Flesh for Frankenstein (1974)

The Baron Frankenstein has begun assembling the perfect woman, but his disinterest in his family and jealousy over his wife drives him to near-insanity, forcing him to try and mate the creature with another of his creations in order to form an army of man-made beings that bow to him, and him alone. FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN is the ultimate in self-indulgent pop art, which is why it comes as absolutely no surprise that the film was written and directed by artist Paul Morrissey under the guidance of the 1960s cultural icon Andy Warhol. Simply put, the film cannot be taken seriously on any measure, as each of the ridiculously over-the-top performances give way to pure camp and shock value. Genre favorite Udo Kier headlines as the opulent Baron Frankenstein, whose thick accent and absurd gesturing posture him beside Vincent Price in this classic role. He and his fellow cast members continually push the envelope between camp and cheese, but the goofier moments are far too intentional to be written off. Frankenstein's laboratory is grimy but serviceable, reflecting a man that is driven by results and not sterility. The settings are far more practical than the lavish designs exhibited in the Universal and Hammer productions, while still providing a beautiful Gothic backdrop that is contrasted against the insanity on screen. One cannot overlook the fact that this is also one of the bloodiest retellings of Frankenstein in film, surpassing each of the entries in the Hammer series by far. Morrissey keeps the fundamental structural elements of the Promethean tale intact, but infuses them with his own overly erotic tone that often hampers the plot progression with the numerous sexual tangents that are forced along the way. FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN is a complete deviation from each of the previous attempts at the Shelley classic, and must be understood for its purely comedic intentions in order to be enjoyed to the fullest in all of its terrible glory!

Rating: 7/10.
Gore: 5/10.
Number of views: 1.

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