A Frankenstein Film With A Unique Twist

Thorley Walters and Peter Cushing

Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is back at work on another experiment in Frankenstein Created Woman, a 1967 entry in the Hammer Films Frankenstein series. But this time out, he’s not just creating a monster. When he’s revived by Dr. Hertz (played by Thorley Walters) after his apparent demise in The Evil of Frankenstein, the previous film in the series, the Baron decides to explore the nature of the human soul. He decides to investigate whether a soul can be transferred from one body to another.

Dr. Frankenstein sees an opportunity to test this theory when Hans, Dr. Hertz’s assistant, is wrongfully convicted and executed for murder. After Hans is killed, his heartbroken lover Christina commits suicide. Frankenstein and Hertz then use their experimental techniques to bring Christina back, transferring Hans's soul into her body. Of course, things don’t go exactly according to plan, as the resurrected Christina decides to take revenge on those she feels are responsible for Han’s death. The film’s premise is an interesting one, and the idea of a man's soul inhabiting a woman's body gives the film a novel twist.

Director Terence Fisher was one of Hammer's most talented filmmakers, having previously helmed such classics as The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958) and The Brides of Dracula (1960). He brings his usual flair for gothic atmosphere to this production, which combines elements of science fiction, supernatural horror and revenge melodrama. Unlike some of the other entries in the series, this movie is less concerned with telling a traditional monster story, and more interested in questions of identity, love and the nature of the human soul. This Frankenstein tale has a metaphysical dimension.

The cast is terrific, with Cushing doing his usual fabulous work as Dr. Frankenstein, Hammer regular Thorley Walters as Dr. Hertz, Robert Morris as Hans, and Susan Denberg offering a strong performance as Christina, especially after her transformation. The cinematography by Arthur Grant is excellent, and the superb score for the film is provided by James Bernard. Frankenstein Created Woman is an entertaining and unusual entry in Hammer's Frankenstein series. One of the movie’s biggest fans is writer-director Martin Scorsese, who has often cited it in interviews as one of his favorite horror films.

While Frankenstein Created Woman may not enjoy the same iconic status as The Curse of Frankenstein, the first film in the series, it does offer an intriguing variation on the familiar formula, with a story that explores love, death, revenge and the possibility of life beyond the grave. Fisher's direction, Cushing's commanding performance and the film's eerie atmosphere, featuring Hammer's distinctive blend of gothic horror and offbeat storytelling, combine to make Frankenstein Created Woman worth a look for classic horror fans looking for something different. Here’s a link to a trailer for the film’s Blu-ray release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRcqBi37P4I.