Really enjoyed a recent viewing of the new local Blu-ray release of HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN (1970). It cops a lot of flack from Hammer fans, and it's understandable why, with its more comedic and saucy take on the classic gothic horror story. But it was the first Hammer horror film I ever saw, and it did its job of scaring the heck out of me on late-night TV when I was a kid. Ralph Bates is not the Victor Frankenstein that Peter Cushing was but he was a good actor who died far too young and I loved his take on the character here. He gets great support too from Jon Finch and Dennis Price as the creepy, jovial graverobber who loves his job, and Dave Prowse as the bald, muscle-bound monster. I've always loved the way film ends so abruptly and on such a blackly comedic note, and of course there is the usual dose of lovely Hammer glamour in the form of Veronica Carlson and Kate O'Mara. Not classic Hammer by any stretch but a very entertaining and different take on the subject and a clear indication of just how much Hammer were struggling to stay afloat and relevant as the 1970s dawned.
