FRANKENSTEIN (2025)

 

I don't have Netflix, but this new adaptation of Mary Shelley's story was shown at the Browning Cinema on the campus of the University of Notre Dame this weekend. Writer-director Guillermo del Toro's take on the famous tale is extravagantly made, but it lacks a certain.....spark??

Del Toro goes overboard on the technical aspects--the costumes, the sets, the cinematography are all ravishing. Just about every shot seems set up to look like a painting--it's as if del Toro was trying to make a horror version of BARRY LYNDON. This movie looks great on the big screen, but there's a human element missing (which is ironic, considering the story). 

Oscar Isaac gives a very annoying performance as Baron Frankenstein, who comes off here as an arrogant hypocrite. Isaac's posturing can't match up to one single intense gaze from the likes of Peter Cushing or Colin Clive. Jacob Elordi fares better as the creature, who not only is the hero of this film, he's also the romantic hero. This monster is also something of a comic book mutant, flinging people around as if they were toys and having incredible regenerative powers. Elordi is helped by a monster-makeup design by Mike Hill that above all has the advantage of being unique. 

Christoph Waltz does his usual Christoph Waltz act (he would have been a lot more watchable than Isaac as the Baron), while Mia Goth's Elizabeth is hampered by having to wear some outlandish clothes that overwhelm her character. 

The del Toro FRANKENSTEIN has a running time of two and a half hours, and it drags plenty, especially with all the ponderous dialogue about the meaning of life and death. Perhaps I'm the wrong person to sum it up--I've seen just about every Frankenstein movie ever made, so a lot that del Toro presents felt like "been here, seen that" to me. A person who doesn't have much experience with cinematic Gothic horror might appreciate it more. 

The one major thing I thought after seeing the del Toro FRANKENSTEIN is that filmmakers like James Whale and Terence Fisher were much more efficiently able to get to the meaning of Mary Shelley's story with much smaller budgets and much smaller running times. 

THE HANDS OF ORLAC (1960) On Blu-ray From Severin

 

Severin's THE EUROCRYPT OF CHRISTOPHER LEE COLLECTION 3 Blu-ray set includes THE HANDS OF ORLAC, an English-French co-production that was the third movie adaptation of Maurice Renard's novel concerning a concert pianist who receives a new pair of hands after a near-fatal accident. 

This THE HANDS OF ORLAC, made in 1960, actually has two different versions--one in French, and one in English. The French version runs about ten minutes longer, and in my opinion it is a better film than the English version. The thing is, each version contains scenes, dialogue, and actors that the other version doesn't have....which means that for one to get a full appreciation of the entire production, one needs to see both versions. Thankfully, Severin has included both cuts on this Blu-ray, with English subtitles available for the French version. The storyline is basically the same in both cuts, but there are some important differences. 

Mel Ferrer plays the title role of Stephen Orlac, with French actress Lucile Saint-Simon as his wife Louise. Both performers are somewhat stiff and detached in the English version, but they have a bit more vitality in the French cut. Christopher Lee plays Nero, a shifty stage magician who finds out about Orlac's situation and attempts to use this info for blackmail. Nero becomes more and more bonkers as the movie goes along, and Lee plays him to the hilt (this is one of the few characters in Lee's movie career that was truly nuts). Lee, along with Dany Carrel (who plays Nero's sexy assistant), totally overwhelms Ferrer and Saint-Simon. 

Edmond T. Greville, who co-wrote and directed the film, tries to give this version of ORLAC a more realistic feel, with black & white photography and several scenes set in the south of France, but the movie doesn't really come alive until Lee shows up. This ORLAC does have plenty of British character actors familiar to movie geeks, such as Felix Aylmer, Donald Wolfit, and Donald Pleasence. David Peel, who starred in THE BRIDES OF DRACULA, is onscreen for literally only seconds, and Janina Faye (who played the child in HORROR OF DRACULA) also appears. The strange thing about Faye's scene is it does not make the English cut, even though her name is in the opening credits, but it is in the French cut, where her name is not in the credits! 

As stated before, both versions of THE HANDS OF ORLAC are included on this Region Free disc. Both versions are uncut, and they both have excellent black & white visual quality (I would say the French cut looks a bit better overall). 

The extras include an original trailer, and a short featurette which presents how some of the French locations used in the movie look today. (The hotel that Ferrer's and Lee's characters stayed in is still around, and it is still in operation.) A program which runs about a half-hour has a Frenchwoman named Fleur Hopkins-Loferon discussing the life and work of Maurice Renard. 

