Frankenstein Created Woman/The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires

Customer Reviews:

Frankenstein Created Woman/The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.......2007-05-08

A Must have as part of the Hammor Horror Collection

FrankenFu.......2006-08-14

Frankenstein Created Woman(Hammer were great with film titles, weren't they?) has Frankenstein graduating to soul transplants. Sounds like a great idea and a real breakthrough in medical science, but since this is a Frankensetin film, you know it's all gonna go to hell pretty quickly. The "monster" this time around is the reanimated body of a crippled woman who's possessed by the soul of her lover who was falsely executed. Naturally, being executed for a crime he didn't commit kinda pissed him off, so he uses his girlfriend's body to pull a Charles Bronson on the real culprits(a trio of snootyass British rich boys). Another great Hammer Frankenstein entry, but aren't they all?
Legend Of The 7 Golden Vampires was Hammer's last grasp at keeping their Dracula series alive(or dead if you will). The gimmick is setting the film in China and making it into a martial arts film. Sound goofy? Well, it is. Hammer kung fu is kinda hard to fathom till you've seen it. In this one, Van Helsing has travelled to China in search of a lost city that is under the rule of the seven vampires of the title. Everyone in China thinks Van Helsing is a superstitious schmuck except seven brothers who have sworn to bring the vampires down and restore peace to the village. They enlist Van Helsing's help, and along with his son and a rich blonde chick, they all go out in search of the seven golden vampires. Turns out Dracula himself has taken over as leader of the cult. Far fetched? Of course, but it's fun. Cushing does a wonderful job of seamlessley and credibly transplanting his Van Helsing character into a different world. He even gets in on a little of the physical action as well!! Unfortunately Christopher Lee couldn't be lured back and the guy playing Dracula just doesn't feel right. That's no big deal I guess coz Dracula's part is pretty minimal. This isn't the best of Hammer films, but you really got to give it marks for originality. Anchor Bay's got another winner.

peter cushing and hammer strike again.......2006-04-22

peter cushing was one of the great unsung actors of his day and he and christoer lee made some of the finest horror movies ever made. this great two disc transfer(that looks fantastic by the way) has two of mr. cushing's hammer outings.
"frankenstien created woman" is another entry in the on going frankenstien series for cushing and a good little movie. while not the best in the series it shows so spark and some fun in the plot of putting the brain of a girls dead lover in her body. super silly but made great by cushing and the people of hammer.
"the legend of the 7 golden vampires" is a real oddity as it brings kung-fu to the dracula story. mr.cushing is van helsing again as he travels to china to stop dracula from raising the title vampires. to help van helsing are seven butt kicking brothers who chop-socky the vampires. not really a great movie but different to say the least and very fun to watch.
sit back and enjoy these fun horror movies of yesteryear.

Great Package! Anchor Bay does it right. Sountrack review.......2006-02-20

There are several reviews for these 2 quite enjoyable Hammer films. So I won't add to that. If you're a Hammer fan you already know the stories. If not, the other reviews give a good idea of the plot. Suffice to say i've been watching these 2 films-first edited (naturally) on TV, then unedited on viedotape and now on DVD since the first airings of "Created Woman" on TV here in the states in the early 70's, and "Legend" since about the late 70's. These are the best versions so far of these 2 Hammer films.
My curiosity was peaked with the 46 minute-long narrative version of the story that's included on the DVD of "Legend". My guess was that-especially considering the vinyl-lp length version of the story, that this was probably released in a limited version sometime during the original run of the film.
A quick look on EBAY sure enough revealed that an LP was released in 1974-it seems only in England. If you want a copy the only one I saw listed for about $200. So it's really nice to have that reproduced here digitally. Being around myself at the time-and a Hammer fan also at that point (yeah, i'm old)I would have certainly known (and owned it) had the LP been available here in the U.S.
I'll be copying this soundtrack onto tape to listen to in my car-for sure. It's very well done, and a bit sad since Mr Cushing (who narrates most of it) is no longer with us. And i'm one of his biggest fans.
Anyway, the only way Anchor Bay could have done better is to give some credits for this old LP. There's some other narration on here before Cushings introduction which sounds like it could be John Forbes Robinson himself, possibly (who plays Dracula in the movie) and there's some fine soundtrack work-which may actually be the music from the film-not sure of that, i'll have to do a comparison real soon.
I'm a sucker for audio CD's of horror tales-probably from my youth when there was no videotape or DVDs so one could not purchase, rent, or view your favorite movies antime, anywhere, like today. I still collect these things and love to listen to horror tales-especially around Halloween and driving in the car (especially on long evening drives). So the price for the DVD alone is worth it just to have this wonderful artifact from the past reproduced. i don't know how many folks this will matter to, but for those like me who enjoy this stuff, there's just a TON of entertainment on these 2 very reasonably priced discs. long live Anchor Bay!!

