Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)

Baron Frankenstein blackmails a young asylum doctor named Karl (Simon Ward) into releasing the insane Dr Frederick Brandt (George Pravda) so that he can learn the secret of his brain-freezing technique.

The fifth of Hammer‘s Frankenstein series is graced by an incisive performance from Peter Cushing, up to his old tricks as the cruel, calculating sociopath performing brain transplants, and a haunting turn by Freddie Jones as the main recipient, an asylum employee whom the Baron has murdered.

Jones is astonishing as the anguished transplant victim whose wife fails to recognise him and rejects him, prompting his revenge plan.

While Frankenstein was portrayed in previous films as an ambitious scientist, all romanticism is stripped from his character here, and he is presented as an outright villain who uses blackmail, extortion, and physical violence to achieve his goals.

The gothic gore is once more directed with spirited skill and economy by Terence Fisher (his fourth in the series), although the most memorable Grand Guignol scare has a buried body bursting through the earth because of a broken water pipe.

Veronica Carlson wears the diaphanous gowns well as Karl’s fiancée, Anna.

Baron Frankenstein
Peter Cushing
Dr Karl Holst
Simon Ward
Anna Spengler
Veronica Carlson
Professor Richter
Freddie Jones
Inspector Frisch
Thorley Walters
Ella Brandt
Maxine Audley
Dr Frederick Brandt
George Pravda
Dr Heidecke
Jim Collier

Director
Terence Fisher

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