The main extra is a new audio commentary with Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons. The duo are always worth listening to, and they discuss (or more accurately try to understand) the differences between the English and French cuts. They also go into Christopher Lee's performance, and they bring up the other versions of the Orlac story. 

Some have complained that most of the films included in Severin's Christopher Lee Eurocrypt sets have the actor in supporting roles. This is true, but the 1960 THE HANDS OF ORLAC has one of Lee's most outlandish characterizations--this certainly isn't one of his intimidating upper class types. (Lee gets more dialogue in this film than he does in a lot of his other performances put together.). Lee also performs in English and French (as does Mel Ferrer), showing his versatility with language and infection. 

The 1960 THE HANDS OF ORLAC isn't as good as the silent version starring Conrad Veidt, or the 1935 MGM version titled MAD LOVE, which truly is a mad movie. It does give Christopher Lee a chance to stretch his talents, and it does have a fine supporting cast. What makes this release stand out is that Severin has provided both the English and the French versions of the film. 

THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG On Blu-ray From Severin

 

The first film I will be examining from Severin's THE EUROCRYPT OF CHRISTOPHER LEE COLLECTION 3 set is THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG, a 1963 Italian Gothic directed by Antonio Margheriti. Severin presents the film on two discs, one 4K and the other Blu-ray. 

Christopher Lee doesn't have a very big role in this picture, which might disappoint some, but overall the movie is a prime Sixties Euro Gothic with some nasty and unusual elements. The film's pre-title sequence, which features a nightgown-clad lovely (Rossana Podesta) wandering around a large domicile in the middle of the night, coming upon a torture chamber, and making a horrific discovery within, makes the viewer believe that the story is set hundreds of years ago. But then a jazzy Krimi-style musical passage bursts in (courtesy of composer Riz Ortolani) and we realize this movie is set in contemporary times. The damsel in the nightgown is Mary, a newlywed who has moved with her husband Max Hunter (Georges Riviere) to his family's ancestral castle in Germany. Said castle is being haunted by someone who has taken on the persona of "The Punisher" (not the Marvel character), an ancestor of Max's who was proficient in torture and murder. The confused and frightened Mary doesn't know who to trust, whether it be her mysterious acting husband, the intimidating head maid, or the disfigured caretaker Erich (Christopher Lee). The key to the Punisher's real identity can be found during the last years of World War II, when Max's father, a general, was involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler. 

THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG goes against the Italian Gothic grain by being in color, and by its rather gruesome gore effects. (The virgin of the title refers to a torture device.) The Punisher carries out some particularly horrid crimes, but even more disturbing is the black & white sequence which shows how the fiend himself was tortured and disfigured by the Nazis. (This sequence has a "found footage" style to it that is decades ahead of its time.) For almost the entire film Rossana Podesta, along with the audience, doesn't know what is going on (and she's also wearing that nightgown for almost the entire film as well). The final  revelations bring a real-world jolt to the proceedings, with the Nuremberg of the title having a portentous double meaning. 

As for Christopher Lee, despite his scarred visage, he's not as menacing as one would think. His Erich is a broken man, ruined mentally as well as physically, and Lee effortlessly shows this without much dialogue (his voice was unfortunately dubbed). 

THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG (released theatrically in the U.S as HORROR CASTLE) gets its HD premiere through this Severin release. (The Blu-ray disc is Region A.) I don't have a 4K player, but the Blu-ray is a great presentation. Visually Antonio Margheriti wasn't on the same level as Mario Bava, but the disc features a fine looking film, with very deep reds. This is the uncut version of NUREMBERG, with the Italian credits. Both the original Italian and English voice tracks are included. 

The extras include a four-minute vintage interview with Antonio Margheriti, and a 20 minute program that features Fabio Melelli. This program also has audio of Margheriti, and an appearance by screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi (who manages to show up on the extras of just about every Italian Gothic Blu-ray ever released), but honestly it doesn't go much into the production of THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG. There's also an original Italian trailer. 

The most important extra is a brand new audio commentary by Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. Both these men are Euro Gothic experts, and their opinions are always welcome on discs like this. The duo provide a lively, engaging talk, which covers such topics as Antonio Margheriti's directorial style, Christopher Lee's preference for short (as opposed to small) roles, and the WWII subplot that makes THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG stand out. They also discuss the "Beautiful woman wandering around in a nightgown holding a candelabra" trope that is so prevalent in the Italian Gothic. 

