Horror of Frankenstein, The (1970)

Hammer revisited the Frankenstein tale on numerous occasions, with The Horror of Frankenstein generally regarded as one of the worst. Without any of the Hammer big guns on the cast list, it stars Ralph Bates as Victor Frankenstein, skipping the misunderstood genius role in favour of the evil, sadistic madman.

After bumping off his father, Frankenstein heads to university in Vienna to learn his trade as a doctor, then returns to the family castle to expand his interest in anatomy.

However, anatomy needs body parts – cue an arrangement with the local graverobber (Dennis Price) and a few dastardly deeds by Frankenstein to top up the numbers.

Despite a mishap with a brain, the monster – played by David Prowse, best known as Darth Vader and the Green Cross Man – is created, but due to that mishap with the brain, not quite as intended.

Enter a monster with a square head and an interest in killing the locals and eating pigeons, and a doctor desperately trying to cover it all up.

Bates does an adequate job playing the mad doc, Kate O’Mara a better job of the amorous servant girl and the whole cast does well keeping straight faces playing out a tale with very little in common with the original novel.

Victor Frankenstein
Ralph Bates
The Monster
David Prowse
Alys
Kate O’Mara
Elizabeth Heiss
Veronica Carlson
Graverobber
Dennis Price
Lt. Henry Becker
Jon Finch
Professor Heiss
Bernard Archard
Wilhelm Kassner
Graham James
Bailiff
James Hayter
Graverobber’s Wife
Joan Rice
Stephan
Stephen Turner
Schoolmaster
Neil Wilson
Dean
James Cossins
Maggie
Glenys O’Brien
Baron Frankenstein
George Belbin
Instructor
Geoffrey Lumsden
Priest
Chris Lethbridge-Baker

Director
Jimmy Sangster