The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Hurford Janes (additional dialogue)
Jimmy Sangster (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

1 June 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The Terror Rises Again

Plot:

We watch Baron Frankenstein escaping from the guillotine and going to Germany. There, he names himself Dr...

Plot Keywords:

Frankenstein | Guillotine | Hospital | Experiment | Doctor

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Doctor Victor Stein
Francis Matthews	...	Doctor Hans Kleve
Eunice Gayson	...	Margaret Conrad
Michael Gwynn	...	Karl Immelmann
John Welsh	...	Dr. Bergman
Lionel Jeffries	...	Fritz
Oscar Quitak	...	Dwarf
Richard Wordsworth	...	Up Patient
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	President of the Medical Council
John Stuart	...	Inspector
Arnold Diamond	...	Dr. Malke
Marjorie Gresley	...	Countess Barscynska (as Margery Cresley)
Anna Walmsley	...	Vera Barscynska
George Woodbridge	...	Janitor
Michael Ripper	...	Kurt
Ian Whittaker	...	Boy with Gerda
Avril Leslie	...	GIrl - Gerda
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alex Gallier	...	Priest at Execution (uncredited)
John Gayford	...	Footman (uncredited)
George Hirste	...	Dirty Old Patient (uncredited)
Raymond Hodge	...	Official At Exhumation (uncredited)
Gerald Lawson	...	Legless Patient (uncredited)
Eugene Leahy	...	Kleine (uncredited)
Michael Mulcaster	...	Tattoo Harry (uncredited)
Gordon Needham	...	Male Nurse (uncredited)
Julia Nelson	...	Inga (uncredited)
Robert Brooks Turner	...	Joseph the Groom (uncredited)
Freddie Watts	...	Patient (uncredited)
Middleton Woods	...	Patient (uncredited)

Directed by
Terence Fisher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
George Baxt		additional dialogue (uncredited)
Hurford Janes		additional dialogue
Jimmy Sangster		writer

Produced by
Michael Carreras	....	executive producer
Anthony Hinds	....	producer
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Leonard Salzedo

Cinematography by
Jack Asher

Film Editing by
Alfred Cox

Casting by
Dorothy Holloway

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Makeup Department
Philip Leakey	....	makeup artist
Henry Montsash	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Don Weeks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Lynn	....	assistant director
Tom Walls	....	second assistant director
Hugh Harlow	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Arthur Banks	....	master plasterer (uncredited)
Charles Davis	....	master carpenter (uncredited)
Eric Hillier	....	props buyer (uncredited)
Mick Lyons	....	construction manager (uncredited)
Don Mingaye	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Tom Money	....	property master (uncredited)
Lawrence Wren	....	master painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jock May	....	sound recordist
Alfred Cox	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Cowlard	....	camera grip
Len Harris	....	camera operator
Harry Oakes	....	focus puller
Jack Curtis	....	chief electrician (uncredited)
Tom Edwards	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor
Alan Corder	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Hollingsworth	....	music supervisor
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Doreen Dearnaley	....	continuity
Molly Badham	....	chimp trainer (uncredited)
Ken Gordon	....	cashier (uncredited)
Arthur Kelly	....	studio manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures (presents)
• Hammer Film Productions (production)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1958) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2003) (Finland) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2013) (USA) (DVD)
• Mokép (198?) (Hungary) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1958) | Norway:16 (1971) | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16 | UK:12 (video re-rating: 2002) | UK:15 (video rating: 1986) | Sweden:(Banned) (1958-1967) | UK:X (original rating) | Ireland:15 | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-15 (2002) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) (2002)

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

First Hammer Horror of Michael Ripper

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Gerda leaves her boyfriend she is attacked by Karl after she descends a flight of steps. Half way down the steps is a bright yellow, 20th century, metal mesh litter bin attached to the wall.

Quotes:

Legless Patient:[shouts] How can I do me dance without me legs?
Slensky:Got to learn to sing!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Baron Frankenstein is back with a vengeance.

OK so maybe not. Even though this movie is called "The Revenge of Frankenstein" and the baron himself, who escaped the guillotine, also tells that he is planning on taking revenge, he never does so in this movie. Sloppy perhaps and also a missed opportunity. Nevertheless "The Revenge of Frankenstein" remains one of the best put together and most atmospheric Hammer movie. Esecially for late '50's standards, this movie is a surprising good and effective one that more than serves its purpose and has plenty enough to offer the viewer.

The story is well written and told, which is the main reason why this movie works out great. It also helps to make this movie one of the better ones out of the long line of Hammer Frankenstein movies. It's an interesting movie to watch with a great perfect horror atmosphere, all combined with the typical Hammer studio's style. The movie also features some morbid humor which suits the style of the movie even better and makes it an even more pleasant and entertaining one to watch.

Unlike other Frankenstein movies this movie relies on original and self developed and written elements. The Hammer studios throughout this way, practically recreated the entire character of baron Frankenstein, with its long line of Hammer Frankenstein movies. When I now think of baron Frankenstein, I automatically think of Peter Cushing portraying him, thanks to the Hammer movies.

The movie doesn't waste any time on things like character development, which is also the reason why the movie is only 89 minutes short. It makes the story flow well, without any drags or unnecessary moments but one of the consequences also is that some of the characters don't quite work out because of this, such as the Eunice Gayson character, who doesn't seem to serve a purpose in the movie. The movie also doesn't have enough emotional depth because of this. Even though the movie does some attempts to give the movie some depth, mainly in its sequences with the monster, the movie is too short and distant to really care about any of it. But at least they did a worthy attempt, which makes this movie an improvement over the first Hammer Frankenstein movie "The Curse of Frankenstein".

Peter Cushing is really great as the baron who has taken the name Dr. Stein, after escaping from the guillotine, to conceal his true identity. Cushing really seem at ease with his role and he draws all of the attention of the movie toward him. Unlike most other Frankenstein movies the Hammer Frankenstein movies aren't really about the creature but more about baron Frankenstein and his eternal morbid search for cheating the death and creating life. It's a good thing that this movie is about the baron and not really about the monster, for the actor who plays the monster in this movie (Michael Gwynn) is exactly convincing or a good enough actor. Further more the movie does feature some good British actors for the smaller parts of the movie, who all seem to fit their parts very well.

Through its atmosphere the movie does manages to create an overall overly present creepy atmosphere which does provide the movie with some good horror moments as well. Of course nothing too scary, since obviously all Hammer movies are obviously more entertaining than scary or serious. The movie also does feature some nice looking sets, costumes and effects which help to set up the mood.

A must-see for the Hammer fans, mainly thanks to its well written and told story.

8/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/