The Curse of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Curse of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie Review

More Hammer for the Holidays.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III December 22, 2020

Hammer Films' controversial adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was a runaway hit in 1957, cementing the studio's success after 1955's The Quatermass Xperiment and paving the way for dozens of Hammer horror productions during the next few decades (many of which have incidentally just been released on Blu-ray in one handy boxed set). Titled The Curse of Frankenstein, it's routinely placed at or near the top of any "Greatest Hits" list featuring the studio, and for good reason: this is a total package production with strong fundamentals, great cinematography and music, and career-making performances by two of its stars, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who would appear in over 20 more films together. A true watershed moment for Gothic horror, The Curse of Frankenstein revived a subgenre that had stagnated in the years following a long and landmark run of Universal Studios classics.

More than anything else, though, The Curse of Frankenstein is just good fun to watch, in its own sick and twisted way. Bookended by scenes featuring Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Cushing) awaiting execution for murder, the good doctor details his side of the story: inheriting a vast family fortune after the death of his mother at a young age, tutelage under the esteemed Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), developing an interest in medical science, and partaking in increasingly bizarre experiments related to the resurrection of dead animals. Krempe, along with Frankenstein's dutiful maid Justine (Valerie Gaunt) and his visiting cousin Elizabeth (Hazel Court), are either unaware of his ongoing experiments or become increasingly repulsed by them, but attempts to distance themselves from eccentric Victor prove unsuccessful. It's not long before he substitutes "dead animals" with "human parts", culminating in the lightning-powered revival of a horrific monster (Lee) literally stitched together from multiple sources. No bolts, unlike Boris.

But The Curse of Frankenstein doesn't overwrite that classic Universal film, instead standing alongside it as a slightly more grounded adaptation of Shelley's original novel that succeeds for mostly different reasons. Crafted on an ultra-low budget, every dollar spent on Curse seems to have made to the screen: it establishes an extremely strong atmosphere captured by excellent cinematography from Jack Asher, whose terrific lighting and compositions give the film an almost painterly appearance. It's also supported by a terrific original score by James Bernard, including the thrilling rooftop climax that builds to a string-driven fever pitch. But nothing carries The Curse of Frankenstein quite like Cushing's lead performance: this was his first lead role in a feature film after several high-profile TV appearances and he aims for the fences, inhabiting the erratic doctor with an almost piteous commitment to his grotesque, ghoulish work. Although he'd return to the role in no less than five of Hammer's six Frankenstein sequels released between 1958 and 1974, none were as memorable as his work here -- a sentiment that applies to the films themselves as well.

Initially released with an "X" rating, The Curse of Frankenstein shocked mainstream audiences who weren't ready for horror movies peppered with more overt levels of violence and a bit of cleavage to wash it all down with. It's a formula that quickly became Hammer's bread and butter, arguably bettered -- or at least equaled -- with the following year's release of Horror of Dracula and 1959's The Mummy, although even early Hammer was fraught with less impressive fare and, as the studio lurched forward into the late 60s and early 70s, their misses regularly outnumbered the hits. The Curse of Frankenstein may not register as a genuine classic outside of most horror circles, but for me it strikes just the right balance of B-movie fun and genuine, Grade A artistry. What's more is that Warner Archive has gone above and beyond their usual great level of care to deliver one of the year's best discs, a well-rounded effort that includes three fully restored framing options and plenty of outstanding bonus features to boot.

The Curse of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sourced from a brand-new 4K scan of original color separation elements, The Curse of Frankenstein sidesteps the usual routes to earn what is most certainly the film's finest home video presentation to date, likely surpassing original theatrical prints in the process. This is an exceedingly rich and film-like 1080p transfer that supports cinematographer Jack Asher's terrific lighting and compositions, both of which employ a painterly style to give this Gothic horror classic an abundance of visual charm. Fine detail is ample thanks to a very high level of natural film grain, bringing its colorful compositions and terrific makeup effects to life in new and unexpected ways. It's simply a joy to behold, especially considering the film's low budget and, at the time, somewhat unconventional aesthetic. As usual, Warner Archive's disc compression gives this film plenty of room to breathe: even with two versions of the film* on a dual-layered disc, The Curse of Frankenstein runs at a consistently high bit rate with no perceivable artifacts.

Still not convinced? WAC recently posted a restoration comparison video on their YouTube channel. Even factoring in upload compression, it's pretty clear this Blu-ray offers a massive improvement over previous versions.

