Review of The Horror of Frankenstein

This offbeat and inspired spoofy early 70's Hammer horror entry sure ain't your average Frankenstein flick. For starters, Baron Victor Frankenstein (deliciously played with blithely amoral aplomb by Ralph Bates) is anything but a Victorian gentleman; instead he's a thoroughly depraved and decadent womanizing heel who will ruthlessly do whatever it takes to make his unholy creation. Moreover, director/co-writer Jimmy Sangster milks the wonderfully warped plot for often dryly amusing black-as-pitch gallows humor. Not surprisingly, the monster (the hulking David Prowse; Darth Vader in the "Star Wars" pictures) turns out to be an uncivil and murderous brute, but he's still nowhere near as scary or disturbing as his cruel and wicked creator. This movie chillingly blurs the fine line between man and monster, showing that Frankenstein and his creation are essentially one and the same. The robust and enthusiastic acting from a game cast helps matters a whole lot. Dennis Price is a sleazy riot as a cheerfully vile graverobber Frankenstein hires to procure body parts for him. Jon Finch (Jerry Cornelius in "The Final Programme") has a nice supporting part as a dashing policeman. Graham Jones does well as Frankenstein's wide-eyed reluctant assistant Wilhelm. Better still, the women are breathtakingly beautiful: buxom blonde Veronica Carlson looks ravishing as the hapless Elizabeth and foxy brunette Kate O'Mara supplies a tasty eyeful as sexy, but clumsy housekeeper Alys. Moray Grant's bright, pretty cinematography and Malcolm Williamson's classy, moody score are likewise solid and impressive. The hilariously ironic ending really hits the sidesplitting spot, too. A misunderstood and unjustly vilified change-of-pace tongue-in-cheek parody hoot.