No redeeming qualities is how you would describe the character of Baron Frankenstein in this 5th entry in the series and that takes it down in my estimation. This is a return to the original characterization in 1957’s THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN after years of Peter Cushing gradually developing the character into the role of a misunderstood genius as opposed to a heartless experimenter. The difference this time around is that now the year is 1969. Movie standards have changed, and this film takes its cue from the previous year’s WITCHFINDER GENERAL. There Vincent Price played a cold and sadistic character with no redeeming qualities which ultimately led to an unhappy ending for everyone involved. That film, made by Hammer’s competitor Tigon, shook the British horror film down to it’s very foundation and the cynical FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED was one of Hammer’s answers.
Unlike the relatively sympathetic character the Baron was in 1966’s FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN, this Baron is his complete opposite. It’s as if Hammer had forgotten that the previous three films had even been made. The Baron’s burned hands from the previous film have disappeared and in addition to his general out and out villainy, the Baron now forces himself on a young woman without even thinking about it. This rape scene, which was added by Hammer’s producers and strenuously objected to by Cushing, was actually cut from release prints and only restored for the DVD. The overall look of the film is better than usual and it’s a strong script for the most part with above average supporting performances from Freddie Jones and Veronica Carlson. These are the redeeming qualities. However a one-dimensional Baron Frankenstein is a very serious flaw.
The Capsule Critic 