The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) Highlights

[@clydesight]

The title card was correct when it said: "The curse of Frankenstein will haunt you forever". The movie has been going strong ever since 1957, and it pretty much set Hammer on a whirlwind of horror classics. Their Dracula was incredibly popular, and a great vehicle for Christopher Lee. In my own life, this movie got my attention as a child, and later, remembering it, I picked up a copy of the novel and read it. It was one of the best books I'd ever read! When it was released, the color, the gore (mild by today's standards, of course) shocked and fascinated audiences. But, for me, the pitiable look of the creature was unforgettable. All I could see was pain, and the movie made no bones about Baron Frankenstein's completely callous attitude towards his creation. Amazing movie and performances for the time.

[@kazamshah4543]

I know people love it, but this movie was dreadful and totally charmless. Most of the Hammer productions were wooden, strangely remote and rather cold with characters you couldn't care less about.

[@trailersfromhell2539]

It's incredible how much Peter Cushing nailed the role of Baron Viktor Frankenstein - Uncompromising and obsessive. Most likely the finest interpretation of the character in film and TV so far.

[@RPKGameVids]

There's something so therapeutic about watching these old Hammer films at night, relaxing in my chair.

[@jackslabbath2434]

Lee & Cushing were true gods of film and when paired together created a dark magical atmosphere unknown in modern cinema. Two legends, greatly missed and never forgotten

[@jondoes8222]

Did you notice how the monster noticed who Dr Frankenstein was in the lap when he choked him? The professor's brain was in the monsters body but damaged yet knew what the doctor had done to him. You could see it in his face when he looked at Baron.

[@gailjacquelinemrsgray2507]

Peter Cushing/Christopher lee are fantastic duo.

[@RexMckinnis]

Makes you realize how both icons were in Star Wars and I wish they could of worked on that as well

[@emily7103]

The chocolate-and-peanut butter of horror.

[@matthewboyd68]

@@RexMckinnis They were both big Looney Tunes fans as well kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpKVZJeneteMpNk

[@Sonic1991-z9h]

Grand Moff Tarkin and Count Dooku.

[@steveprescott4754]

I remember buying an 8mm film short with scenes from this movie in 1970...200 feet and about 12 mins, silent. But I watched it over and over on my home film editor...

[@jettrink7510]

Hazel Court was unbelievably beautiful.

[@NashvilleTuneStream]

Hazel Court, Virginia Mayo. Two classic beauties who are a little under the radar now but maybe back in the 40’s and 50’s were better known?

[@renter6]

1:00 How did they even film this fall? It looks brutal.

[@rjun67]

Ha ha, yeah we have discussed this before, I don't know how it was done...I bet the poor bastard had a bad head after!

[@ChemaHernandez]

renter6 If you look close to the floor, you can see the fabric from the mattress

[@ryanmayberry7479]

I would think they'd replace him with a dummy

[@GialloEurocrimeWorldChannel]

@@ChemaHernandez Even with a mattress, landing on your head like that could break your neck.

[@ChemaHernandez]

@@GialloEurocrimeWorldChannel If you Look closer, the stuntman, Jock Easton, falls over his arm/shoulder... It's a great stunt... Almost a miss... But he survived without problems... 😅

[@MrAquinas1]

I had nightmares after seeing this as a kid until a few years later when the Munsters tv show came on and Frankenstein was depicted as a charming buffoon.

[@Jimmcgurn]

This was the first horror movie i ever saw. I had nightmares around the place where Lee strips away the bandages (1:24) for at least 15 years!

[@bananacar4779]

"The Skull" scared the crap out of me.Peter Cushing was also in this one.He digs up the skull of Marque De Sade,and it proceeds to float around and kill people.I woke up my dad at 4 in the morning !

[@GialloEurocrimeWorldChannel]

Your dreams sound pleasant compared to mine.

[@dallas5684]

Chris Lee turned in a special performance with this. He almost seems like he is in a different film than everyone else.

[@MatimoreAgain]

that fall at 1:02 is amazing

[@rjun67]

MatimoreAgain LOOK OUT PROFESSOR!!!

[@Christian-wt5qt]

+MatimoreAgain Yeah, ... and considering no digital effect, only the stunt`s skill!!!!!......

[@heymeng4667]

+MatimoreAgain That guy could've broken his neck there. Wouldn't be surprised if he did. Nevertheless, that was an awesome fall and great stunt work.

[@loveandnapalm]

+Hey Meng The camera angle and the tails of his coat are deceptive I think. If you slow it down to .25 speed it looks like he actually landed on his shoulder/upper back more than anything. The fact that it looks that great but still was probably (relatively) safe is even more impressive.

