Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

While the cast is good, I've always found the story, about soul switching, to be lacking. For one thing, does the mind reside in the soul? Or is it a separate entity? That is a question for another day. This movie doesn't have a 'real' monster, just human looking ones seeking out vengeance. For me, one of the lesser entries.

Director Terence Fisher and Hammer Studios Deviate a bit from Format here with this the Fourth of Seven in the Frankenstein Series. Although Unorthodox and not what the Fans were Familiar with, the Talented Peter Cushing, Fisher, and the Hammer Crew made this one a welcome Diversion.It still Delivered the Standard Hammer Look, with its Color Template, always Interesting Mad Labs, Gore, and a Beautiful Woman in a very Low Cut Dress. Notable, in the Title Role, Susan Denberg (Playboy Playmate, Aug.1966) Shows Competent Acting beneath the Dubbing and Lights Up the Screen. The Story Drags somewhat here and there but always Manages to Return with something Interesting. This Time there is a Metaphysical Soul-Transference. The Details are Sketchy but the Horror-Sci-Fi-Fantasy Moves right Along.Cushing Shines once again as the Ultra-Focused Frankenstein who Quips "If they gave out a Ph.D in Witchcraft, I'm sure I would qualify." If They gave out Awards for B-Movie Excellence with Longevity, Hammer Films would more than Qualify.

I suppose it was inevitable that Hammer would tackle some sort of remake of "The Bride of Frankenstein" at some stage but the not very subtlety titled "Frankenstein Created Woman" goes down a somewhat different route. Firstly it is the Baron himself who is resurrected, (well he was only 'dead' for an hour), by an unlikely Thorley Walters and his handsome, if not very bright, assistant Hans, (Robert Morris), so he can continue with his nefarious schemes. However, this time, instead of some hulking creature he conjures up a sexy and scar-free Susan Denberg into whose body he transposes the soul of the unjustly guillotined Hans. (A nice twist is that Denberg was scarred before being brought back to life rather than after). Given that it could have dipped into the ridiculous at any moment Terence Fisher's film is surprisingly intelligent, (it's got a superb pre-credit sequence and a nicely handled revenge theme). Anthony Hinds wrote the first-rate script under the pseudonym John Elder and once again Peter Cushing proves himself a formidable Dr Frankenstein. It may not be particularly frightening in the conventional sense but it still leaves a clammy feeling nevertheless.

Not the best of the series, I do put Curse of Frankenstein, Revenge of Frankenstein and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed above it, but it is much better than Evil of Frankenstein and Horror of Frankenstein(both of which are from personal opinion among Hammer House of Horror's weakest).Frankenstein Created Woman does take time to get going, like Evil and Horror except not as badly(Created Woman's story is actually interesting). More could have been done with Anton's death scene which is too brief and lacking in tension(again personal opinion), considering that out of the three men he's the one you hate the most.Frankenstein Created Woman is well made though, not as much as Curse, Revenge and Destroyed but the photography is top notch, having a beautifully dream-like and deliciously macabre quality to it(especially the shots of the guillotine, they gave me chills), the costumes are sumptuous and the sets do give off the appropriate Gothic atmosphere. Some say that it looks skimpier compared to Curse, Revenge and Destroyed, others will argue that it matches the grimmer tone compared to the other Hammer Frankenstein films, this viewer belongs in the latter camp. Terence Fisher shows that he is more than up to the job, it's a taut directing job that shows a mastery of mood and atmosphere with striking visuals to match, while the music score is appropriately eerie.The script explores several different elements(including psychological horror, sensuality, fear presented in a fairy-tale-like way and humour) and actually balances them very neatly. that was refreshing after seeing too many films with scripts and plots that try to do too much and come over as under-explained and muddled. The humour is very witty too, did get a good laugh at Frankenstein's very short and blunt answer to "Do you expect us to believe this childish rubbish, sir? Do you take us for fools?". The story is the most ambitious of the Hammer Frankensteins and is very different for them, the soul transference a really interesting concept and it was done more than adequately, though even more maybe could have been done with it. Even with the slow start, the story is always engaging and has enough suspense and excitement to keep one engrossed(the beginning is remarkably powerful and Christina's conversing with Hans's severed head is one Hammer's most chilling scenes), sure it does get very daft in places and has logic lapses galore but that is not unusual for Hammer and it's part of the charm.The characters carry the film very well, it is easy to feel sympathy for Christina and Hans and feel repulsion for Anton, Karl and Johann. Frankenstein as ever is entertaining and while he's clearly "evil" he does show a sympathetic side too. Peter Cushing is terrific as he always was as the definitive interpretation of the Baron and Thorley Walters gives amusing and sympathetic support. Of the supporting cast, faring the best were Susan Denberg who is a creepy and poignant(not to mention sexy) Christina and Peter Blythe who is chillingly vile as Anton. Robert Morris is movingly engaging as Hans, and while Johann is a very atypical role for Derek Fowlds he does do very well with the character. All in all, a solid as rocks fourth entry of the Hammer Frankenstein series and an example of being ambitious paying off. 8/10 Bethany Cox