Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)

Baron Frankenstein has acquired the dead body of a young maiden, Christina, and all it lacks is the spark of life. He captures the soul of a recently executed young man and installs it in the young woman. With the memories from the young man still intact, she starts to kill the people whose false accusations led to the young man's execution. Written by Mattias Thuresson - IMDB

Frankenstein Created Woman is a Hammer Horror film directed by Terence Fisher. It stars Peter Cushing as Baron Frankenstein and Susan Denberg as his latest creation. It is the fourth film in Hammer's Frankenstein series.

Here we have another fine entry in Hammer's Frankenstein series.  It tries something unique as far as Frankenstein films go.  Instead of creating a monster from dead bodies, the good doctor instead isolates the soul from one body and transfers it to another.  The film is excellent in every way....from the plot, the acting and to the atmosphere.  It provides the typical Hammer style which most horror fans have grown to love.  It also solidifies Fisher as Hammer's most important director and Cushing as a true horror icon. A perfect follow up to the not so good "Evil Of Frankenstein".

In this film Frankenstein is actually portrayed as sort of a good guy.  His deeds don't seem near as horrible as the three rich lads that kill the owner of the local tavern.  It's more a tale of revenge as opposed to monster runs wild. Cushing's performance shows that his character is even more cocky and sure of his genius and skills than he was in previous films.  He's the sarcastic Baron that we all know and love. His character also shows that his main goal is the forward movement of science.  In the beginning of the film he's more than willing to commit suicide by freezing himself to conduct his experiments. A man willing to do this to himself certainly isn't concerned with how he uses others to complete his work.

The cast around Cushing is good as well.  Thorley Walters is wonderful as Hertz, the absent minded and somewhat dim witted doctor that assists Frankenstein.  He is supposedly a doctor as well but is mesmerized by the genius of the Baron.  Susan Denberg performance is also memorable as Christina.  Creepiness abounds as she talks to a severed head to determine who she should kill next.  She changes from deformed innocent lass to killer. Plus she was also a Playboy model with makes her easy on the eyes.

Who dies next Hanz?

 The movie has a few small flaws but nothing to damage my overall feelings on the film.  It's not as visual as most Hammer films are.  It could be because cinematographer Arthur Grant was working on his first horror film for Hammer and was not as familiar with the visual style that came before him. It is certainly unconventional as far as most "Frankenstein" films go but Cushing and Fisher make this film work.

Kevin Booker

 Trivia:

 Susan Denberg is dubbed.  

We are never told in which Country the film is set, however the Coat of Arms on the coach is that of the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. 

Double-billed with "The Mummy's Shroud."