Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed

Infobox Film
name = Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed

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caption = film poster by Tom Chantrell
director = Terence Fisher
producer = Anthony Nelson Keys
writer = Bert Batt
starring = Peter Cushing
Freddie Jones
Simon Ward
Veronica Carlson
music = James Bernard
cinematography = Arthur Grant
editing = Gordon Hales
distributor = Hammer Studios
released = May 22, 1969
runtime = 98 min/USA: 101 min.
country = UK
language = English
preceded_by = "Frankenstein Created Woman"
followed_by = "The Horror of Frankenstein"
amg_id = 1:92293
imdb_id = 0065738

"Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" is a British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Film Productions in released in 1969. The cast includes Peter Cushing (Baron Frankenstein), Freddie Jones (the Creature), Veronica Carlson and Simon Ward. The film is the fifth in a series of Hammer films centering on Dr. Frankenstein. It was preceded by "Frankenstein Created Woman" and was followed by "The Horror of Frankenstein".

Of all Hammer movies, "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" comes closest of all Hammer's films to Mary Shelley's original concept. For the first time, the Baron's creation is a sensitive, articulate, misunderstood being who finally turns the tables on and destroys his maker.

The Baron is at his most ruthless here. He had begun life in "The Curse of Frankenstein" as a hopeless disciple of scientific progress at all costs, and capable of murder to further his own ends. He had mellowed slightly in "The Revenge of Frankenstein", taken on a heroic dimension in "The Evil of Frankenstein", and even become almost fatherly in "Frankenstein Created Woman". But in "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed", he is not above blackmail, rape, and murder. Conversely, the Creature here is probably the most sympathetic of any in the Hammer canon. The scene in which the former professor(played by Jones) reveals his predicament to his wife (Audley) is genuinely moving.

Plot summary

Baron Victor Frankenstein is staying at a boarding house while a former fellow-scientist resides in a nearby insane asylum, slowly dying through lack of oxygen in the brain.

After discovering that the landlady and her lover are both cocaine addicts, Frankenstein blackmails them to help to transfer the brain of his friend into another body, thus saving him.

While he recovers, Frankenstein and the lovers relocate the Creature to a deserted manor house on the outskirts of London as the police begin to close in. The Creature awakens, and horrified by his appearance, escapes to his wife, who is too terrified to believe he is her husband. Wanting revenge, he pours paraffin around the house and allows his wife to go free.

Meanwhile, Frankenstein notices the Creature has escaped. He then finds the Creature at his wife's house where the Creature sets it alight, stating:

"...You must choose between the flames and the police, Frankenstein..."

Cast

* Peter Cushing (Baron Victor Frankenstein)
* Simon Ward (Dr. Karl Holst)
* Veronica Carlson (Anna Spengler)
* Freddie Jones (Professor Richter)
* Thorley Walters (Inspector Frisch)
* Maxine Audley (Ella Brandt)
* George Pravda (Dr. Frederick Brandt)
* Colette O'Neil (Madwoman)
* Geoffrey Bayldon (Police Doctor)

Production

*The scene where Frankenstein rapes Anna was filmed over the objections of both Peter Cushing and Veronica Carlson. It was not in the original script but the scene was added at the insistence of Hammer executive James Carreras, who was under pressure to keep American distributors happy. This explains why there is no mention of the rape subsequently by Anna or Frankenstein.

External links

*imdb title|id=0065738|title=Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
*amg title|id=1:92293|title=Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed