MovieChat Forums > Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) Discussion > 'Hans' and 'Karl' all the time

'Hans' and 'Karl' all the time

posted 19 years ago by TheCinemassacre
19 replies | jump to latest

Has anyone else noticed that Hammer tends to use the same names for their characters over and over again? In the Frankenstein series, there's usually a character named Hans or Karl, and often, both. In Revenge of Frankenstein, the doctor's assistant is named Hans, then in the followup Evil of Frankenstein, he also has an assistant named Hans but is obviously a different actor. At first, I was really confused, until I realized that they were different characters with the same names, not that continuity between the films is ever consistent anyway. Was this intentional or did the screenwriters (or whoever responsible) just not have any more names in their vocabulary?

[–] The_13th_Master 19 years ago

In the Dracula series, Paul and Jonathan are used regulary!

Also Sarah and Simon seem to be a common pair in Hammer films.

"I am the Master, you will obey me!"

[–] Pharaoh-in-de-Nile 18 years ago

They seemed to be the only German names that Hammer knew of!

"The face of evil is ugly to look upon. And as the pleasures increase, the face becomes uglier."

[–] frederik olsen 18 years ago

Well, there are always those stereotypical German names in horror movies - Hans, Karl, Fritz etc. At least Hammer never had any evil hunchback midgets!

And yes, of course there's Karl from "Revenge of Frankenstein", but although he's credited as "Dwarf", his height is amazingly close to the average.

[–] ContinentalOp 18 years ago

"Well, there are always those stereotypical German names in horror movies - Hans, Karl, Fritz etc. At least Hammer never had any evil hunchback midgets!"

..........except the one in 'The Phantom of The Opera'.

Regards,
The Count

[–] frederik olsen 18 years ago

Ah, that's right! Thanks for the reminder! I've yet to see the film in its entirety, but I've seen a few clips. He's a VERY evil hunchback midget indeed!

[–] ContinentalOp 18 years ago

Sadly it may be some time before you see it as there is no decent DVD of it. The only DVD that is remotely possible to get is a Universal one in a Hammer Boxset filled with faults.

Regards,
The Count

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lorenzb-2 16 years ago

Yes, I have noticed that too. Also, in Dracula Prince of Darkness, Dracula's butler/servant was "Klove". Then in Scars of Dracula, again his butler/servant was named "Klove". Although played by two different actors. And Klove died in the first film. You would think that the writers would have had more imagination.
However, horror films are not the Holy Grail.

[–] onnanob2 15 years ago

If I remember correctly, I noticed there have been at least two characters named Lucy in the Dracula series. Of course the first Lucy is in 1958's "Horror Of Dracula." I believe the second Lucy is in "Taste The Blood Of Dracula."

[–] lorenzb-2 13 years ago

Whenever I watch a Hammer film, and an important character is being introduced, I always wonder if he'll be "Paul", "Hans" or "Karl"?

[–] babettegillette 14 years ago

Or has it been banned in postwar Germany?

[–] tehck 14 years ago

It's understandable that a Lucy would appear in a Dracula movie because Lucy Westerna is a pivotal character in Stoker's novel, Dracula's first victim in London. Oddly enough, many movies, including Hammer's Horror of Dracula reverse the character names of Lucy and Mina, making Mina the one who Dracula claims first. As for Hans and Carl, I guess they substitute for the Ygor's and Fritz's of American versions.

[–] lorenzb-2 13 years ago

Very true about reversing Lucy's and Mina's names. They do it in Kinski's "Nosferatu" also. Also something I noticed when I was a kid and saw Universal's "Frankenstein" for the 1st time. In the movie they reverse the names Henry and Victor from the novel. Sort of weird. Also in that one Dwight Frye plays "Fritz". In Bride of Frankenstein he's plays a diffrent, but similar weirdo named "Karl". A presage to Hammer?

[–] WaldoLydecker1 11 years ago

And Jonathan Harker, of course, is Mina's fiance in the original novel, Dracula and the solicitor who initially travels to Transylvania to arrange for the Count's sojourn westward and falls prey to his vampire brides.

[–] Kevenz 13 years ago

Wow this is a post by James Rolfe from 6 years ago.... before he was famous with the Angry Video Game Nerd ! :) I guess I'm the only one who noticed.

[–] fontroy5 12 years ago

Oh my god, you're right, I just looked at his name and was like WHAT?! It was total double-take moment. Keen eyes dude.

[–] nickm2 11 years ago

Good God, it IS him! I greatly enjoy his movie reviews on YouTube--except for his potty mouth of course.

[–] FlyingSaucersAreReal 10 years ago

And then he went on to include this very topic in one of his Hammer movie reviews.

Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Strange days indeed -- strange days indeed - John Lennon

[–] ElectricWarlock 11 years ago

I noticed that as well. It gets people like me confused because I think it is the same character from one of the previous films when it's not.

I've been waiting for you, Ben.