[@heymeng4667]

+Buttfart Holy crap you are right! Slowed it down to .25 and saw the way he fell. Definitely shoulder/upper back. The angle makes it all work and looks like a broken neck injury when it's not. The floor seems to stretch somewhat, so that could be the soft pad to protect him upon landing. Even so, if he hand botched that landing it could've been a hell of an injury. I love nitpicking stunts in movies and this one is top notch.

[@Rytar]

00:05 Such a great sample right there...White Zombie I think was first.

[@kendallsquare7575]

MY FAVORITE HAMMER FILM.

[@Jim_Stark]

the fall was pretty clever. if you pause on it you will see they integrated a mattress into the floor. you can see it crinkle up at just the right moment. although i was never able to catch it on an old vhs copy.

[@Emily-Whitfield]

When the monster first unwrap his face bandages he looks at Dr Frankenstein with sheer hatered because the Professors brain knew that Frankenstein killed him!

[@catherinebirch2399]

The part where the bring the puppy back to life is one of my favourite scenes.

[@emilywhitfield2780]

One of my favorites!!❤❤

[@BingCherry11]

At 2:00 is the perfect spot for Supergirl!!! She could immediately hit the monster with a full power blast of heat ray vision that would instantly burn out both of his lungs and heart and reduce him to pile of ashes which she then with another blast of heat ray vision destroys the ashes as well!!!

[@anthonybadzhaksizyan5273]

Best hammer horror film ever

[@rondamico7802]

This creature that Lee played is the scariest of them all. It is more like a zombie from Night of the living dead".The way it is stiff like a zombie especially in the woods killing the blind old man. In my opinion, they should've saved him for another sequel.

[@cultofj3777]

0:57 I was thinking: 'cue mannequin'. But no ... that guy feel on his friggin' head! Impressive.

[@MaxCovington543]

You skipped my favorite part. At the end when he's pleading with Paul to tell them about the creature and Paul denies it. I don't know if the ending was suppose to be ambiguous in that Paul lied about knowing nothing of Frankenstein's monster or if Frankenstein truly was crazy. I mean he shot Elizabeth while trying to kill the monster and when we see her again with Paul, she's fine. No visible signs of injury or anything so maybe it was all in his head.

[@normanby100]

She has her arm in a sling.

[@nickzilla20]

You know I would have liked in the sequels, after Frankenstein escapes he would have his own revenge mission on Paul for betraying him. Either making a monster to hunt him down or kidnapping him and turning him into a monster.

[@aniseadhikari1667]

@@nickzilla20 My version of Revenge of Frankenstein would be that Paul joins the medical council. Frankenstein recognizes him and hunts him down himself eventually coming to an ultimate showdown where Frankenstein finally gets his revenge on Paul and murders him with an axe (he is beheaded off screen. His body is later shown). Oh and he also stabbed and killed Elizabeth so that Paul would come after him (apparently he wants that).

[@safado441]

With regard to Elizabeth,it is obvious when she is shot that the bullet only grazes her,so she would have had only a superficial injury.

[@KerreyTheBitterSugar]

love that movie, they dont make films like that anymore

[@OptimusPrime298]

Christopher Lee and Peter Crushing forever

[@chestnutsev7]

Good stunt at 1:02

[@mhadman]

Professor took a header..

[@RDdaNINJA]

I watched this movie on TCM when I was 14. I thought it was really good. Unfortunately, I never got to see any of the sequels.

[@ianf.macfarlane3886]

I remember seeing this on a bbc2 horror double-bill with Dr, X in 1979 I think. Great memories.

[@Mustaine1ify]

Yeh I remember those double bills. Friday or Saturday nights (can't quite remember) I used to watch them as a Nine year old while my Mum and Dad were down the pub. Parental guidance in the 70s 🤣🤣

[@Brandon12983]

1:23 when i saw this clip elsewhere i thought he was playing the mummy

[@markwood3389]

At 1:00, does anybody know how they did that stunt?

[@cultofj3777]

Even if it's some type of force percpective trick, it's still pretty awesome. Unless the guy actually broke his neck in the fall!

[@pinkbeatle2012]

The monster is alot more terrifying in this than the classic one.

[@RockNRollSurf]

True, but the 1931 monster is more badass. Iconic design, and I believe he has the highest kill count of them all ( both in the first one and in Bride of Frankenstein). Funniest scene for me was when he threw Igor Jr. off the cliff for no good reason just because he got impatient when they were taking too long in making his wife 😂

[@MrSteve24fps]

In an earlier sequence, he took a gunshot to the eye.

[@godzillafan4033]

I'm a little late to this party and may be someone already bought this up but I think this is the plot of Young Frankenstein. With the assistance taking the place of Igor.

