Coventry Review of Frankenstein Created Woman

Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)

Cushing plays God in another fantastic Hammer film

[7/10 · 7 April 2005]

For the fourth time in approximately ten years, horror legend Peter Cushing gives image to the eerie Baron Victor Frankenstein. This chapter seems to be Hammer's take on the classic "Bride of Frankenstein" tale, although there's no real connection with the Universal classic or Mary Shelley's legendary tale. It does, however, guarantee a lot of entertainment, action and black comedy. The mighty Baron has retired to a small, deeply catholic town where he continues his ambitious experiments with the help of the local doctor and his servant. Frankenstein discovers that a man's soul continues to live even though flesh and tissue have died. So, if he could find a way to capture the soul and preserve it, he's able to transfer the essence of being into another body! The perfect occasion to test this suddenly occurs when the servant is falsely accused of murder and sentenced to the guillotine. When his girl then also takes her own life, Frankenstein immediately has a host body for the preserved soul. Naturally, things get a little out of hand and before he realizes it, our beloved Baron is wanted for witchery and blasphemy again! The story is amazingly grotesque and exaggerated but it nevertheless remains fascinating to see Peter Cushing play God. His overly sophisticated style and his "I'm better than you and I know it"-attitude are a joy to watch. It's intriguing to see Cushing's character develop over the series. He becomes more malevolent every sequel while his opponents only get dumber. There's a good dose of suspense, some really nice scenery (the guillotine close-ups!) and enough bloodshed to satisfy well-trained Hammer fans. This isn't Hammer's best film but certainly one of the most entertaining ones. They simply don't make 'em as cool as this anymore! Two more sequels followed as well as a sort of remake that didn't star Cushing (The Horror of Frankenstein)