Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed [Region 2] | ![Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed [Region 2]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/514GXNYNQRL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Terence Fisher
Actors: Peter Cushing, Veronica Carlson, Freddie Jones, Simon Ward, Thorley Walters
Category: DVD
Buy New: $38.66
Rating:  34 reviews
Format: Pal
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 7321900318402
Theatrical Release Date: February 11, 1970
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
Peter Cushing delivers his most cold-blooded portrayal of the mad Baron in his fifth turn as Dr. Frankenstein. Abandoning his latest experiment after a drunk stumbles into his secret lab (upsetting a severed head) he hurriedly finds new lodgings with a sweet young thing (Hammer glamour babe Veronica Carlson) whose boyfriend (Simon Ward, in his film debut) works in the local sanitarium. Frankenstein blackmails the lovers into complicity with his latest experiment, resorts to kidnapping and murder for his subjects, turns accomplice Ward into a killer, and even rapes Carlson in a coldly brutal scene. The goriest film of the series kicks off with a flamboyant beheading with a scythe (seen only as a spray of blood across a window) and is full of bloody brain surgery, conveniently offscreen but vividly suggested in the slurping sound effects of surgical saws and drills and the gallons of blood left in their wake. Freddie Jones is heartbreaking as Frankenstein's latest creature, a once-insane scientist who awakens to find himself cured but trapped in a grotesque, alien body. When he attempts to communicate with his wife, half hiding in a dark corner while she peers around and sees only a monster, director Terence Fisher offers the most affecting moment of pathos in the entire series. Cushing and Fisher reunited for one more film together, the seventh and final film in the series, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell. --Sean Axmaker
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| Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...
Baron Frankenstein is the Jason Voorhees of the 1960's January 18, 2008
In this splendid Hammer Production, Peter Cushing portrays a most evil, merciless Baron Frankenstein; he will kill anyone in order to ensure the success of his latest experiment: the transplanting of a brain from one human to another. He wields sickles, knives, and torches as he dispatches anyone who interferes. Peter Cushing reminds me of Vincent Price when he portrayed Dr. Phibes in his revenge movies. From its blood-splaterring beginning to its fiery end, this movie continues to shock and horrify. I'm surprised it didn't receive an "R" rating. As always, with a Hammer movie, the film and audio quality are excellent. The sets are lavish. The acting is superb. Veronica Carlson and Simon Ward protray a gorgeous couple who are in love and are being held captive against their will by the baron. They are forced to help him carry out his evil plans. This gothic horror has it all and is a definite must see for fans of Hammer Productions and Peter Cushing. It has a moderate body count. A higher body count would have earned it five stars from me.
 What a fine horror film! October 11, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Hammer Horror films have a tendency to take the suspense edge off so that the viewer can enjoy the saga as it unrolls. That's what I especially like about all their productions. And this one was simply superb in that realm, as well as in so many other facets.
First, the cinematography is just spectacular which is a hallmark for Hammer. There's nothing cheap or cheesy about this well-crafted film. The color saturation is just as I liked it. The sets were incredible.
Second, I enjoyed the story. With just a tiny glitch or two, it was as plausible as any horror flick of the era and moreso than most. Of course, they always get into trouble with selling the idea of the simplicity of a brain transplant, but HEY -- that's what Frankenstein ALWAYS does and we just have to eat that one! Mary Shelly gave the movie people no choice when she envisioned her early monster.
Third, I was sated with the ending, upon which I will not elaborate here -- but I thought it was a great one, albeit not a happy one for all the principals.
Last, looking at the film overall, I had an impression of "film art" (pretty rare feeling with horror flicks!) and I thought the whole thing was tastefully done and yielded a classy product. The one exception here was the rape scene (which was added to make us hate Cushing/Frankenstein), but I found it unnecessary and not relevant to the larger theme of the picture. Still, I'm sure others found it A-O-K -- life is not the same for everybody.
Finally, I'll state that this is one of my 3 favorite horror films, from any era of film-making. A fine job and a steller performance by all the actors, especially Peter Cushing.
