The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Freddie Francis

Writer:

Anthony Hinds (writer)

Release Date:

8 May 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror

Tagline:

He's never been more shocking! shocking! shocking!

Plot:

Penniless, Baron Frankenstein, accompanied by his eager assistant Hans, arrives at his family castle near the town of Karlstaad...

Plot Keywords:

Baron | Police | Frankenstein | Priest | Beggar

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Baron Frankenstein
Peter Woodthorpe	...	Prof. Zoltán the Hypnotist
Duncan Lamont	...	Karlstaad Chief of Police
Sandor Elès	...	Hans, Frankenstein's Assistant
Katy Wild	...	Beggar Girl
David Hutcheson	...	Burgomaster of Karlstaad
James Maxwell	...	Priest
Howard Goorney	...	Drunk
Anthony Blackshaw	...	Policeman
David Conville	...	Policeman
Caron Gardner	...	Burgomaster's Wife
Kiwi Kingston	...	The Creature
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tony Arpino	...	Body Snatcher (uncredited)
Timothy Bateson	...	Hypnotized Man (uncredited)
Robert Flynn	...	Roustabout (uncredited)
Frank Forsyth	...	Manservant (uncredited)
James Garfield	...	Roustabout (uncredited)
Steven Geray	...	Dr. Sergado (additional sequence: US) (uncredited)
Patrick Horgan	...	David Carrell (uncredited)
Kenneth Kove	...	Curé (uncredited)
Derek Martin	...	Roustabout (uncredited)
Maria Palmer	...	Rena's Mother (additional sequence: US) (uncredited)
William Phipps	...	Rena's Father (additional sequence: US) (uncredited)
Anthony Poole	...	Roustabout (uncredited)
Michelle Scott	...	Little Girl (uncredited)
Tracy Stratford	...	Rena as a Child (additional sequence: US) (uncredited)
Alister Williamson	...	Landlord (uncredited)

Directed by
Freddie Francis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Anthony Hinds		writer (as John Elder)

Produced by
Anthony Hinds	....	producer

Original Music by
Don Banks

Cinematography by
John Wilcox

Art Direction by
Don Mingaye

Makeup Department
Roy Ashton	....	makeup artist
Frieda Steiger	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Don Weeks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William P. Cartlidge	....	assistant director
Hugh Harlow	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roy Hyde	....	sound editor
Ken Rawkins	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects

Stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronnie Maasz	....	camera operator

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

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor
John Hollingsworth	....	musical director (uncredited)

Other crew
Pauline Harlow	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions
• Universal International Pictures (UI)

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1964) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Net5 (2002) (2003) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

France:-12 | Australia:M (2008) | Finland:(Banned) (1965) | Sweden:15 | UK:X | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Hammer stalwart Terence Fisher was originally slated to direct the film, but had to bow out after an automobile accident, leaving cameraman Freddie Francis at the helm.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Baron Frankenstein first sees the monster frozen in the ice, he calls out to his assistant. At first he calls out what sounds to be Alex, or more likely Elès (the name of the actor playing Hans). When he calls the name out the second time, he calls out "Hans" (the actual character name).

Quotes:

Baron Frankenstein: [upon discovering a hanged effigy of himself inside his ransacked home] Why can't they leave me alone? Why can't they *ever* leave me alone?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "SexTV: Monstrous Desires: Sexuality and Horror/A Moment with... David Cronenberg (#8.2)" (2005)

The evil Baron is back again!

If you ask me, Hammer's Frankenstein series is vastly superior to the Dracula series; and films like this one show why! Actually, Evil of Frankenstein is probably the weakest entry of the great series; but even on a bad day, Hammer can produce the goods, and this film certainly does everything that you would expect a Hammer Frankenstein flick to do. This is something of an odd entry in Hammer's Frankenstein series, however, as the character of Frankenstein (ironically) is far less evil than in previous and later films. The scene in which the monster is let loose and Frankenstein worriedly exclaims that the village is under threat says it all. This contradiction does bring the film down somewhat, but it doesn't harm it as much as it could have done because the distinct Hammer style is always on hand to save the day. The plot picks up after the events of The Revenge of Frankenstein, and we follow the wicked Baron as he makes his way back to his family castle. He soon finds one of his previous creatures perfectly preserved in ice, but there's a problem with the brain and Frankenstein has to recruit stage hypnotist Zoltan to bring him round. However, Zoltan has his own ideas about the creature's future...

The Hammer Frankenstein movies, especially the earlier ones, tend to follow something of a set plot; i.e. Frankenstein builds a monster, then the monster destroys everything. This film follows that plot, but as ever; enough is added to ensure that the action is never monotonous. Peter Cushing reprises his role as the title character brilliantly once again. As far as I'm concerned, there's only one Baron Frankenstein - and that's Peter Cushing. Nobody has ever - or will ever again - be able to bring what this great actor brings to the role. I'm sure that this part would be his favourite too, as it's always obvious that he enjoys playing the Baron. His persona lends itself brilliantly to this role, and that is much of the reason why the series is so successful. The monster on display this time is the most disgusting of the entire series. The make-up is repulsive and the creature really does look like it's been encased in ice for years. It is worth noting, however, that the creature in this film is the closest to the classic Frankenstein's Monster of James Whale's Frankenstein films. Overall, this film might not do much for you if you aren't a fan of Hammer/the Frankenstein series - but if you are...you know you should be seeing this film!