FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL

UK, 1974, 98 minutes, Colour.
Peter Cushing, Shane Briant, Madeline Smith.
Directed by Terence Fisher.

Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is an attempt by director Terence Fisher to continue his successful group of horror films. Fisher was one of the earliest in horror films at the Hammer studios directing the Revenge Of Frankenstein in 1958, at a time when horror films were making their comeback. He went on to make a number of horror films for Hammer during the 60s and a few variations on the Frankenstein theme. This particular film fits into the tradition, is as competent as usual although the genre tended by this time to be well explored and exploited. Peter Cushing has his usual ominous presence in such a film.

1. Audience interest in the Frankenstein myth? Audience response to horror, suspense, goriness, the fascination with evil?

2. The significance with the Frankenstein myth and its popularity? The atmosphere of science fiction, medicine, a man playing God and creating life, life rebounding on the creator?

3. The emphasis on gore in this film? Appropriate?

4. Involving audience by the opening, grave digging, doctor Helder and his experiments, his arrest? The parallel with Frankenstein?

5. The justice of his condemnation?

6. The presentation of the asylum, audience to such a 19th century asylums? Their ugliness and horror? Was this exploited in this film? The guards and their brutality, the desperate nature of the inmates, the head of the institution and his madness, the hosing of doctor Helder? How ugly?

7. Frankenstein and his place in this asylum? His role as resident doctor, his control of the head, his assistant, his
scope for experiments? The significance of his tour of the patients? The films detailed presentation of each of these patients and his personality? In view of their contribution to the monster?

8. Audience response to Frankensteins' experiments, Their use of people for example, the suicide of the professor? (The professor and his artistic nature, yet his violence, his music as background for the monster?)

9. The presentation of the monster? Immediate audience reaction? The look of him, his character, becoming the professor and trying to speak, the torment of the pain and being locked in such a body? How much pathos? The ambiguity of the monster in his madness and sanity?

10. Sarah and her assisting in the surgery? The visualising of the themes of beauty and the beast? Sarah's own experience of madness, her mute condition?

11. Halder's response to all of this? Fascination with Sarah, helping Frankenstein, discovering the truth, reaction to the monster, rebelling? This leading to havoc, for example, the death of the head of the Asylum?

12. Sarah and her regaining of her voice? The situation crisis?

13. The ugliness of the monster's death and the hand of the inmates? Audience response to this ugliness, pathos?

14. The callous Frankenstein after the experience? That he wanted to go on? Did the audience condemn him?

15. Why has this myth continued to have such popularity over the years?