Directed By: Terence Fisher
Written By: John Elder
Starring: Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, Thorley Walters
Color/92 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
The Film
Baron Frankenstein (Cushing) is on a mission to conquer the inevitability of death. After killing his body for an hour and reviving himself with the help of his assitant, Frankenstein discovers that the soul doesn't leave the body at the instant death occurs. To celebrate his discovery he sends young Hans to get a bottle of champagne. While at the tavern Hans' love Christina, a scarred and disfigured young woman with a beautiful heart, is harrassed by the local group of entitled rich kids who are on their daddy's power trip. A fight ensues and eventually Hans is accused of a murder he didn't commit. Sentenced to death at the guillotine, the same fate his father faced before his own eyes as a child, Hans dies. Overcome with grief, Christina drowns herself.
Baron Frankenstein sees this as a perfect opportunity for a new experiment. He gathers the bodies and manages to revive Christina, only now she is beautiful. She also has no memory of who she is. That is until Hans' voice pops into her head and takes control of her body for revenge on the men that framed him for murder. Baron Frankenstein has transferred Hans' soul into Christina's body and Christina is leaving a bloody trail across the town.
FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN is the fourth film Hammer's series of films based around the Frankenstein character. This film is different in that previous entries dealt with the physical body while FCW revolves more around the metaphysical aspects of life and death. There are a few gory moments in the film, at least gory by 60s British horror standards. From the opening ominous shot of the guillotine to the closing murder sequences FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN is a well acted (no surprise) and well directed (again, no surprise) piece of suspenseful crime and horror.
The Audio & Video
It is clear that Millennium Entertainment just plain gets how to present vintage horror films on Blu-ray. FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN looks excellent on Blu-ray, with a natural, film like feel. The 2.35:1 widescreen transfer is clean but maintains a light grain structure so that we know we're watching a movie. Skin tones are natural, and don't suffer from DNR or waxy textures. Colors are proper for the naturally overcast look of the film. The 2.0 stereo mix is excellent- full bodied and clear of any background noise. A great A/V job top to bottom.
The Extras
If the excellent job on the technical side of things wasn't enough, the disc features a healthy dose of extas:
-Audio commentary with actors Robert Morris and Derek Fowlds and English film critic Jonathan Rigby
-2 episodes of "World Of Hammer" documentary series
- "Hammer Glamour" - a new documentary
-Trailer
-Stills Gallery
-A set of reproduction lobby cards
Millennium Entertainment has made a set of the original lobby cards for FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN downloadable, and they're available HERE
The Bottom Line
Few things in the world of cinema get me as excited as the Hammer logo. Few things about the Blu-ray format get me as excited as the Hammer logo in HD. This release of FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN is a 5 star job that is deserving of a spot on your movie shelf. Go buy it and support Hammer films on Blu-ray!
FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN is available HERE
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