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The slightly embarrassing events from the last movie, Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), are swept aside and we find Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), back at work, doing his immoral best, to bring back the dead to life. His normal avoidance of the authorities and covering his tracks, in a world he finds, littered with close-minded Neanderthals. We leave the silly world of monster girlfriends and return to what made these films strong performers at the box office. However, the writing was on the wall, as we eventually find out through history, that Hammer was running out of money. Their last production was only ten years away. It was very noticeable in the last film, but in this film, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969), it looks like Hammer tried to return to normal form. This film is the longest of the Hammer, Frankenstein films. It does have a slow, meticulous story, with plenty of twists and turns.

The Baron begins to show signs of being a true villain in this film, instead of an immoral, misunderstood scientist. He thrives on the use of blackmail and threats. He is definitely the most evil of Peter Cushing's incarnations of the character. His mistreatment and blackmail of his beautiful landlady, Anna Spengler (Veronica Carlson), is just the start. Now, that we are in the late-1960s, the brutality and mature subject matter, was increased by Hammer, to compete with the new, R-rated, horror movies coming out of Hollywood. It was the new modern-age of cinema emerging.

Frankenstein's main focus in this plot, is transferring the brain of an old assistant into another body, in order to, save his keen intellect and some of the secrets, to their experiments. It is Cushing's portrayal of Frankenstein, at his maximum evil in this film, which is, as usual, a stark contrast to his heroic role, as Van Helsing, in all of the Hammer Studios, Dracula films. You forget sometimes and begin to root for Frankenstein, like you would Van Helsing, until you remember, that Frankenstein is a ruthless jerk. It shows how much Peter Cushing, the actor, was so well-liked. The longer runtime on this film, does create moments of tediousness, but that helps director, Terence Fisher, explore the corrupt medical practices of the Baron. It also helps question the idea about, what you would do, if a long-lost, loved-one, came back from the dead, in a new body and face.

PMTM Grade: 6.9 (C) = 7 IMDB.

In Evil of Frankenstein (1964), we learn, right off the bat, that Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), has been doing his thing and running from the authorities, with his new assistant, Hans (Sandor Eles). A number of years have gone by since the last film, the Revenge of Frankenstein (1958). In great Hammer Films fashion, they manage to tie these films together, by not letting them have any real connection at all, other than, Baron Frankenstein doing his thing. This was the big difference between the old Universal Studios, Frankenstein films and the Hammer films. The old films were more about the monster and his connection to all the sequels. The Hammer films were all about Dr. Frankenstein and his connections through all of these films. It is a cool change of course and one of the reasons these films were so successful. We find out through flashback scenes, that Baron Frankenstein has been busy, in his hometown, experimenting with his latest creation, who is shot by the Burgomaster (David Hutcheson). The monster falls to his death, from a cliff, into the frozen valley below. Now, ten years later, the Baron has returned home, trying to avoid being caught and begins new experiments, as far under the radar as possible.

An interesting group of supporting characters, add new plot ideas into the story, such as, the hypnotist Zoltan (Peter Woodthorpe) and the mute, beggar girl (Katy Wild). Hammer Studios took a six year break from the Frankenstein series and returned with a noticeable, 1960s vibe, in this film, the Evil of Frankenstein (1964). There are actually, some comedy-relief moments in the film and some extra action, that makes it look like Hammer is trying to compete with the latest Pink Panther movie or the James Bond films, that were out in theaters, at this time in the 1960s. The Evil of Frankenstein (1964), is probably my favorite of the Hammer Studios, Frankenstein series. I think they hit their peak here, but it's a toss-up between this film and the first film in the series, the Curse of Frankenstein (1957). Both films, are very close, in quality, but the team-up of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the first film, is too good to deny.

PMTM Grade: 7.7 (B-) = 8 IMDB.

The Hammer Studios, Frankenstein series, gets moving again, with this sequel, released just a year after the first film, the Curse of Frankenstein (1957). In the Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), the monster takes a more human shape. Peter Cushing is back. He fakes his death and changes his name to Dr. Stein. I'm not giving anything away. It's in the trailer, that Baron Frankenstein, somehow survives his date with the guillotine, as seen at the end of the last film, the Curse of Frankenstein (1957). We know Peter Cushing is in the film, so no secrets here. I won't tell you how he escapes death, as witnessed in the very beginning of the Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), but he is back and sets his sights on his next creation. There is a little bit of cheesiness in this one, but it still yells classic Hammer.

PMTM Grade: 6.8 (C-) = 7 IMDB.