Recent reviews

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  Review by Tom Prankerd ★★★½

  Initially the film goes through the usual Hammer tropes (including Simon Ward as the young hero chap who falls in with a bad lot) but the last reel or so does something quite different, with an intelligent take on the Monster thanks to Freddie Jones. Usual excellent performance from Cushing too.

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  Review by Rick Bman

  My review: www.stopthepota.com/2009/07/frankenstein-must-be-destroyed-1969.html

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  Review by Chris Ward ★★★½

  Probably more famous for a rape scene that caused controversy at the time, FMBD is a dark and brutal entry in Hammer's Frankenstein series that sees the eponymous Baron transplanting the brain of a brilliant doctor into another body. Unfortunately the doctor's wife isn't quite so agreeable.

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  Review by COLPARKER ★★★

  This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.

  The baron is back, somehow surviving the guillotine from the first movie. He's in England where he blackmails a young doctor and his fiance into helping him with the first brain transplant ever. He smuggles an old colleague out of a mental institute and cures him by transplanting his brain. There is of course multiple side stories going on but this really is one of the best of the Hammer films in terms of quality. The story moves right along and the acting is superb. Carlson was a knockout in her day and could also act. Both Jones and Ward went on to have distinguished acting careers. I couldn't remember this from my youth, I think it scared me so…

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  Review by Bryson ★★★★½

  Peter Cushing is fantastic as the cold and unflinchingly evil Victor Frankenstein in this 5th Hammer outing for the deranged Baron. By now Frankenstein is completely consumed by his obsession-in previous films we could perhaps feel some pity for the poor bastard,but here he is unapologetically dastardly and commits some terrible acts in the name of his science.

  Atmospheric and not as formulaic as previous Franky films,this is one of the best.

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  Review by David ★★★★½

  Dr. Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) has seen his experiments fail time and again, regardless of his intense personal effort. He has put his heart and soul, not to mention people's organs, into his creations, only to foiled with each one. The latest work has been ruined also, this time by the poor timed invasion of Dr. Frankenstein's workspace. The incident has convinced the doctor that he needs to bring in some help, as he can't handle the entire load himself. He turns his attention toward Dr. Karl Holst (Simon Ward), a local doctor who isn't as on edge as Frankenstein, but isn't above underhanded deeds. Frankenstein blackmails Holst into his service, to iron some research that could be the…

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  Review by Sam Harvey ★★★★½

  This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.

  Hammers 5th Frankenstein picture was something of a departure for the studio who first bought Victor to the world in blood curdling colour in 1957's The Curse Of Frankenstein. Long gone are the pure and aspirational qualities of the scientist that at once made him so charming. Peter Cushing's Frankenstein is now wholly resentful at a world not yet ready for his genius and coldly calculating in his endeavor to complete his first successful brain transplant...at any cost.

  There is a little comic relief provided by Thorley Waters fidgeting police sergeant but overall, the tone of the film is sombre and unsettling, an air of impending doom hanging in the air as Victor blackmails hapless couple Simon Ward and Veronica…

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  Review by Robert Hilton ★★★½

  My favorite Hammer horror, a natural companion to director Terence Fisher's equally nasty FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL.

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  Review by Chris Underwood ★★★½

  This is one of the most vigorous of the Hammer productions and features Peter Cushing being uncharacteristically nasty. Even though some of his transplant theories have a certain logic he remains mean and unpleasant throughout with the (again uncharacteristic) rape scene adding icing to the already surprisingly (and ironically) nihilist cake. All the rest of Cushing’s violence is aimed at ‘getting the job done’ but the rape, preceded by it’s sexy build is a seeming sideswipe justified simply because in the temporary absence of his fiancée he could. Well dressed, surprisingly well paced and eventful. Not your ponderous Hammer production at all, rather as if its some impostor. Well worth catching.