THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957)

 

(Director: Terence Fisher. Screenwriter: Jimmy Sangster, his screenplay loosely based on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s 1818 novel.)

 

Review

CURSE, a creative overhaul of the 1931 film FRANKENSTEIN, based on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s 1818 novel), is bookended by scenes of Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing, THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, 1958) in prison. The nineteenth century scientist is about to be executed for murder. He, in a non-repentant tone, tells a priest (played by Alex Gallier), about his experiments that led him to inhabit this filthy dungeon.

Shown in extended flashback, Frankenstein’s backstory runs thusly: Frankenstein and a fellow scientist, Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart) work to reanimate the dead. When Frankenstein’s ruthless, blasphemous intentions run afoul of Krempe’s sensibilities, he bows out of the experiments. Tangled in this mix of science, amity, hubris, and betrayal is his maid/lover Justine (Valerie Gaunt, HORROR OF DRACULA, 1958) as well as Victor’s benignly neglected wife, Elizabeth (Hazel Court), who’s blissfully unaware of the details of her husband’s illegal and unethical activities. Then, of course, there’s The Creature, a wild-card personality to reckon with—played with violent intensity by Christopher Lee, his version of the “monster” enraged, murderous, and distinctly disfigured, with no resemblance to makeup designer Jack P. Pierce’s copyrighted 1931 version, is truly a hideous beast.

Inevitably, The Creature escapes. Assault and murder follows, not only in Baron Frankenstein’s castle, but in the nearby village. It bears noting that much of the violence and (imagined) gore is of the offscreen variety, though its atmosphere is effectively harsh and effective, furthered by the excellence of its players, including Michael Mulcaster (Tattoo Harry in THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, 1958) as a Warder.

CURSE, Britain’s first color horror film (courtesy of Eastmancolor), is one of my favorite Frankenstein works—audiences loved it, though it was critically drubbed upon its initial release. Like many of Hammer Films’ better terror/monster flicks, it’s based on Jimmy Sangster’s tightly penned screenplay, edited by James Needs, directed by one of Hammer’s in-house directors Terence Fisher, and sports intense cinematography by Jack Asher, another Hammer regular.

More grim than scary, this standout Hammer Films adaptation is worth your time, a high mark in atmospheric horror, with a great cast and crew. Followed by THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1958).

 

 Deeper film(ic) dive

CURSE is Cushing’s first film for Hammer Films, as well as the first of his six cinematic outings as Victor Frankenstein. It’s also one of twenty-four movies he made with his good friend Christopher Lee (their first movie together was HAMLET in 1948). Cushing made thirteen Hammer films with Terence Fisher at the helm.