"The Revenge of Frankenstein" begins where "The Curse of Frankenstein" (1957) left off. It opens as Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is being led off to an engagement with Madame La Guillotine. With the help of a trusted dwarf jailer (Oscar Quitak) and the executioner, he substitutes the attending priest in his place.
Cut to a pub where grave robbers Fritz (Lionel Jeffries) and Kurt (Michael Ripper) are planning to dig up a fresh body to sell to the medical profession. When they open the grave they discover the body of the priest instead of Dr. Frankenstein. Kurt flees and Fritz succumbs to a heart attack and is buried in the open grve.
Fast forward three years to Germany where we find the resourceful Doctor re-named as Dr. Victor Stein practicing his trade both at a prestigious surgery and administering to the poor in a broken down clinic in his off hours. It turns out that Stein has been "using" his poorer patients to obtain the body parts necessary for his "work".
An ambitious Dr. Hans Kleve (Francis Matthews) approaches Stein to become his assistant. Stein agrees and shows him his latest "creation' which he plans to use to house the brain of his faithful dwarf servant Karl. Karl is a mal formed hunch back who has readily agreed to the "operation".
Karl meets the fetching aristocratic Margaret (Eunice Grayson) one day and becomes enamored of her. Stein and Kleve perform the surgery and transfer successfully the brain of Karl the dwarf into the new body that Stein has 'built'. The "new" Karl is coming along and seems normal. Unscrupulous Bergman (John Welsh) an orderly in the clinic has seen Stein and Kleve bring Karl into a back room. He informs Margaret who visits the back room. Karl remembers her and pleads with her to loosen his restraints.
Karl escapes and goes to Margaret's stable at her home to hide. While she goes to fetch Dr. Kleve, Karl flees. He goes to Stein's laboratory, where a janitor (George Woodbridge) hits him several times damaging his delicate brain. Karl becomes deranged and kills the janitor. Later at a posh party at Margaret's home, Karl bursts in and dies in Stein's arms but not before calling him Frankenstein.
Now exposed, Stein's patients abandon him. Bergman turns his "poor" patients against him and they attack him almost beating him to death. Kleve takes Stein back to the laboratory where Stein whispers to him..."You know what to do" and..................................................................................
Peter Cushing once again delivers a superb performance as the mad doctor. There's plenty of atmosphere and creepy music to boot. The "monster" is nothing like the creepy monster in the previous film. He appears normal up to the time where his brain is damaged. You even have to feel a little sorry for him since his misfortunes are brought about by others.
Creepy ending. .
Cut to a pub where grave robbers Fritz (Lionel Jeffries) and Kurt (Michael Ripper) are planning to dig up a fresh body to sell to the medical profession. When they open the grave they discover the body of the priest instead of Dr. Frankenstein. Kurt flees and Fritz succumbs to a heart attack and is buried in the open grve.
Fast forward three years to Germany where we find the resourceful Doctor re-named as Dr. Victor Stein practicing his trade both at a prestigious surgery and administering to the poor in a broken down clinic in his off hours. It turns out that Stein has been "using" his poorer patients to obtain the body parts necessary for his "work".
An ambitious Dr. Hans Kleve (Francis Matthews) approaches Stein to become his assistant. Stein agrees and shows him his latest "creation' which he plans to use to house the brain of his faithful dwarf servant Karl. Karl is a mal formed hunch back who has readily agreed to the "operation".
Karl meets the fetching aristocratic Margaret (Eunice Grayson) one day and becomes enamored of her. Stein and Kleve perform the surgery and transfer successfully the brain of Karl the dwarf into the new body that Stein has 'built'. The "new" Karl is coming along and seems normal. Unscrupulous Bergman (John Welsh) an orderly in the clinic has seen Stein and Kleve bring Karl into a back room. He informs Margaret who visits the back room. Karl remembers her and pleads with her to loosen his restraints.
Karl escapes and goes to Margaret's stable at her home to hide. While she goes to fetch Dr. Kleve, Karl flees. He goes to Stein's laboratory, where a janitor (George Woodbridge) hits him several times damaging his delicate brain. Karl becomes deranged and kills the janitor. Later at a posh party at Margaret's home, Karl bursts in and dies in Stein's arms but not before calling him Frankenstein.
Now exposed, Stein's patients abandon him. Bergman turns his "poor" patients against him and they attack him almost beating him to death. Kleve takes Stein back to the laboratory where Stein whispers to him..."You know what to do" and..................................................................................
Peter Cushing once again delivers a superb performance as the mad doctor. There's plenty of atmosphere and creepy music to boot. The "monster" is nothing like the creepy monster in the previous film. He appears normal up to the time where his brain is damaged. You even have to feel a little sorry for him since his misfortunes are brought about by others.
Creepy ending. .