Not the best of the series, I do put Curse of Frankenstein, Revenge of Frankenstein and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed above it, but it is much better than Evil of Frankenstein and Horror of Frankenstein(both of which are from personal opinion among Hammer House of Horror's weakest).
Frankenstein Created Woman does take time to get going, like Evil and Horror except not as badly(Created Woman's story is actually interesting). More could have been done with Anton's death scene which is too brief and lacking in tension(again personal opinion), considering that out of the three men he's the one you hate the most.
Frankenstein Created Woman is well made though, not as much as Curse, Revenge and Destroyed but the photography is top notch, having a beautifully dream-like and deliciously macabre quality to it(especially the shots of the guillotine, they gave me chills), the costumes are sumptuous and the sets do give off the appropriate Gothic atmosphere. Some say that it looks skimpier compared to Curse, Revenge and Destroyed, others will argue that it matches the grimmer tone compared to the other Hammer Frankenstein films, this viewer belongs in the latter camp. Terence Fisher shows that he is more than up to the job, it's a taut directing job that shows a mastery of mood and atmosphere with striking visuals to match, while the music score is appropriately eerie.
The script explores several different elements(including psychological horror, sensuality, fear presented in a fairy-tale-like way and humour) and actually balances them very neatly. that was refreshing after seeing too many films with scripts and plots that try to do too much and come over as under-explained and muddled. The humour is very witty too, did get a good laugh at Frankenstein's very short and blunt answer to "Do you expect us to believe this childish rubbish, sir? Do you take us for fools?". The story is the most ambitious of the Hammer Frankensteins and is very different for them, the soul transference a really interesting concept and it was done more than adequately, though even more maybe could have been done with it. Even with the slow start, the story is always engaging and has enough suspense and excitement to keep one engrossed(the beginning is remarkably powerful and Christina's conversing with Hans's severed head is one Hammer's most chilling scenes), sure it does get very daft in places and has logic lapses galore but that is not unusual for Hammer and it's part of the charm.
The characters carry the film very well, it is easy to feel sympathy for Christina and Hans and feel repulsion for Anton, Karl and Johann. Frankenstein as ever is entertaining and while he's clearly "evil" he does show a sympathetic side too. Peter Cushing is terrific as he always was as the definitive interpretation of the Baron and Thorley Walters gives amusing and sympathetic support. Of the supporting cast, faring the best were Susan Denberg who is a creepy and poignant(not to mention sexy) Christina and Peter Blythe who is chillingly vile as Anton. Robert Morris is movingly engaging as Hans, and while Johann is a very atypical role for Derek Fowlds he does do very well with the character. All in all, a solid as rocks fourth entry of the Hammer Frankenstein series and an example of being ambitious paying off. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Frankenstein Created Woman does take time to get going, like Evil and Horror except not as badly(Created Woman's story is actually interesting). More could have been done with Anton's death scene which is too brief and lacking in tension(again personal opinion), considering that out of the three men he's the one you hate the most.
Frankenstein Created Woman is well made though, not as much as Curse, Revenge and Destroyed but the photography is top notch, having a beautifully dream-like and deliciously macabre quality to it(especially the shots of the guillotine, they gave me chills), the costumes are sumptuous and the sets do give off the appropriate Gothic atmosphere. Some say that it looks skimpier compared to Curse, Revenge and Destroyed, others will argue that it matches the grimmer tone compared to the other Hammer Frankenstein films, this viewer belongs in the latter camp. Terence Fisher shows that he is more than up to the job, it's a taut directing job that shows a mastery of mood and atmosphere with striking visuals to match, while the music score is appropriately eerie.
The script explores several different elements(including psychological horror, sensuality, fear presented in a fairy-tale-like way and humour) and actually balances them very neatly. that was refreshing after seeing too many films with scripts and plots that try to do too much and come over as under-explained and muddled. The humour is very witty too, did get a good laugh at Frankenstein's very short and blunt answer to "Do you expect us to believe this childish rubbish, sir? Do you take us for fools?". The story is the most ambitious of the Hammer Frankensteins and is very different for them, the soul transference a really interesting concept and it was done more than adequately, though even more maybe could have been done with it. Even with the slow start, the story is always engaging and has enough suspense and excitement to keep one engrossed(the beginning is remarkably powerful and Christina's conversing with Hans's severed head is one Hammer's most chilling scenes), sure it does get very daft in places and has logic lapses galore but that is not unusual for Hammer and it's part of the charm.
The characters carry the film very well, it is easy to feel sympathy for Christina and Hans and feel repulsion for Anton, Karl and Johann. Frankenstein as ever is entertaining and while he's clearly "evil" he does show a sympathetic side too. Peter Cushing is terrific as he always was as the definitive interpretation of the Baron and Thorley Walters gives amusing and sympathetic support. Of the supporting cast, faring the best were Susan Denberg who is a creepy and poignant(not to mention sexy) Christina and Peter Blythe who is chillingly vile as Anton. Robert Morris is movingly engaging as Hans, and while Johann is a very atypical role for Derek Fowlds he does do very well with the character. All in all, a solid as rocks fourth entry of the Hammer Frankenstein series and an example of being ambitious paying off. 8/10 Bethany Cox