The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)

The changes to the storyline really bother me, 29 October 2005

Baron Frankenstein is up to his old tricks. He is still in the business of buying corpses to do his research. But without the means to afford a proper laboratory, Frankenstein has set up shop in a cabin. When the locals learn of experiments, Frankenstein is forced to flee. Accompanied by his assistant, Frankenstein heads back to his abandoned home to collect some valuables to sell to raise the money he needs to continue his work. Shortly after arriving, he discovers that his first creation is still alive. With a little work, Frankenstein is sure he can correct his previous mistakes. Can he evade the locals and be successful this time?

The Evil of Frankenstein is easily my least favorite of Hammer's series (granted, I haven't seen The Horror of Frankenstein). While there are moments and various set-pieces that I enjoy and Cushing is as good as ever, overall it's just not that good. Why all the changes? The events in The Evil of Frankenstein rewrite the entire history of the series. Everything that Hammer had done previously in its Frankenstein series is wiped away with one flashback sequence. And why change the Baron Frankenstein character? In the previous movies, Frankenstein was an evil genius, but he was always in control. His violent and vocal outburst in the café scene is totally out of character. Also, he is no longer as cold and heartless as in the earlier movies. Instead, he comes across as sympathetic towards those around him and actually seems appalled to learn his creature has harmed his enemies.

I've read comparisons between the monster makeup in The Evil of Frankenstein and Universal's classic monster. While there are similarities, comparing the two is tantamount to blasphemy. The monster in The Evil of Frankenstein is poor stepchild to the monster played by Karloff. It looks cheap. There are certain camera angles where the monster's head looks like a piñata ready to spill its candy.

As for what worked for me, there are a couple of moments worth mentioning. The opening scenes of the body snatcher skulking through the twisted forest are especially creepy. It's a very effective opening. Another very enjoyable, but all too brief, scene occurs when Frankenstein raises the table holding his monster. The camera is attached to and moves with the table. It's one of the very few moments in the movie where Director Freddie Francis can be praised for being creative.

4/10