Flesh for Frankenstein - Criterion Collection

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If you're in the properly receptive mindset to appreciate the artistry of director Paul Morrissey's Flesh for Frankenstein, you may experience an unexpectedly delightful shift in attitude while watching the film. At first it appears that Morrissey is indulging in an exercise of pure camp (and it's true, he is), but then it hits you: underneath all the wretchedly awful dialogue and seemingly deliberate bad acting, it's clear that Morrissey and his cast are up to something wonderful. Not only is this a seductively beautiful film to watch--even the abundant bloodshed and gory scenes of dismemberment are esthetically striking--but it's been conceived with astute intelligence and a wealth of refined humor, while maintaining connections to the resonant themes of the Frankenstein story. In this case, Baron Frankenstein (marvelously overplayed by Udo Kier) is a rather twisted fellow, married to his sister (Monique van Vooren) and determined to create the perfect man and woman from the assembled remains of selected corpses. He's created a sexy female, but his male specimen's got the brain of a young man who aspired to be a monk, making sexual arousal a bit of a challenge! The dead man's friend (Morrissey discovery Joe Dallesandro) intervenes to disrupt the Baron's mad experiment, and it all leads up to a climactic laboratory scene of gruesome and tragic death, all worthy of Morrissey's splendid operatic staging.

Originally filmed in 3-D with outrageous scenes of in-your-face carnage, the film is enjoyable as camp horror, but it's equally entertaining as an exercise in pop-art symbolism and socio-political satire. This becomes even more evident from the wonderful audio commentary track featuring Morrissey, a very witty Udo Kier, and the stuffy but erudite critic Maurice Yacowar, whose insightful analyses make it clear that this is surely not a typical horror film. It's trashy but exquisite, and quite worthy of inclusion in the Criterion Collection. Once you've seen this, you simply must move on to its companion film, Blood for Dracula. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Maverick filmmaker Paul Morrissey's Flesh for Frankenstein reevaluates the horror film, infusing it with satiric wit and sexuality. Morrissey's tale of the mad Baron Frankenstein and his perverse creative urges was heavily edited upon initial release; Criterion presents the restored director's cut-fully intact after 25 years-in a new widescreen transfer.

Customer Reviews:

IS THIS MOVIE EDITED OR UNCUT???!!!.......2007-08-29

I HOPE THAT THIS MOVIE IS EDITED, BECAUSE IF IT IS UNCUT THEN IT SUCKED!!!!!

There isn't to much blood and gore, the gory parts are disturbing but it happen so fast like it was edited, the camera doesn't make the close up for the gore, most of the REALLY sick parts happens when the cameras are only pointing at the character's face. The sex scenes are NOTHING incredible! they were very normal!

Many people say that this movie is very sick! but I guess they haven't seen Evil Dead, Hellraiser 2 or Dawn of the Dead because those movies are SICKER than this!!!!

I bought the vhs version so I HOPE that the dvd version is the uncut one because there is nothing in this movie that makes me want to throw up!!
The ONLY sick scene is at the end when the doctor get stabed in the stomach! That's all that for me that was SICK!! The rest was so-so!!

P.S: I hope that Im wrong!!

Adios.

Laughable but entertaining.......2006-10-23

That about sums up the movie, the other review had it right, it's not art at all. You might be under the impression that because Criterion released it it's somewhat of a important film, and you'd be wrong.

There's nothing really symbolic about the film as other smart users have said it's seventies trash, entertaining trash but trash nonetheless.

The movie's highlight does seem to be some convincing gore with a brutal
beheading, but the movie itself is a joke. The acting is extremely bad especially by veteran Udo Kier. His accent for the Baron is bad it's funny. His logic is also idiotic. Before he beheads the wannabe monk to be
his latest experiment, he thinks the guy is some sort of sexual beast!!! LMAO (As seen in the scene where he sees the two girls with the guy unaware that one of the girls is the sexual partner of his friend who is actually more attracted to girls.)

Another shocking aspect is the theme of necrophilia as you see the Baron make love to one of his corpses, it's just as hilarious and sickning as that crappy movie "Nekromantik 2" , but at least with "Flesh" you had at least more things going on. Egore, Frankenstein's helper is a near riot.
Not too mention that ending where the Baron meets a grimly end yet still has enough muster to give a lavish speech that will have you laughing.

Morrisey does have some idea for detail. The sets look decent and the costume design shows they had money to throw around for the movie, but as a whole "Flesh For Frankstein" is nothing than silly trash to be enjoyed by fans of campy horror and comedy.

A SHOCKING MASTERPIECE.......2006-03-06

Dr. Frankenstein, "To really know life, Egore, you've got to {screw} someone in the gallbladder". I saw this in 3D in San Francisco along with his Dracula. Both are masterpieces of work. In fact, view, "Reservoir Dogs" climax vs. Warhol's Frankenstein. The beauty of great art is that it can and does change your perspective.

disdisgutingly gory.......2005-08-31

to To be totally honest, I only saw this movie once. It was in 1974 when I was 12 years old. Yes, we snuck into the theatre. I remember the warnings at the time. " completely concerned with disgusting gory violence" Those warnings were very true. This movie is not for those with queasy stomachs for there are a number of scenes which could make the average person puke. That is providing they are not edited out for this upcoming release. One being where Baron Frankenstein says, " to know life, one must F... the gallbladder" which he does after cutting open the female Frankenstein monster. The lopping off of a head with curved shears was a good one too. The fact that this movie was originally in 3D made for some good close ups of intestines and livers as well. Too bad the dvd will not be in 3d. As with most classic horrors, the acting is not deserving of any awards, but I believe that any collector of horror/gore flicks should cosider this movie.

The ball has been dropped...again.......2005-07-21

It was an insult the first time around when Criterion didn't release this title in an optional 3D format. I was hopeful when the announcement came for a reissue; But guess what? Nothing changed to remedy the situation. They could've had me buying a second copy if they cared enough. The 3D glasses included with Freddy's Dead on DVD made for a wonderful experience. I've never had eye strain problems with 3D, and I suspect those who whine about it are simply more fussy, with little real desire to enjoy the enhancement. I wouldn't care so much, but this title was conceived and shot to be seen in 3D. To present it out of its intended context is not only an insult to the director and technical crew, but to the audience as well. I guess this means I'm off to find a bootleg 3D version elsewhere...

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