Just about every notable Italian Gothic film from the 1960s has been given a high-end HD deluxe home video presentation recently, and, thanks to Severin, THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG finally joins the list. This is the true highlight of the latest Christopher Lee Eurocrypt set. I have a feeling that Severin will eventually release THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG individually. 

THE EUROCRYPT OF CHRISTOPHER LEE COLLECTION 3 On Blu-ray From Severin

 

Severin once again delves into the voluminous career of screen legend Sir Christopher Lee with THE EUROCRYPT OF CHRISTOPHER LEE COLLECTION 3, a massive set featuring six movies. 

This set arrived earlier this week, and I've barely been able to wade into it. I'll be writing blog posts on some of the individual films eventually, but for now I'll give a brief summation of what the set entails. 

The movies contained herein are BEAT GIRL, a late 1950s juvenile delinquency tale with Lee as a predatory strip joint proprietor, along with THE HANDS OF ORLAC, the third version of Maurice Renard's story of a famed pianist who suffers a gruesome hand transplant. Lee plays a shady blackmailer in this one. 

Also included are two family-friendly features: ARABIAN ADVENTURE, a late 1970s sword & sorcery fairy tale with Lee as a powerful wizard, and A FEAST AT MIDNIGHT, a mid-1980s lighthearted story about an outcast at a British boys boarding school. Lee portrays an intimidating teacher. 

The title in this set which has been getting the biggest buzz is the 1963 Italian Gothic THE VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG, which is making its HD home video debut. Severin has included 4K and Blu-ray discs of the film, which has Lee as a mysterious disfigured servant. 

Finally, the set contains a full-length recent documentary entitled THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE. This is a picture I have not seen, and I'm particularly enthused to view it. 

As usual with Severin, each title gets plenty of extras, including audio commentaries. There are two different versions of  BEAT GIRL and THE HANDS OF ORLAC. 

The most notable extra is a booklet, written by English Gothic historian Jonathan Rigby, that clocks in at 142 pages! The booklet, which is fully illustrated with various stills of Lee throughout his career, is titled CHRISTOPHER LEE: EIGHT DECADES OF A DARK HORSE. The "Dark Horse" element has a double meaning: dark horse as in not much was expected of Lee's acting career, and in the sense that Lee made his reputation playing dark, dastardly characters. Each of the three Christopher Lee Blu-ray sets from Severin has an extensive booklet written by Rigby, and one would think that the author (who also wrote an excellent biography of the actor) doesn't have much left to say about his subject. Rigby however still manages to bring perceptive analysis and insight into Lee the man and Lee the performer. (I also think Severin is passing up a major marketing opportunity by not reprinting these booklets in full-size hardback editions.) 

I've noticed some fan internet sniping about the titles included in this set. One has to factor in that nearly all the more famous of Lee's screen appearances have been already released on home video multiple times. These sets are designed more for the serious film geek. Independent companies like Severin can't just pick and choose what titles they do release, and I personally would much rather purchase a lesser-known film that hasn't been given a high-class release instead of a movie I've bought over and over again. If you're not a major Christopher Lee fan, you're not going to splurge for this set anyway. 

For those that are so inclined to splurge, I highly recommend you do so. These Eurocrypt Lee sets are incredible presentations, and considering the depth and scope of Lee's amazing acting career, I wouldn't be surprised if Severin has more goodies in store for us in the future. 

THE SECRET OF THE CHINESE CARNATION

 

Another Krimi?? Yes, this is the final film of a series of features supposedly based on the works of Louis Weinert-Wilton, the others being THE CARPET OF HORROR, THE WHITE SPIDER, and THE SECRET OF THE BLACK WIDOW. 

Released in 1964, THE SECRET OF THE CHINESE CARNATION (original title DAS GEHEIMNIS DER CHINESISCHEN NELKE) sticks out from most of the Krimis in a number of ways. The film was shot in Prague instead of Germany, the story has more of a Eurospy feel, and there are not as many familiar names among the cast & crew. 

The story, as usual for a Krimi set in London, concerns a professor who has created a formula that will basically put the petroleum industry out of business. Nearly everyone in the film is after it, but the main culprits are based at a Chinese nightclub. Of course the professor has a young and attractive niece (Olga Schoberova) who gets caught up in the chase. Her bodyguard Donald Ramsey (Brad Harris) takes it upon himself to protect the formula and find out who murdered the professor. 

