When I reviewed The Revenge of Frankenstein (one of Curse of
Frankenstein's many sequels) a few months ago, I was underwhelmed by
it. Peter Cushing was a powerful screen presence as usual, but the
overall feel of the film was too cutesy, almost simplistic. Even
though I hadn't seen any of the other films in the series, I was so
unimpressed by Revenge that I can't say that I was interested in
checking out any other of the Hammer Frankenstein titles. Thankfully,
I took a chance on Curse, the first of the Cushing Hammer Frankenstein
flicks, and am glad to admit I made a mistake.
The Curse of
Frankenstein is the real deal, a film so eerie and bravely
melodramatic that it is quite a kick to watch. This was the first
Hammer Frankenstein movie, so it's no surprise that it's the most
impressive of the bunch, yet I can't deny that I was honestly taken
aback by its quality. A prototypical 1950s horror movie, all the
hallmarks of the period are here (in gothics like this, narrative
rules are followed, not broken), but nevertheless this picture is a
defining moment in horror history. Colors swoon around these
characters, the music "stingers" are as over-the-top as they
come, and it isn't like the movie is unpredictable - action is
decidedly character-driven (seeing as the budgets for these things
were quite small) so dialogue and nuance were of prime importance.
These Hammer horror movies were more than just a cash cow, they were a
dramatically effective subgenre all their own, an instantly
identifiable class of midnight movies both creepy cool and flush with
idealism. Terence Fisher once directed other lackluster fare
like The Hound of the Baskervilles and a dramatically slim version of
The Phantom of the Opera, but with The Curse of Frankenstein he
managed to wring mesmerizing (if histrionic) performances out of a
great ensemble. Cushing again stars as our mad scientist, who broods
and throws tantrums with mercury-like ease, and there are moments here
where he's so good it seems like he was born to play this part. Robert
Urquhart is also astonishing as Paul Krempe - usually the Frankenstein
second-in-command character is reduced to either being a hunchback
freak show or a naïve, clueless goody-two-shoes, which thankfully
is not the case here. Urquhart makes him passionate, confused and
painfully devoted to science, and this ferocity of character shines
through marvelously in a potent, enthusiastic performance.
Fisher also created a stoic sense of mood with the film's creepily-
lit sets, and breathed new life into what would, in anyone else's
hands, be a slow-paced, lumbering farce. For those of you reading this
who wonder why it took me so long to discover how fascinating this
movie was, I can only recommend this new DVD very highly. No, it
doesn't get the gallery of extras that it deserves, but the film has
probably never looked better. If you haven't seen it, trust the cynic
whose mind was changed - The Curse of Frankenstein may not be the
greatest horror movie ever made, but it sure stands heads-and-
shoulders above most of its ilk.
Video: How Does The Disc
Look?
Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, in a word,
striking! The print is in nice shape save a few minor blemishes and
grain, but nothing severe. Blacks are sharp and contrast crisp, with
color reproduction full and evocative. Due to some of the intended
visual style of the film, some hues, such as fleshtones brownish-red
background objects and colors, can bleed a bit, but are otherwise
solid. Detail is very good, with even shadow delineation impressive
for a film of this era. There appears to be no evidence of compression
artifacting or excessive halos or ringing. It's safe to say this film
has never looked better!
Audio: How Does The Disc
Sound?
Sure, Warner has decided to just go with the film's
original mono track - would it have been too much to have for a remix,
guys? - but this ain't too bad. That distinctive thinness so common
with mono tracks of the period is here and mars the majority of
dialogue, but it can't be avoided. Both the score and the effects come
through fine, with fair dynamic range. It would have been nice to get
a bit more kick with this mix, but as it stands, for a mono track it
is perfectly fine.
Also included is a French mono dub, English,
French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles, and English Closed Captions.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
Well, we do
get the film's theatrical trailer and some bare-bones cast and crew
information, but unfortunately that's all she wrote.
DVD-ROM
Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?
No ROM extras have been included.
Parting
Thoughts
In the future, I'd love to see a real special
edition of The Curse of Frankenstein, but I don't know if it is an
attractive enough idea financially for Warner to go for it. While
we're waiting, this edition is fine enough. The video transfer is
topnotch, and while the mono audio hardly impresses, it's serviceable
for a low-budget horror flick from the 50's. For Hammer fans, it will
be a godsend just to finally have the film on DVD, and for those
who've never seen it, now is as good of a time as any.
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