The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

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

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Jimmy Sangster (screenplay), Mary Shelley (based on the classic story by) (as Mary W. Shelley)

Stars:

Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Cushing	...	Victor Frankenstein
Hazel Court	...	Elizabeth
Robert Urquhart	...	Paul Krempe
Christopher Lee	...	The Creature
Melvyn Hayes	...	Young Victor
Valerie Gaunt	...	Justine
Paul Hardtmuth	...	Prof. Bernstein
Fred Johnson	...	Grandpa
Noel Hood	...	Aunt
Michael Mulcaster	...	Warder
Alex Gallier	...	Priest
Claude Kingston	...	Little Boy
Andrew Leigh	...	Burgomaster
Anne Blake	...	Wife
Sally Walsh	...	Young Elizabeth

Storyline

In prison and awaiting execution, Dr. Victor Frankenstein recounts to a priest what led him to his current circumstance. He inherited his family's wealth after the death of his mother when he was still only a young man. He hired Paul Krempe as his tutor and he immediately developed an interest in medical science. After several years, he and Krempe became equals and he developed an interest in the origins and nature of life. After successfully re-animating a dead dog, Victor sets about constructing a man using body parts he acquires for the purpose including the hands of a pianist and the brain of a renowned scholar. As Frankenstein's excesses continue to grow, Krempe is not only repulsed by what his friend has done but is concerned for the safety of the beautiful Elizabeth, Victor's cousin and fiancée who has come to live with them. His experiments lead to tragedy and his eventual demise.

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Plot Keywords:

told in flashback | mad scientist | frankenstein's monster | reanimation | teacher student relationship | 

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Taglines:

Not recommended for people of nervous disposition

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 June 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

La maldición de Frankenstein

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP65,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolour) (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although they had appeared in Hamlet (1948) and Moulin Rouge (1952), Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing met on the set of the film for the first time. They would pass the time between shots by exchanging Looney Tunes phrases and quickly developed a fast friendship, which lasted until Cushing's death in 1994.

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Goofs

The puppy is clearly moving even before Victor determines it is alive by examining it.

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Quotes

Paul Krempe: Have you ever been in that laboratory of his? No. You cannot possibly conceive the dreadful thing he's proposing to do.
Elizabeth: What are you trying to tell me Paul? That Victor's wicked? Insane.
Paul Krempe: Neither wicked nor insane. He's just so dedicated to his work that he can't see the terrible consequences that could result.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: More than a hundred years ago, in a mountain village in Switzerland, lived a man whose strange experiments with the dead have since become legend. The legend is still told with horror the world over.... It is the legend of...

The Curse of Frankenstein

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Alternate Versions

For its original cinema release the BBFC required cuts to the scene where a man's head is severed by the Baron and dissolved in acid. The severing was reduced to a brief shot and no footage at all survives of the acid scene. Video and early DVD releases featured the U.S print which was cut further to remove a shot of a severed eyeball as seen through a magnifying glass, though the UK cinema print, which contains this shot, was often shown on BBC television. The 2012 Lionsgate release features the restored version which includes the eyeball shot from the UK print.

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Connections

Version of Frankenstein: The True Story (1973)

User Reviews

I've harmed nobody, just robbed a few graves!

A very important film in the history of not just Hammer Horror, but horror itself, as it introduced Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Cushing's performance in this film as Dr. Frankenstein is magnificent.

Based upon Mary Shelly's novel, this adaptation by Writer Jimmy Sangster, the man behind many great Hammer films, focuses not on the monster, but upon the doctor himself. The monster is only a manifestation of the doctor's obsession. This, Lee's role is lessor, but still worthy of praise, and we will later see him shine as Dracula. Sangster, sadly, departed our presence last month, but his legacy of films lives on.

The film is a testament to Jimmy Sangster's role in modern horror.