MovieChat Forums > Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1976) Discussion > Hammer's Frankenstein Finale

Hammer's Frankenstein Finale

posted 20 years ago by BijouBob8mm
7 replies | jump to latest

One of the last gasps for Gothic horror from Hammer, FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL was planned to play as a double bill with CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER. (Early in preproduction, there was some talk of casting Caroline Munro in the Madeline Smith role, which would have been interesting to see--no disprespect to Miss Smith intended.) Another planned, but aborted, idea for the film was to release a soundtrack album in which Peter Cushing would narrate the story. (The actor did this for Hammer's THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES, and the audio adaptation is included on Anchor Bay's DVD of that film.) I don't know if such a recording was ever made or not. In the wake of such fare as THE EXORCIST, which placed horror in a contemporary setting (ala the earlier efforts of Val Lewton), period pieces seemed to lose their appeal and Hammer's feature film production ended with their own entry into modern fright fare, TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER.

[–] mr_lizarddz 20 years ago

Funny you should mention that ! I managed to pick up a double bill dvd of ...monster from hell and Kronos, and often wondered if it was originally meant to be so, so thanks for that. Also think Caroline Munro would have been better in the Madeline Smith role, but perhaps only 'cos she is my favourite 70's horror queen (after Jenny Linden !)

[–] BijouBob8mm 20 years ago

Caroline has a heart of gold when it comes to her fans. Given how expressive her eyes are, I think she would have done well in MONSTER FROM HELL, even though the character is mute up until the end. A Region 1 DVD of DRACULA AD 1972 is due out this October, which features her, along with Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Stephanie Beacham. Jenny Linden...hadn't thought about her in a while. (Guess that's a sign it's time to track down some of her stuff on home video!)

[–] mr_lizarddz 20 years ago

Also anyone remember Linda Hayden ? "Blood on Satans Claw" what a film, and what a scream queen. You can easily get hold of it- kind of a cheaper companion piece to " The Wicker Man" or "Witchfinder General".

[–] BijouBob8mm 20 years ago

I see Anchor Bay gave BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW a Region 2 DVD release...I hope a Region 1 version from them is in the cards, as well. I remember Linda Hayden from that film, TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, VAMPIRA and in THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL, among others. Believe it or not, Image have given the simian spoof QUEEN KONG a rather impressive DVD release. (She appears briefly in it.) Q.K. won't be to everyone's taste, but the Kong spoof plays like a prolonged Benny Hill sketch. (Also features Hammer femme fatale Valerie Leon.)

[–] babettegillette 15 years ago

Never thought of that! The Exorcist helped to kill Hammer? Interesting.

[–] cinefool 15 years ago

It's absolutely true that "The Exorcist" totally changed the rules for horror films when it came out, babette. That movie really shook up the film industry and theatergoers; I know, I was one of them. I was about nine and a half, a voracious reader of "Famous Monsters" magazine, and addicted to both Gothic and modern horror flicks. The influence of "The Exorcist" swept like a tidal wave, resetting the bar for what a fright film should be. Stories set in haunted mansions or in nineteenth century Europe where outmoded overnight, and even a lot of contemporary fare, like my beloved Amicus films, or tongue-in-cheek opuses like "Theatre of Blood" with Vincent Price were rendered trite by comparison.

This was reenforced the following year by Mel Brook's "Young Frankenstein", a skillful send up of Ol' Style Horror that send yet another nail into the coffin of serious Gothic work. Later there came "Jaws", which separated audiences still further from a genre that was by 1975 seen as hopelessly old fashioned.

As a preteen who still loved the Universal classics, Val Lewton's films, and the best of Hammer and Amicus, I was a little dismayed. But time did indeed march on (and over) the old style of horror film making, and "The Exorcist" was the opening shot in the revolution.

[–] Harold_Robbins 13 years ago

I'm re-watching it, and it's not nearly as bad as its cheesy title implies - it's well-made in the Hammer 'period' style, and the performances are excellent throughout.

"In my case, self-absorption is completely justified."