Frankenstein 1970

I have a little fondness for this movie. It was on TV quite often when I was a little skippy. It was always on The Ghoul who was a horror host in the Detroit area. Most of the time we were watching to see him but the movies weren't always bad. This one was a little above the rest.

To finance his experiments the last of the Frankensteins (Karloff) allows a film crew to shoot a movie/TV show on the grounds of his estate. Of course the Doc is building a creature down in his secret laboratory. Not only does Frankenstein need cash, he needs a few spare parts for his project as well. The film crew and servants provide him with these - unwillingly of course.

The film crew is really annoying. Seeing them getting bumped off by the bandage-swathed monster is quite fun. Many have complained that Karloff was hamming it up. I disagree as he was dealing with a one-dimensional character.

The ending is kind of predictable. But there are worse ways to spend your time than watching this.

MORD39 RATING: **1/2 (of ****)

As a kid I recall being disappointed when catching FRANKENSTEIN 1970 on TV. I was expecting the 1931 original, and at the age of 8 or 9 I was understandably disappointed. But now as an adult I can appreciate this 1950's monster flick for what it is.

Most fans dismiss this film, but I believe it has much going for it. For one thing, we get Boris Karloff as the Baron. Too many folks have panned his hammy performance, but I think he is deliciously sinister and over-ripe. His character reminds me of the Boris puppet from the MAD MONSTER PARTY film, and I'm surprised that more viewers don't find his performance endearing.

The film boasts a surprise opening and a surprise ending (I won't give them away), and in between that we get to see a gloomy castle filled with an underground secret laboratory and hidden passageways. Boris plays eerie music on his organ, and he's creating a monster that runs around killing people. Is this not what makes a fun horror pic?

True, the monster isn't very convincing...but neither are most fifties creatures, so why all the fuss? Besides, the monster only looks as he does due to the fact that the bandages and head cast have not yet been removed.

With foggy swamps, unexplored corridors, and a mad Karloff, fans could do far worse than FRANKENSTEIN 1970.

Baron Victor von Frankenstein(Boris Karloff) was scarred by his Nazi captors during World War II, he plans to recreate the legendary Monster originally conceived by his ancestor. In order to raise money to purchase an atomic reactor to complete his experiments, he permits an American TV unit to film a show at his castle. During the late fifties, television exposure of Karloff's old Frankenstein films sparked a new horror cycle in Hollywood. Karloff was made up to look rather like a disfigured German Count and does a careful, convincing job with his role, which is competently written. The supporting cast of Tom Duggan , Irwin Berke, local TV personalities and Jana Lund(one time sweetheart of Elvis Presley) do well enough but cannot be in class with Karloff. No matter what you think of the film, it is still another Boris Karloff classic and should be viewed by all Karloff fans.

Atmosphere is important in any horror film and this movie has it in spades. Unfortunately, that's all it has. Really very little to recommend here. Karloff is good in this movie but completely wasted in this effort and far too campy and hammy to really chill the audience. The monster itself is also a huge problem. Not so much when we first see the monster but as it progresses in its various stages of creation, it just gets sillier and sillier. The music tries to scare up a few chills whenever the monster appears but it is all really wasted. The best thing about the movie as I previously stated is the atmosphere. I especially like movies that have isolated creepy castles in them that are filled with secret passageways and hidden laboratories from which all those mad scientists conduct their business. The opening sequence of the film is by far the best part of the movie but the surprise ending tries to come close only that it is really telegraphed all throughout the movie and really isn't much of a surprise when you think about it. Although this is by far not the worst Karloff film it is not the best either. It's really too bad that Karloff, if he wanted to spoof the Frankenstein character he played, that he should have offered to play the part in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN.

When I was a little guy, my dad and I used to watch creature features on Friday nights and I loved the low budget scares on this show. Now as a middle aged guy who occasionally watches one of these "scary movies" I am amused and amazed at how easily I was scared and fooled. When I saw Frankenstein 1970 was going to be broadcast, I was ready to be disappointed. However I was fooled again.

Is this a great movie, NO. Is it a fun movie YES! Any movie who has as the the hero "Red" Berry is low budget. It does however have the great Karloff. He is wonderful. His monologue for the "movie in the movie" is great. Karloff was starting to show his incredibly painful arthritis at this time of his life and it does pain one to think of the agony he is going through. But he is Karloff and actually portrays a Frankenstein for the first time in his career. He does not disappoint.

If you love 1950 horrors and you like Karloff you will enjoy this movie. The acting is mediocre (except Karloff) and the Monster Hokey but give it a try.