THE SECRET OF THE CHINESE CARNATION is a lower-level Krimi, with more talk than action. There is a fight sequence inside the Chinese club, but it goes on far too long, apparently to lengthen the running time. A climatic car chase is enlivened by the fact that the vehicles involved have bombs attached to them that are set to go off when the autos exceed 80 mph, but even that is hampered by some very obvious back-projection. 

Brad Harris, an American stuntman who found work in Europe during the 1960s, is a rather unusual leading man for a Krimi (he's more brawn than brains). His character's relationship with Olga Schoberova almost has a screwball comedy aspect to it--early in the film he spanks her after she tells him she wants to go skinny-dipping (which she proceeds to do). Harris and Schoberova would later marry, and the Czech actress would also go on to change her moniker to Olinka Berova and play the lead role in Hammer's THE VENGEANCE OF SHE. (Hammer tried to publicize her as a brand new star, but the hype didn't take.) Harris and Schoberova are certainly not on the same level as Joachim Fuchsberger and Karin Dor, but they do provide something of a change of pace when it comes to Krimi protagonists. 

THE SECRET OF THE CHINESE CARNATION does feature Klaus Kinski, and he does have a bit more to do than usual as the main thug after the formula. Kinski's character, Speranzo, is working for a sultry Eurasian played by Dominique Boschero who runs the club. Boschero does make an impression, but she isn't given enough to do--the story would have been much better if it had focused more on her and Kinski. 

This movie was directed by one Rudolf Zehetgruber, and at times it comes off like a 1930s-40s B gangster picture (almost every male in the film wears a dark suit and a fedora, except for Brad Harris). There were so many Krimis being cranked out by this time that plenty of them were nothing more than cheap imitations, and THE SECRET OF THE CHINESE CARNATION fits into this category. Hammer fans may want to check it out to see the future Olinka Berova actually give a real performance, while others will at least enjoy the antics of Klaus Kinski and Dominique Boschero. 

THE SECRET OF THE BLACK WIDOW

 

This is another German Krimi feature, one of the dozens made in the early 1960s. It's part of a series of films supposedly based on the works of mystery writer Louis Weinert-Wilton, following up THE CARPET OF HORROR and THE WHITE SPIDER. 

THE SECRET OF THE BLACK WIDOW (original title DAS GEHEIMNIS DER SCHWARZEN WITWE) has a cast (Karin Dor, Klaus Kinski, Werner Peters, Doris Kirchner, Eddi Arent) and crew (director F. J. Gottlieb, music composer Martin Bottcher) that were old hands when it came to the Krimi genre. Despite that, the movie is somewhat humdrum at times, running about 100 minutes. 

Once again, a series of bizarre murders is being perpetrated. The victims are killed by a poison projectile attached to a black rubber spider, and they all were members of an expedition that went to Mexico twenty years ago. The surviving members are now rich businessmen based in London, and they are all major suspects, since whoever survives comes into possession of the Aztec treasure the group smuggled out of Mexico. Another major suspect is Clarisse (Karin Dor), the daughter of the man who didn't come back from the expedition. 

The leading male character in this Krimi is not a Scotland Yard inspector--it's a reporter named Wellby (O.W. Fischer) who happens to work for a newspaper run by one of the members of the expedition. Fischer gives a very off-putting performance--his Wellby is a pain in the neck who is constantly sipping from a whiskey flask, and he seems more interested in annoying people than solving the mystery. 

Wellby also has a (not surprisingly) interest in Clarisse, which means that poor Karin Dor has to fend off the advances of another Krimi leading man. Dor is a bit more involved in the story due to her character's connection with the murders, but you have to wonder if she was tired of these damsel in distress roles. 

Karin Dor in THE SECRET OF THE BLACK WIDOW

Klaus Kinski shows up about every ten minutes or so, and even though he's dressed like a British civil servant, he still gives off a creepy vibe....but the movie doesn't take advantage of his unique presence. The same can also be said for Eddi Arent, who as usual does the cowardly comic relief character. It's as if Kinski and Arent were put into the production because it was a Krimi, and they're supposed to be in it. 

THE SECRET OF THE BLACK WIDOW could have used some sharper editing--it goes on far too long, and a number of scenes seem superfluous, such as a sequence where Wellby takes Clarisse to a nightclub and they watch a emotionless torch singer belt out a song about....a black widow. There's also a mediocre car chase that won't excite anybody. Many sources state that this film was made in Spain, or at least part of it was. Wherever the locations were, they lack the expressionistic and seedy ambiance of the best Krimis. 

Fans of the Krimi genre will want to view THE SECRET OF THE BLACK WIDOW for the cast alone, but don't expect much out of it.