RabidFulci
02-10-2002, 03:18 AM
After a 6 year hiatus, Hammer and producer/writer Anthony Hinds resurrected the Baron, this time ignoring continuity in favor of a different approach. By this point, Hammer had entered a coproduction arrangement with Universal Pictures, thus enabling them to copy the famous Jack Pierce design of the monster. Hinds seemingly set out to write the most 'Universal-like' of their films to date, copying elements from FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN and introducing the usual roster of torch bearing villagers in place of Hammer's own conventions. The result is definitely uneven, but not as disastrous as many Hammer fans would have it. Though the script doesn't give him as much to do, Peter Cushing is still the definitive Baron Frankenstein. Peter Woodthorpe is immensely entertaining as the lecherous,drunken mesmerist Zoltan, who helps Frankenstein by hypotizing his monster. Production values are at an alltime high for the series, and Freddie Francis, being a more visually extravagant director than Terence Fisher, makes the most of the 'mad lab' setpieces. There's also a terrific score from Don Banks that keeps the action moving even when the screenplay refuses to do so. Alas, Kiwi Kingston's monster is played for straight chills and the appalling, box-head design by Roy Ashton makes him look comical rather than menacing. A decent way to kill 90 minutes.
What do you gents think?
What do you gents think?