[ManchestrMorgue]

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)

I have had this film sitting in the DVD collection, but had not watched it until yesterday. (I only recall it being on TV once in Australia - more than 20 years ago, and I missed it, and it was not available on VHS here as far as I am aware).

I must admit, Hammer Frankensteins are not my favourite films (I much prefer their vampire films) but this movie was brilliant.

Baron Frankenstein was presented as evil to the core, and Cushing played this superbly.

For example, he takes an insane doctor from an asylum - this doctor's wife finds out and Frankenstein convinces her that he has saved her husband from his insanity (implying he has done this out of altruism and for her benefit). She is very grateful, but as soon as she is gone he plots to escape her, thereby thwarting her possible reunion with her husband (who it had been claimed earlier in the movie could not be cured). This I felt was an excellent display of his sociopathy. There are many others.

There is a real "dark side" to this movie that I don't think the previous movies in this series portrayed near as well.

The movie was fast paced and well presented. Sure, it bears little resemblance to Shelley's novel, but I don't think it intended to be a representation of that work.

What do other people think of this installment in the Hammer Frankenstein series?