VILE Abomination!! May 26, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Hammer's 5th Baron Frankenstein film is, by far, their nastiest-- and in some ways, I must admit, perhaps their cleverest. Gone is any pretense of sympathy in the character-- in this, he's devolved into irredeemably evil. What kind of a "hero" (protagonist at best) DECAPITATES an innocent passer-by to aid in an experiment? Long way from digging up dead corpses, isn't it! What horrible fate brought dear, sweet, gentle Peter Cushing (Van Helsing in HORROR OF DRACULA and others, Sherlock Holmes in HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, a 60's tv series & MASKS OF DEATH) to such an utterly dispicable (and frighteningly convincing) portayal??? With such an outrageous title, you kinda know what you're in for. The film really lives up to (or is down to?) its name.
Focused on brain transplants, the Baron blackmails a young couple to help him. What follows involves theft, murder, 2 kidnappings, another murder, deceit, rape (how'd THAT get in there?) and, finally, arson. (It's a horror film-- how ELSE would it end??) You feel sympathy for Simon Ward and Veronica Carlson, whose only original crime involved trying to get money to pay for her hospitalized relative. You feel NO sympathy whatsoever for the Baron, as he cold-bloodedly violates every law he can (among other things) on the road to "scientific knowledge".
Among the supporting cast are George Pravda as the Baron's insane collegue. Pravda was clever if wimpy as the atomic scientist in THUNDERBALL, and brilliant as the police chief in the DOCTOR WHO story, "The Deadly Assasin". Here he's merely a pathetic victim. Also on hand are Freddie Jones (the scientist who sent Clint Eastwood on a spy mission in FIREFOX), who brings true sympathy to his role as the Baron's "creation". I watched the film several times without even noticing the parallel with the Mary Shelly story, as the "monster" seeks revenge for the man who thoughtlessly "created" him. (With Hammer films, sometimes it's hard to recognize the original source materials!) Peter Copley, a veteran of several DOCTOR WHO stories, has a small role as the head of the asylum. Blink and you might miss (I did) Frank Middlemass-- "Rocky Hardcastle" from AS TIME GOES BY, as one of the 4 ejected houseguests. Also hard to spot is Windsor Davies ("Sergeant-Major Zero", my favorite character on Gerry Anderson's TERRAHAWKS series), one of the policemen who search Carlson's house. More of a standout is Geoffrey Bayldon, one of my favorite character actors (HORROR OF DRACULA, TO SIR WITH LOVE, CASINO ROYALE, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, and "The Creature From The Pit" on DOCTOR WHO) as the "Police Doctor". He's harrassed by the boisterous, loud-mouthed police inspector played by Thorley Walters. Here's an actor who's really gotten around-- over the years he's played Dr. Watson opposite 3 different Sherlock Holmes (Chris Lee, Douglas Wilmer & Christopher Plummer), was a psuedo-Renfield type (in DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS), played the Baron's assistant (FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMEN) and here, a well-meaning cop who's so abbrassive you almost HOPE he doesn't get his man (and sadly he disappears about halfway thru the film). I swear, watching this film again, I found myself thinking-- I used to WORK for that man!!! (The character reminds me EXACTLY of a software writer I know in Cherry Hill who shall, of course, remain nameless.)
Legend has it director Terrence Fisher thought the film was getting a little dull in one spot, thought about it for awhile, then suggested, "HOW ABOUT A RAPE SCENE?" Said scene was quickly written & shot, at the objection of Peter Cushing, who felt it not only offensive, but not properly built up to, plot-wise. Someone agreed, as it was cut from all original release prints. But its noteriety was such, apparently, that it's been restored to the latest prints (just as 5 different offending scenes were eventually restored to the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN).
