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The Curse of Frankenstein

Play trailer Poster for The Curse of Frankenstein 1957 1h 23m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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84% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is a brilliant scientist willing to stop at nothing in his quest to reanimate a deceased body. After alienating his longtime friend and partner, Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), with his extreme methods, Frankenstein assembles a hideous creature (Christopher Lee) out of dead body parts and succeeds in bringing it to life. But the monster is not as obedient or docile as Frankenstein expected, and it runs amok, resulting in murder and mayhem.
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The Curse of Frankenstein

Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) There’s a gnawing unease at the core of the movie that finds expression in Peter Cushing’s seething turn as the bad doctor. Rated: 5/5 Oct 3, 2025 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian The creature himself is not a tragically pained or unhappy figure: he is simply violent; and the whole story is crisply told at a racy 83 minutes, and yet it is delivered with absolute seriousness and conviction. Rated: 4/5 Oct 2, 2025 Full Review Seraphina Alaimo New York Daily News For the new film generation, some minor chills are offered in this well-done production. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 25, 2021 Full Review Jennie Kermode Eye for Film The sensitivity of Lee's performance helps to draw out the ambiguities in Shelley's work, and the moral complexities which, acknowledged or not, are a critical component of the story's staying power. Rated: 3.5/5 Oct 2, 2025 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy More explicit in its bloodletting than past horror yarns, with the use of color paving the way for a fresh new look to the established creature features. Rated: 3/4 Jan 21, 2021 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row Director Terence Fisher creates an indelible gothic atmosphere, lighting the film for black and white but shooting in color, creating haunting elongated shadows that contrast beautifully with the vibrant Eastmancolour cinematography. Rated: 3.5/4 Jan 8, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dallas H I do enjoy watching the Hammer Films with the classic monsters just as much as I love the classic black-and-white Universal Pictures monster movies. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/25/25 Full Review Kalissa H I felt sorry for the dog at the beginning, but this movie is captivating. Peter Cushing is great in this, of course. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/16/25 Full Review Joel H The Curse of Frankenstein brings new life to Mary Shelley’s gothic tale. This colorized film adaptation adds a sense of gruesomeness to the story, and it also is the first adaptation where I’ve felt like Victor Frankenstein is the real monster. Peter Cushing is delightfully devilish in that role, and I was surprised to discover it was his first part in a feature film. It’s also fun to see Christopher Lee as The Creature, who is quite horrifying. I don’t wish to downplay Universal’s classic 1931 Frankenstein, which is undeniably iconic, but The Curse of Frankenstein may be my new favorite adaptation. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/02/24 Full Review NiB Y This movie focuses more on the doctor rather the creature. Amazing performance by the even more amazing duo of Cushing as Frankenstein and Lee as the Monster, with some terrific makeup on the latter. Must see if you are horror fan. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/25/24 Full Review Thom G The Curse of Frankenstein doesn't bring anything new to the table compared to other versions of the story. Particularly, the philosophical questions are more refined in the original, and the tropes feel repetitive here. That said, the aesthetic and overall atmosphere are effective, as is the creepy creature. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/15/24 Full Review Alec B Love that Victor Frankenstein is such a massive asshole in this. Really makes for the best use of Cushing. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/28/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Curse of Frankenstein

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Movie Info

Synopsis Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is a brilliant scientist willing to stop at nothing in his quest to reanimate a deceased body. After alienating his longtime friend and partner, Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), with his extreme methods, Frankenstein assembles a hideous creature (Christopher Lee) out of dead body parts and succeeds in bringing it to life. But the monster is not as obedient or docile as Frankenstein expected, and it runs amok, resulting in murder and mayhem.
Director
Terence Fisher
Producer
Anthony Hinds
Screenwriter
Jimmy Sangster
Production Co
Hammer Films
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 23m
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