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
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.
Victor Frankenstein
