After all his family has died, young and rich Baron Victor Frankenstein finds himself a teacher, Paul Krempe. At first, both men are fascinated by the potential of their re-animating experiments. Eventually, though, Krempe refuses to help with Frankenstien';;s human experiments. However, he is drawn back into the plot when Frankenstein';;s creature kills a member of the house staff.
Christopher Lee is excellent as the mute monster, but this is Cushing's film all the way, and his ground-breaking portrayal of Baron Frankenstein dominated the series in five more films ...
In its best scenes, it adds dynamism and British grit to a genre that had previously tried to get by on atmospherics and mood alone. It manages to be shocking without being especially frightening, and its virtues of performance and style remain striking.
The immense possibilities of the Frankenstein story have here been sacrificed by an ill-made script, poor direction and performance and, above all, a preoccupation with disgusting - not horrific - charnelry.