The plot is one of those "rat-maze" affairs, as characters are trapped in a bad siaution that just keeps getting worse, and the audience is forced to suffer thru one horror after another for an hour and 40 minutes... before the climax, which almost makes it worthwhile! In a sequence that only now reminds me of the climax of HALLOWEEN 5, the overweight, balding character (the creature) lures his intended victim to a large house. But where Dr. Loomis wanted only to capture Michael Myers, here, nothing less than the DEATH of the Baron will suffice. In true Roger Coman tradition (which also goes back to the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN!), before you know it, the house is ablaze. Somehow, the Baron escapes... only to be stopped by a vengeful (if completely inept) Simon Ward, who's kicked aside by the creature. Then, hefting the Baron over his shoulder, he walks, straight back INTO THE FIRE, the Baron screaming "No! NOOOOO!!!!" the whole way. The first time I saw this, I stood up and CHEERED as the end credits rolled! The whole time, I was thinking, it was TOO GOOD for him!
Love it or hate it, this is one not to be missed.
Believe it or not, one of the BEST "Frankenstein" films! April 13, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Hammer did 7 Frankenstein films from the late 50s to early 70s:
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
The Horror of Frankenstein (1970)
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1973)
Peter Cushing played Baron Frankenstein in every one of these except "The Horror of Frankenstein." The reason is because "Horror" was a remake of the original story and they needed a much younger actor to play the role; in this case they chose Ralph Bates (who superbly played the love-to-hate OTT satanist in "Taste the Blood of Dracula" released the same year).
In any event, we all know the basic Frankenstein story: A mad scientist is obsessed with creating life from an assortment of body parts. Eventually he succeeds and his creation goes on a killing spree, although the creature is nice to kids 'cause they're innocent. Ultimately the monster must be destroyed (and the Baron usually goes with him).
Ho Hum. Forgive me if this basic plot no longer trips my trigger. Thankfully, I recently saw a couple of Frankenstein flicks that stirred my interest in this age-old predictable story.
Hammer's "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" from 1969 was, as noted above, the fifth film in their 7-film Frankenstein series. THE PLOT: Baron Frankenstein is, at this point, a fugitive who goes by a different name but is intent on continuing his gruesome work. He ultimately blackmails a young couple in assisting him. They steal a patient from the local insane asylum and successfully tranplant his brain into another body, curing his madness.
The film is highlighted by Veronica Carlson, who looks a lot like Ursula Andress, but possibly even more beautiful (if you can imagine that).
FINAL ANALYSIS: "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" is one of the best Frankenstein flicks I've seen. It's creative, labyrinthian and full of pizzazz. Being a sequel, the film retains the essential elements of the original story but is a natural progression. The REAL monster in this picture is Baron Frankenstein himself; he's no longer a basically good person obsessed with creating life from corpses. His obsession has defiled him to the point of enmity, hate, arrogance, violence, rape and murder.
Another great 70's Frankenstein film is the Italian "Lady Frankenstein" from 1971, which starred Rosalba Neri (AKA Sara Bey) as the Baron's daughter who overtakes his work after his death. See my review for details.
"I fancy that I am the spider and you the fly, Frankenstein" September 26, 2006
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
The fifth entry in Hammer's Frankenstein series, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, is probably the best. Director Terence Fisher thought so as well.
The plot has been well-covered by other reviewers, so I won't bother rehashing it. The acting in this movie from the whole cast is top notch. Peter Cushing is great as usual and he really pulls off Frankenstein's split personas: the charming public figure and the cold, ruthless madman. Simon Ward and Veronica Carlson are both good as the young couple held captive by Frankenstein's demands. Thorley Walters is an amusing police inspector. And Freddie Jones is great as the "creature," a once insane scientist cured but trapped in a body that's not his.
Terence Fisher was a great horror director and three sequences in this film rank among his best: the opening with the Hitchcockian beheading sequence, followed by the scene where Frankenstein unmasks himself (that shot in particular is great); the scene where the watermain bursts and the dead Dr. Brandt's hand is forced up causing poor Anna (Carlson) to hide it; and the final confrontation between the Baron and his unwitting creation.
Warner Brothers' DVD is far from a deluxe edition but it'll do. The widescreen transfer looks great, much better than the old VHS I had. The only extra is the trailer, but those old trailers were so much fun than what we have today.
Anyone who is a fan of Peter Cushing or Hammer's horror films must get this DVD. You will not be disappointed.
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