[@rjun67]

LOOK OUT PROFFESSOR!!

[@nickzilla20]

0:59 look out professor look out!

[@missxshow2390]

I did a re-enactment of this scene here on my channel.

[@OphionMasterofPwnagesweg]

why is the creatures right eye black?

[@bingcherry1122]

I would be very surprised if that fall in itself did not damage the professor's brain because he did hit his head upon crashing to the floor!!!!

[@thxmateoli]

The professor he pushed kind of looks like the great late mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss from old photos I have seen of him.

[@emily7103]

It's rare to see Peter playing a villain.

[@lennyrumschlag2300]

Star wars

[@tabbygail7]

How in the hell can you not include a scene featuring the lovely Hazel Court (Elizabeth)? That gown she wears in the climactic scene is one of the most sexiest things I've ever seen.

[@rjun67]

I didn't add her coz she looks much better in The Raven (with Boris Karloff)...when she is running to greet him you can see her big norks bouncing a treat!!!

[@mhadman]

rjun67 big norks...lmao

[@safado441]

As much as I admire the late, great Mr. Boris Karloff and Colin Clive in the Universal movie, I think Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are the better monster and doctor. Although I do not approve of the deviation from the book of the doctor going from a fairly naive, innocent man into Peter Cushing's rather evil, mad scientist, I do find that it makes for a better horror film. The book, after all, is not all horror story, and in terms of sheer fright, this movie doctor is better. And Christopher Lee...what can I say? His portrayal of the creature was stellar, as all his work is. The part where he was shot fills one with pity and sympathy, just from the expression in his eyes, and yet there's also the murder and bestial evil that one expects from a monster. All in all, however, he is a wonderful actor and did a wonderful job with the creature. Hammer Films, I salute you yet again.

[@rjun67]

Yeah I saw that the other day......i couldnt work it out...that fucker really did fall!!

[@angelomezzadri2463]

Grandi attori, il mio attore inglese preferito era però David Hemmings.

[@rondamico7802]

This creature was much like a zombie. It reminds me of one of The Walking Dead.

[@AmericanPsychonautV]

Hammer-&-Sickle Horror

[@steveprescott4754]

I've come close to tossing meself into an early grave...you're correct, mate, too many choices! A wank in the day took some creativity...

[@BingCherry11]

I was 10 years old when I saw this in movie theater. When the Dr. Frankenstein pushed the old man through the railing. I thought to myself if the old man hits the ground with head his brain will be damaged and there goes the experiment!!!!! Ruined!!!!

[@rjun67]

yeah this was the thing...Hammer was always low budget so no special effect trickery (like the 'on the wall roll' fall in the Omen, i can only think the guy had a fucking bad headache afterwards (the poor bastard probably only got paid £15 for that!)

[@degs6169]

It was a fored perspective shot. The stunt was done by a circus performer who could fake falls like that. Notice the floor bounces a bit when he lands too.

[@centrearteditions6288]

La Hammer a su renouveler le mythe de Frankenstein en confiant à Peter Cushing le rôle du savant mégalomane. Dépassé par ses expériences; il n'hésite pas à se mettre hors-la-loi. Contrairement aux versions précédentes, le monstre n'est plus la créature mais le créateur. A lire; l'ouvrage "Frankenstein, Dracula et les autres sous les feux de la Hammer" de Daniel Bastié édité chez Grand Angle.

[@johncorbis1540]

This was actually a dummy. But what a dummy! I think if you watch it on a larger screen you can tell. But that was impressive.

[@evestarmaid3861]

I think he could do with a little moisturiser on his cheeks .

[@rjun67]

It seems really primitive now, the lengths that some blokes had to go to just to have a wank in the 70s, but in a way i guess all the fun has been taken out of it with all the choice we have now.......good thing my old man is dead...or he would have tossed himself to death!!

[@rjun67]

my dad used to have them films..............but they were porno's...i laughed my bollocks off wen the bulb got too hot and burnt the film when he was watching 'come play with me'!!

[@AmericanPsychonautV]

"Dhe Curse of Frankenstein" (1957) scared dhe pants off me; [hellstormdocumentary]dot[com] truly horrified me.

[@sukhairishuid3061]

Ahaa... white zombie

[@karenpato1]

They kept calling him "thing","it","creature " and "monster"....no wonder he was mean!...it's like hey buddy, I have a name! They could have called him "cotton eyed Joe " or "Patches" ...maybe he would have been more likeable, more amiable.

[@enjoythyhorror]

Boris Karloff did an infinitely better job than Christopher Lee.

[@kazamshah4543]

Definitely. Lee was always overrated.