... but I was mostly laughing at the film instead of with it.
As the film opens, Victor Frankenstein (Ralph Bates) is in medical school in 19th century Austria. After he makes a fool out of a professor and class ends, a classmate asks him "What's hypochondria?" A female classmate volunteers to help him in anatomy; a male's offer is declined. After Victor's father (George Belbin) says he'll die before he wastes money to send Victor to Vienna to study, Victor arranges for his death. After Victor becomes Baron Frankenstein, he goes off to Vienna to study. The film follows a well-worn, mostly predictable path from here.
The picture has elements that had to be intentional parody. There's a team of husband-wife grave-robbers (Dennis Price and Joan Rice) who do battle while they dig into graves, and complain they aren't getting paid enough. Alys (Kate O'Mara), who is maid and mistress for the father and later his son, is made to be a dreadful cook who all the characters complain about in the course of the movie.
But then there are things like characters who live in the castle forgetting where Frankenstein's laboratory is (upstairs); the maid refers to it being upstairs and downstairs. The creditors of a victim's father refers to her owing "about $12,000 bucks" . The victims are all predictable; just listen to their lines. For those in the audience who needed more help, the women with the lowest cut dresses in the thinnest material are sure to die. Director Jimmy Sangster makes sure there are plentiful bosom shots.
The Monster's (David Prowse) appearance is unique. He's blond, is wearing only what looks like a iron dog collar around his neck and white underwear, has stitches all over and looks like he's spent all his time working out at the local gym. Was he Mel Brooks' inspiration for the Monster in 1974's "Young Frankenstein" and the inspiration for the Monster in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1976)?? Don't feel too bad for Prowse. In 1977 he is the physical presence of Darth Vader in Star Wars even if James Earl Jones is his voice.
Bates, O'Mara, and Carlson deliver professional performances, although Veronica Carlson seems to be fighting a case of the giggles. Price and Rice are the intentional delights of the film as the bickering grave-robbers.
The film still has the expected Hammer elements, and looks good. This should be a terrible film, but it's more entertaining than it has any right to be. I laughed more at this than at some so-called comedies.
