The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Jimmy Sangster (writer)
Mary Shelley (novel)

Release Date:

25 June 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror | Drama

Tagline:

Not recommended for people of nervous disposition

Plot:

Victor Frankenstein builds a creature and brings it to life. But his creature behaves not as he intended.

Plot Keywords:

Dismemberment | Guillotine | Scientist | Frankenstein's Monster | Doctor Frankenstein

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Baron Victor Frankenstein
Hazel Court	...	Elizabeth
Robert Urquhart	...	Paul Krempe
Christopher Lee	...	The Creature
Melvyn Hayes	...	Young Victor
Valerie Gaunt	...	Justine
Paul Hardtmuth	...	Prof. Bernstein
Noel Hood	...	Aunt (Sophie)
Fred Johnson	...	Grandpa
Claude Kingston	...	Little boy
Alex Gallier	...	Priest
Michael Mulcaster	...	Warder
Andrew Leigh	...	Hermann (burgomeister)
Anne Blake	...	Burgomeister's wife
Sally Walsh	...	Elizabeth, as child

Runtime:

82 min | Japan:83 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #18481) | West Germany:16 (DVD re-rating) | West Germany:18 (VHS) | Finland:(Banned) (1957) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1989) | UK:X (original rating) | Sweden:(Banned) (1957-1965) | UK:12 (video re-rating) (2003) | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Clarion Films

Trivia:

Christopher Lee's monster make-up was almost literally done at the "last minute". After previous attempts to design a monster make-up using a cast of Lee's head had failed, make-up artist Philip Leakey made the final design the day before shooting began, directly onto Lee's face, using primarily cotton and other household materials. Since he didn't use any latex or molds, the make-up had to be recreated from scratch every day.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the blind man is attacked, the top button of the Creature's coat is unbuttoned in one shot and buttoned in the next.

Quotes:

Baron Frankenstein: [after his monster has nearly killed him] I did it, Paul!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991)

Victor, What Have You Done?

Ever since Mary Shelley wrote her classic novel of the infamous Baron Von Frankenstein in the late 19th century, efforts to bring the creature to the visual screen have been negligible. In the 1930's Universal finally managed it with the incredible and legendary talents of Boris Karloff. After that, efforts to keep the monster up in lights, were sadly, nothing short of comical. It was not until 1957, when the Hammer Studios secured the combined talents of two of Hollywood's greats, that the creature rose again. In this, first ever color version, Dr. Victor Frankenstein is portrayed brilliantly by the incomparable Peter Cushing. Then we have Christopher Lee, as the hand crafted creature who repeatedly terrified audiences with his version of the monster. Not since Karloff, have so many fans run scurrying from the packed theaters into the streets. Nearly matching Shelly's novel, the film re-creates the struggle between scientific genius and stark insanity and enhances it's literary foundation as a classic in both literature and motion pictures. ****