(1958)
Dir - Terence Fisher
Overall: GOOD
The Curse of Frankenstein sequel The Revenge of Frankenstein began production three days after Horror of Dracula wrapped up with a script from Jimmy Sangster apparently tossed off within six weeks on a tight crunch before shooting began. For such a rushed job, it is quite understandable that the plot basically boils down to "Dr. Frankenstein tries the same thing again" and this would indeed be the case for all six of Hammer's sequels in the series, more or less. Some of these films had the good sense to throw in a gimmick to help differentiate themselves from each other and this one has a normal looking "monster" with none of the overtly deformed physical attributes. Despite a couple of sluggish moments, it is an engaging and mostly well-paced end product despite its recycled nature. Director Terence Fisher and star Peter Cushing stayed on board, both of whom would continue to work together on a number of films besides just several more Frankenstein ones. Also returning was cinematographer Jack Asher who continues the vividly colorful yet atmospherically gloomy visual presentation.
(1964)
Dir - Freddie Francis
Overall: MEH
Cinematographer turned director Freddie Francis takes his first and only crack at a Frankenstein sequel with The Evil of Frankenstein, Hammer Studio's third in the series. Continuity is abandoned as the film rewrites the chain of events from the first movie while completely ignoring those of the second installment. As this was one of but a handful of Hammer productions to be distributed by Universal in the States, they were allowed to use a Jack Pierce-inspired creature design, sans bolts in the neck. While New Zealand wrestler Kiwi Kingston's flat-top, putty-covered look hardly resembles the one that immortalized Boris Karloff in the role, it is still fitting with Hammer's then updated, more grotesque aesthetics. Though Anthony Hinds' script brings in some unique ideas like a mute peasant girl who befriends the monster and sleazy hypnotist who puts him under his control, Francis' direction is sadly lifeless with the material and it drags at regular intervals. For his part and rather ironically considering the movie's title, Peter Cushing is comparatively less malevolent this round as the doctor, coming off more desperate and frustrated than anything.
(1967)
Dir - Terence Fisher
Overall: MEH
On paper, the gimmick utilized for Hammer's fourth Frankenstein film Frankenstein Created Woman is singular enough. This time, the coldly determined doctor transfers the soul of an innocently guillotined man into that of a deformed innkeeper's daughter, removing her unfortunate physical features and turning her into a beautiful and possessed revenge machine. Mainstay Hammer director Terence Fisher returns and in the lead, Cushing is once again as stubborn and arrogant as ever. Similar to the previous The Evil of Frankenstein, his creation's murder spree is not due to his deliberate influence though. The concept here is less tangibly scientific with just electrifying a mass of limbs and organs, instead switching gears to the metaphysical idea of whether or not a soul can survive and live on in a new body after death. The plot structure is as predictable as ever though and the motif of ignoring the previous films in the series continues as Frankenstein is simply set up somewhere with a fresh new crop of townsfolk who presume that he is up to witchcraft and therefor cannot be trusted. So while some elements are refreshing to the series, the standard, potboiler presentation is not quite enough to elevate it.
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