The best Frankenstein movie ever
Tell me is The Curse of Frankenstein the best Frankenstein movie ever
tell me what you like about the movie.
Charles
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MovieChat Forums > The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) Discussion > The best Frankenstein movie ever
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It certainly is. As much as I admire the late, great Mr. Boris Karloff and Colin Clive in the Universal movie, I think Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are the better monster and doctor. Although I do not approve of the deviation from the book of the doctor going from a fairly naive, innocent man into Peter Cushing's rather evil, mad scientist, I do find that it makes for a better horror film. The book, after all, is not all horror story, and in terms of sheer fright, this movie doctor is better. And Christopher Lee...what can I say? His portrayal of the creature was stellar, as all his work is. The part where he was shot fills one with pity and sympathy, just from the expression in his eyes, and yet there's also the murder and bestial evil that one expects from a monster. All in all, however, he is a wonderful actor and did a wonderful job with the creature. Hammer Films, I salute you yet again.
sharenone of the hammer frankenstein films are very true to the book. but dracula and frankenstein much like james bond have become much more then their writers originally intended. i LOVE peter cushing as dr. frankenstein.
shareI would agree that Cushing surpassed even the excellent Colin Clive, but I don't consider Lee's performance of the monster to be among his finest work. There is not anything like Karloff's humanity in my opinion. Lee is a great actor of course (just not convinced that this one role is his best) and the film is absolutely wonderful to me.
Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!
Curse Of Frankenstein is remarkable as it was Hammer's first stab at horror and if it had not been such a success, we may never have seen any more Hammer Horrors!
Thank goodness the trend of inserting American stars to help US sales was ignored (ie the truly awful Brian Donlevy in Hammer's Quatermass movies) and Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee et al could go on to be the international stars they rightly deserved to be.
My favourite of the Hammer cycle is Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed. It has a rather awkward 'rape' scene that was put in at the insistance of the distributers to spice it up (much to P. Cushing's dismay) but otherwise it moves at a pace that seems lacking in many parts of 'Curse'.
Can't say that 'Curse" is better than Universal's 'Frankenstein'. Not a chance. But... 'Curse' is still a great film and is definitely a close 2nd. There are some aspects of "Curse" that I like better than 'Frankenstein', but overall, the 1931 version will never be beat. Cushing is great the Dr., as good as Colin Clive? I don't think so. Lee is formidable creature, but cannot compare to Karloff. Also, the lack of a "Fritz/Igor" charactar bothers me till no end. I absolutely loved "Curse Of Frankenstein", I just can't say it is better than the Universal version.
shareThe Evil of Frankenstein Was Better had a better Ending but this one is good
shareSurprised I'm the first to point out the obvious: CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN survives the test of time because it underlines the moral horror of the situation. Cushing's Frankenstein is blind to the horror he perpetrates, while his former mentor's reaction shots clue us in to how horrible we are supposed to feel it is -- even while Cushing's dashing performance invites us to identify with him in the evil he perpetrates.
It's a much more sophisticated approach than in the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN. That doesn't necessarily make CURSE a better film, but it's no heresy to entertain the idea, unlike what some critics would have us believe.
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I'll have to agree, Curse of Frankenstein was the best Frankenstein film made. I highly respect and enjoy the Univeral version with Boris Karloff but this film had more impact, atmosphere, brillent actors and as a horror film it has a power to it that hasn't died off over the years....also lets not forget the underrated tallents of director Terrence Fisher
shareNo way is Curse better than the ultimate Frank film: The Bride of Frankenstein(1935).
shareActually the only Frankenstein anywhere close to the book was Kenneth Branaugh's "Frankenstein." As for Frankenstein movies, my personal favorite is Hammer's "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed." I think as a film, the performances, everything - it blows any other Frankenstein movie to shame.
The Universal "Frankenstein" and "Bride of" are wonderful movies in their own right, but more as a study of film and pure unadulterated nostalgia. The Hammer film series', "Dracula", "Frankenstein" and "the Mummy" are all much better overall. Of course Hammer's Dracula series went off the deep end after "Scars of Dracula", but then again, Universal went off the deep end with it's "House of" sequels. But as a franchise, I'll still take Hammer any day of the week.
about this film I like..
the only horror film that recieves a perfect 10 in my book