Frankenstein Created Woman

Susan Denberg was a Playboy Playmate in 1966, and had four screen appearances, before she went back to Europe. She becomes Dr. Frankenstein's latest subject.

Each of these films seem to get more and more elaborate as Dr. Frankenstein stretches the bounds of science. Of course, one has to believe in the existence of a soul to follow his logic, but that is his definition of life.

After her boyfriend Hans (Robert Morris) is unjustly executed for a murder committed by three spoiled rich kids, Christina (Denberg) takes her own life. But, Frankenstein works his magic and puts Hans soul into Christina and the horror begins as they take their revenge.

Of all the many films in the longstanding Hammer Frankenstein series, after "The Curse of Frankenstein," I like this one the best. It has a classic, almost mythic, structure of the lover who sacrifices himself to preserve the virtue of his beloved and a good deal of existential discussion about human nature. But beyond the heavy academics of its plot, Peter Cushing is truly great here. He's completely sympathetic, intelligent, and witty as a man struggling outside society's version of morality. Some people criticize Terence Fisher as a director who--apart from "Dracula" and "The Devil Rides Out"--had a static and slow-paced directorial style. They're completely wrong. Fisher was a master of the medium, a genius of composition whose films demonstrate so much intelligence. I miss the 1960's, Fisher, and Hammer Films.

Attempting to continue his experiments, the Baron finds that the opportunity to transfer the soul of a young man into a recently-deceased young woman instead sets her out to avenge the group who framed him for death and causing him to try to stop her.

Overall this one was quite decent if slightly flawed. Among the finer points here are the rather fun experiments being conducted for there's plenty of time here working in the lab to complete matters fully throughout here. The opening attempts to bring him back to life from being in the freezer is quite nice by setting up the later work here with the soul that comprises the middle here where he begins going through the different resources possible for his contraptions here to bring that along even further along with the actual transference procedure where they bring about the change-over here of having the two changing his soul into their equipment and then into the girl for another really enjoyable sequence. The later scenes here of them getting her through the recovery process which includes the walking around learning to how to walk and the gratification of the changes made to her appearance due to the change as well as the return to the guillotine which brings about the shock of the opening death of the father there which is all quite fun here. The revenge part here is even better with the person talking in voices and switching into the other voice here to signify the changes as the tense stalking in the pub and out into the countryside as she goes after the last one on the picnic in the woods here so there's a rather fine series of kills in here. These here give this one enough to like overall that it holds off the few flaws within. The main issue here is that there's so little actual horror in here that it can feel very dull at times with the film really holding back how quickly paced this really could've been as a lot of what happens isn't too scary. The majority of time here isn't all that scary here with the continued ramifications of his father's past connecting with his own future from all the townspeople, their budding romance and another instance where the villagers are indeed afraid of the Baron through his reputation but aren't capable of doing anything about it here which in itself is yet another big flaw here as all of these here found throughout the first half just don't make this into much of a horror film. These here are just so bland that, though they do serve as the cause of the revenge later on, it just drags on for quite a while here taking it's time with the overloading these points that becomes very bland overall, and is one of the biggest issues here. Once again, the distrustful natives isn't too original being here, while the other big flaw here is the really abrupt ending which is such a sadden stop that it's hard to believe nothing more involved wasn't used here as it seems to be mere seconds after the revenge is taken that there's the chase and then the ending which for once could've used some stretching out here to really take advantage of what's going on. Otherwise, this one is a lot of fun.

Today's Rating/PG-13: Violence and the aftermath of a sexual encounter.

Frankenstein Created Woman(1967) is the most complex and tragic of all the Hammer Frankenstein films. DR. Frankenstein in the film tries to figure out a way to beat death by the transference of the soul. Susan Denberg is excellent as the deformed turned avenging beauty named Christana. Terence Fisher's brilliant direction in this movie is enough to show that along with Mario Bava was one of the best Horror directors of the 1960's. The movie is about how ignorance can have an effect on an entire community. Frankenstein Created Woman(1967) is a thought provoking horror flick that ends on a depressing note.

Dr. Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) has discovered how to contain the soul of somebody after they had died. His helper Hans (Robert Morris) is (unjustly) found guilty of a murder committed by three other men and guillotined. Hans' girlfriend Christina (Susan Denberg) kills herself. Frankenstein saves Hans' soul and puts it in her. She comes out as a beautiful woman but has Hans thirst for revenge...

As you can see logic does not play a strong role in this picture. For one thing Denberg is introduced as a dark haired, horribly scarred woman. After the "operation" she's blond-haired and looks perfect! Also, when she goes out to kill the men responsible for Hans death, she seems to know EXACTLY where they'll be (I love how she just guessed that Johann would be in a coach and it would break down). Still, Hammer films were never strong on logic so this can be forgiven. Also there's some dreadful day-for-night shooting (another Hammer trademark). Despite all this I DO love this film. It moves quickly and has some pretty bloody scenes (for 1967). There's also a flash of nudity in a bedroom scene.

The acting is very good. Thorley Walters gives a good performance as Dr. Hertz; Morris is actually pretty good as Hans; even Denberg isn't bad (although her voice was dubbed). Best of all, of course, is Peter Cushing. He plays Frankenstein to perfection showing the doctors obsession with creating life.

One of the better Hammer Frankenstein movies. Just turn off your mind and enjoy. I give it an 8.