* - Both the 1.85:1 and 1.66:1 versions are included on Disc 1 (as well as a third 1.37:1 open matte version, covered in the Bonus Features section below), which represent different theatrical framing choices for American and European audiences. All are sourced from the same recent 4K restoration and, aside form negligible drops in quality from further magnification, are basically identical in every way. These different versions are represented equally in this review's collection of screenshots, which includes a framing comparison in the last three images.

The Curse of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix greatly supports the film's one-channel audio, serving up very crisp and well-recorded dialogue with no real issues. Combined with the background effects and spacious interiors, it establishes a very strong atmosphere that only deepens as the film goes on. Another important factor is James Bernard's original score, which enjoys a decently full and dynamic range that's only occasionally strained on the high end. But considering its age and era, this is a terrific purist-friendly presentation that shows very little room for improvement.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the film; they're formatted perfectly with no sync issues.

The Curse of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One:

• Audio Commentary - This feature-length track pairs up filmmaker / film historian Constantine Nasr and screenwriter / film historian Steve Haberman with predictably excellent results. It's a lively and very focused commentary that covers a lot of ground and is largely framed around Nasr's discovery of Jimmy Sangster's original second-draft script of The Curse of Frankenstein through (then-living) producer Anthony Hinds, which was eventually found in the personal archives of Jack Warner. As expected from such a setup, this track is aimed more at long-time fans of the film than relative newcomers, who should probably begin with the bonus features on Disc 2 and work their way backwards. It's nonetheless a valuable and informative session worth listening to. This audio commentary is available during both the 1.85:1 and 1.66:1 versions of the film.

Disc Two:

• 1.37:1 Open Matte Version - This full frame presentation of The Curse of Frankenstein was sourced from a new 4K scan of original color separation elements that, to the best of my knowledge, served as the basis for both of the theatrically cropped versions on Disc 1. It's presented here as a bonus feature, as the opening text states, because earlier home video iterations often made use of the 1.33:1 framing so long-time fans of the film will really appreciate the option. This version can be seen in eight of the 25 included screenshots posted for this review, including a direct frame comparison for the final three images.

• The Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror Film (21:51) - This candid chat with Richard Klemensen (indelible publisher of the long-running horror magazine Little Shoppe of Horrors) covers his lifelong appreciation for the genre and The Curse of Frankenstein's massive impact in the stagnant 1950s horror landscape, partially made possible by the earlier success of Hammer's The Quatermass Xperiment. It's packed with trivia, historical tidbits, and loads of recommendations for like-minded genre staples.

• Hideous Progeny: The Curse of Frankenstein and the English Gothic Tradition (22:49) - Author and cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling gives a firm but entertaining history lesson on Gothic horror -- mostly on the printed page, circa the 16th and 17th centuries -- and subsequent horror period pieces that gradually paved the way for classic characters like Dracula and Frankenstein. Naturally, Hammer films and The Curse of Frankenstein are discussed at length, including the film's makeup effects, modest budget, and uniquely organic character elements that were more faithful to Mary Shelley's original story than other screen versions.

• Torrents of Light: The Art of Jack Asher (15:14) - Cinematographer David J. Miller spearheads this tribute to the late, great English cinematographer Jack Asher, highlighting his unique painterly style and keen eye for detail, which includes many of The Curse of Frankenstein's most beautifully-lit sequences -- as well as a few pieces of his other work -- and how they serve their respective films in a very effective way. Like the other featurettes, this piece is peppered with publicity stills and other behind-the-scenes photos.

• Diabolus in Musica: James Bernard and the Sound of Hammer Horror (17:05) - This like-minded tribute to composer James Bernard, similarly led by composer Christopher Drake, offers an appreciation of his work on both The Curse of Frankenstein and other Hammer films including Dracula, where he reunited with director Terence Fisher, writer Jimmy Sangster, cinematographer Jack Asher, and many other familiar faces.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:19) - This fantastic vintage promotional piece can be seen here.

The Curse of Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Terence Fisher's The Curse of Frankenstein is a landmark slice of Gothic horror and, along with 1955's The Quatermass Xperiment, established Hammer Films as a reputable hit maker. This is a total package production: from the source material and script to the cinematography, acting, and original score, it's every bit as iconic as Universal's celebrated horror films from earlier decades. Warner Archive Collection's 2-Disc Special Edition is one of their best packages yet, offering top A/V specs and plenty of all new supplements, plus three different framing choices for the main feature. WAC releases are almost always great... but when they put in this much extra effort, it really needs to be recognized. This comes with a very strong recommendation and is a top contender for 2020's best catalog title.