Frankenstein vs. the Creature from Blood Cove

Hey Ghouls and Goblins! Arkansas' favorite (and only) late night Horror Host here to give my two shekels about this movie. We hosted Bill's hilarious romp last year for our Halloween special and received more positive comments on this episode than our big 3-D special last April.

First of all, I gave this movie a 10 not for being a cinematic masterpiece, but because the producer/director did exactly what he set out to do in paying homage to all those moldy strips of celluloid that made some of us who we are today. The film is genuinely funny while capturing the feel of 1950's monster movies but setting at all in modern times. The creature makeup is excellent, the script well written, (and there's boobies!).

As a horror host, we see a lot of what we can only refer to as "pure-dee crap". Some films we host wouldn't work if we didn't mock them with added inserts and soundbites. It was great to show a film that was already loaded with laughs and was truly entertaining on its own. Yes, the Great Pumkin was kind to us last Halloween, allowing us a chance to be entertained.

One last point to remember is that "Frankenstein vs. the Creature from Blood Cove" is a true DIY production. This is not the same tripe we see constantly pumped out of Hollyweird. In the recent trend of horror genre films based on video games, and the all of stale dull re-makes lately, the genre needs films like this. It takes a passion and love for film making to throw oneself into the ring all alone and up against the corporate competition. Keep this in mind before you post a negative comment about this one or any independent production. If it wasn't your thing, that's no need to trash it.

Besides, how many fanclubs have formed around the sickeningly lame Wal-Martish re-make of "House of Wax"?

Buzzard

I hate to trash a movie whose creators seem so sincere in their attempt to craft an old fashioned entertaining movie but the fact is this is a mess. I can't even figure out whether it's supposed to be a "homage" to the black and white drive-in movies of the 50s or a spoof of them. There's so little humor that I suspect we're supposed to take it seriously (as the makers of, say,FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER clearly meant it to be taken seriously) but then we have the lab table made from a beach chair and the silly gags in the strip joint and really, what are we to make of that? And FRANKENSTEIN VS.... lacks even the rudimentary professionalism that ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS or I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN could boast. The acting ranges from adequate to awful, the shot on video production screams student film, and the most baffling things are the monster costumes. The Gill Man, for example, clearly had a lot of attention devoted to it but the head is so obviously a mask just sitting on top of the body, with no attempt to blend it in so that it looks like part of the same creature, that it ALMOST seems to be a deliberate joke. But I don't think it is. I think the makers of this movie just didn't know any better. It's too bad.

And all those ten star ratings! It's nice when your friends try to help out, but please.....

I really enjoyed Frankenstein vs. the Creature From Blood Cove! It was just what I wanted it to be, a very fun, good natured ride.

I grew up watching the Universal Horror classics as well as the great AIP and Hammer flicks...along with a huge amount of Grade Z films and I could tell watching this film that the makers had just as much affection and love for those films as I did. Unlike Lost Skeleton of Cavdavera (which I did like, though IMO it kind of wore it's one joke out pretty early) "Frankenstein..." isn't meant to be a comedy parody of the old classic horror films. Nor is it strictly an homage. I mean, you just can't make a movie like that anymore. What it is, is just a good time, with grave digging, werewolves (Butch Patrick!) mad scientists (including a lovely blond one with a British accent...you don't get better than that,) the Frankenstein monster, ghosts and a Creature from the Black Lagoon-ish monster. And it's all handled in such a fun way that I couldn't help but be entertained. And hey, I'm an adult, and I've got no problem with the R-rated take on the film. To me, it just adds to the fun and enjoyment. The nudity, etc is handled in the same fun/good natured way as the rest of the film. It comes across as anything but sleazy.

So if you're looking for a fun movie with monsters, silliness, beautiful girls and some of their beautiful assets, and you'd always thought it would be kinda cool if the Frankenstein Monster and the Gillman could've been in the same movie together, I think you'll have a good time with this film. Don't go into it expecting "Lost Skeleton" or a die-hard facsimile of one of Universal's monster-mash films cause it is definitely not that. But it is a blast.

William Winkler Jr. has put together a wonderful tribute to those cheesy "B" movies we know and love with "Frankenstein vs. the Creature from Blood Cove." Monsters are back and this movie has them in spades. This is a film that Roger Corman would be proud of...no it's better than most of his work. Now the truth be told, there is a smattering of nudity in the form of topless and beautiful young ladies, but then again, this is the 21st century and that's not only expected by distributors, but also welcomed by a large part of the audience....including me! This is a film that screams out for a hot date by your side, a couple of cold ones in hand and a big tub of popcorn nearby. It's a fun romp!

The DVD's director stated that he wanted to pay respect to the black and white Universal classics of the 1930s through 1950s, but did those films have topless babes at the beach and a slinky nightclub stripper? That's just part of the problem of this poorly scripted (by the director), inanely scored, and mostly indifferently acted piece. The leading lady (the director's wife) at least shows some personality through the shoddy proceedings. A mad scientist creates an amphibian man and secures Frankenstein's original monster to "conquer terrorism" (huh?), but they break loose, wreak havoc, and fight each other (a disappointing shoving match). Beast costumes are stiff and low-budget, with Creature faring better, and the Monster resembling the 1925 Phantom of the Opera (his nostrils) and a zombie-hippie, both poorly mimed by stunt men. Even the lead (also writer-director) also states at the end "Frankenstein is dead!", which refers to the creator, not the monster. There's also a flamboyant gay character for comedy relief, yet this feature conjures no suspense or terror, or even laughs, murder scenes are badly lensed. Other than some good monochrome cinematography, skip it.