In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Tuesday 19 May 2015

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

A trio of firsts for Hammer: their first horror in colour, their first Frankenstein film and the first of their productions to feature Christopher Lee.
The story is a confessional flashback, meaning the Baron’s evolution from cultivating an infectious curiosity to succumbing to an isolating obsession is paced by his own telling, working inexorably toward the creature’s reveal. Universal forbade the use of their existing iconic image, so Hammer had to make their own more gruesome version, sans 'neck-bolts'.
It’s money that enables the Baron to carry out his work; had he been a pauper the creature would never have been born, because meddling in pure science at that level is the preserve of the rich.

4 energies turned out of 5

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