over-extension in new bodies leading to brain damage, which causes one to turn into a carnivorous monster. The brains look odd and too small. It's a bit laughable that Carl's physical maladies return to him in his new body and that Frankenstein keeps his same appearance of Peter Cushing, plus a dastardly mustache and monocle, when he changes bodies. And, those are some great, not-at-all-creative aliases: "Stein," with the same first name of "Victor," and "Franck." The date scene where the guy is more interested in ants than the girl is also humorous. Overall, it's a fun sequel with even more action than the original.
Although still a rather meager affair, this production includes more sets, supporting characters and extras than the first feature. As opposed to "The Brides of Dracula," which neither featured Dracula or any brides of his, and most of the rest of their Dracula series, as well as many of Universal's monster movies, for that matter, "The Revenge of Frankenstein" is loyal to the storyline of its predecessor and picks up where it left off. In it, Baron Frankenstein, now under the alias of Dr. Stein, continues his experiments with reanimation and assemblage of cadavers. Once again, his laboratory is full of flashing and spinning gizmos, bunches of wires, tubes and bubbling beakers. Instead of the water submersion of the bodies, however, this time, except for the brains still, the bodies are kept standing in glass boxes pumped with steam.
Unlike its predecessor, there's also a hunchback, named Carl. He seems like an amalgamation of parts of the hunchbacks in Universal's Frankensteins and, with his deformed arm, part Inspector Krogh from "Son of Frankenstein." Like Bela Lugosi's Ygor from "The Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942) and the hunchback Daniel from "House of Frankenstein" (1944), Carl enlists the doctor to transplant his brain into a new body, and like "House of Frankenstein," where Daniel fell in love with a gypsy girl, Carl falls for an assistant at the doctor's clinic.
"The Revenge of Frankenstein" is blatantly classist, as it depicts the poor of Dr. Stein's clinic as pickpockets and otherwise dishonest and violent, as lazy and dirty by choice--because it keeps them warm. On the other hand, that's not as bad as the series' depiction of the nobleman Dr. Frankenstein as a murderous mutilator--a far cry from the sympathetic and tragic figure of Mary Shelley's book, or Universal's characterization. Admittedly, quite a bit of the movie is contrived and rather silly, including the bit about over-extension in new bodies leading to brain damage, which causes one to turn into a carnivorous monster. The brains look odd and too small. It's a bit laughable that Carl's physical maladies return to him in his new body and that Frankenstein keeps his same appearance of Peter Cushing, plus a dastardly mustache and monocle, when he changes bodies. And, those are some great, not-at-all-creative aliases: "Stein," with the same first name of "Victor," and "Franck." The date scene where the guy is more interested in ants than the girl is also humorous. Overall, it's a fun sequel with even more action than the original.