Frankenstein Created Woman
Blu-ray (Hammer Collector’s Edition)
Director: Terence Fisher
Screenwriter: John Elder
Cast: Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, Thorley Walters, Robert Morris
Millennium Entertainment
Not Rated | 92 Minutes
Release Date: January 28, 2013
Directed by Terence Fisher (The Curse of Frankenstein), Frankenstein Created Woman is the fourth film in Hammer’s Frankenstein series and stars Peter Cushing (Star Wars) as Baron Victor Frankenstein and Susan Denberg as his latest creation.
In the film, which was originally released in 1967, a tormented Christina (Denberg) drowns herself after her lover, Hans Werner (Robert Morris), is framed for murder and guillotined. Baron Frankenstein (Cushing), experimenting with the transfer of souls, places Han’s soul into the lifeless body of Christina, bringing her back to life. With no memories of her past life, a body occupied by two souls carries out a violent retribution on those responsible for both deaths.
Perhaps the most interesting element of Fisher’s film is that, where previous Hammer productions were concerned with the physical aspects of Frankenstein’s work, the focus here is in the metaphysical dimensions of life, such as the question of the soul and its relationship to the body.
Frankenstein Created Woman is a surprisingly complex film, despite a cheeky title that suggests a pseudo-erotic flesh-feast in the vein of 1970’s The Vampire Lovers. Unfortunately, there isn’t much about this film that could be described as cheeky, erotic, or chilling.
While it offers the lavish set designs, exquisite costumes, and impressive special effects Hammer Horror is known for – and Cushing’s delightfully demented Dr. Frankenstein – Frankenstein Created Woman fails to excite. It’s curious, though altogether uneventful – and yet still a massive improvement from Hammer’s previous Frankenstein entry, 1964’s The Evil of Frankenstein.
Still, for hardcore Hammer fans, this Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release may be worth a look. Distributed by Millennium Entertainment, the Blu-ray includes an audio commentary featuring Derek Fowlds, Robert Morris, and Jonathan Rigby as well as the World of Hammer episodes “The Curse of Frankenstein” and “Hammer Stars: Christopher Lee.”
Also included is Hammer Glamour, a brand-new documentary about the women of Hammer Horror and the fashions and makeup of the era, a restored theatrical trailer, a restoration comparison, and stills gallery. The Blu-ray also contains five exclusive collectible cards depicting classic moments from the film.
I really wish Hammer Films would release a giant Blu-ray box set, similar to 2012’s Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection. It seems like distribution rights for these films are all over the place (Scream Factory recently released The Vampire Lovers on Blu-ray), but hopefully Millennium Entertainment snags the rights for more better Hammer Horror releases in the future – because this 1080p restoration is fantastic and I’d love to see Horror of Dracula or The Curse of Frankenstein get this treatment.
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The World of Hammer episode is on Peter Cushing and I sure couldn’t find a restoration comparison in the menu nor is mentioned in the packaging.
Comment by Tamara Klein — January 31, 2014 @ 11:12 am
Also, Hammer Glamour focuses on the leading ladies of Hammer and has little to nothing to do with “make up and fashion”
Comment by Tamara Klein — January 31, 2014 @ 11:13 am
does it show the boobs of a playmate ?
Comment by Paul Bradley — May 13, 2015 @ 9:34 am