Crouching Vampires, Hidden Monsters.......2006-02-11

Perhaps the biggest star that came out of the Hammer Studios horror movies was Christopher Lee, but if I had to guess, it would be Peter Cushing who appeared in more movies (and was a pretty big name in his own right). In the two disc set Frankenstein Created Woman and Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires, we get to see Cushing reprising his two biggest roles, that of Frankenstein and Van Helsing.

As one of the title characters in Frankenstein Created Woman, he is up to his usual tricks attempting to create life. This time, his method involves catching the soul of a recently deceased person; this soul can then be used to reanimate the body after it has been repaired. When his assistant is executed for a murder he didn't commit, Frankenstein gets his soul, but not the body he needs. This is supplied by his assistant's lover, who drowned herself upon his death. The assistant's soul reanimates her, but also possesses her, making her seek vengeance on those who framed him. After becoming the agent of her resurrection, Frankenstein almost becomes more of an observer as the havoc ensues.

More interesting is Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires, the last in the Hammer series of Dracula movies. In this one, Dracula goes east to empower and control the Seven Golden Vampires, a septet of half-decayed beings who have terrorizing a remote Chinese village. They're vicious, they can raise zombies to fight for them and they know martial arts! Opposing them is Cushing's Van Helsing and a set of seven brothers and one sister who are skilled warriors themselves. What results is an interesting blend of eerie horror movie and old style "kung fu" movie, with plenty of fight scenes. Once again, Cushing's character is often more on the sidelines than in the midst of the action; while hardly feeble, he doesn't have the physical presence to be a believable action hero.

While neither movie is a classic, both are entertaining, with Legend the better of the two. Individually, the Frankenstein movie rates a high three stars, Legend a low four. Add in a couple bonus features and this is a fun four-star set, a pleasant diversion for fans of older horror movies.

Average customer rating:

Just plain stupidity...
Peter Cushing Returns In One Of His Most Famous Horror Roles
Good Hammer Frankenstein Movie
Will the real Soul please stand up
WARNING

Frankenstein Created Woman
Starring: Peter Cushing , Susan Denberg , Thorley Walters , Robert Morris , and Duncan Lamont
Director: Terence Fisher
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Hammer Productions | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: 630584190X
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Customer Reviews:

Just plain stupidity..........2005-07-07

The Baron relocates the soul of a wrongly accused executed boyfriend into the "freshly dead" body of his physically scarred girlfriend (with a surgical beauty makeover of course). It makes you wonder why the Baron spent so much time making ugly monsters when he had such superior talent as a maxilo-facial plastic surgeon! Imagine the number of Hammer bit players who could have had longer careers had they just turned their faces over to Doctor Frank! And then you got to ask the question if the Baron could transfer souls, why did he spend all that time and all those years and all those movies sewing up corpses and reanimating them with electricity? I guess he just used the other "inferior" method to set the eerie mood we should expect from a good "horror" film (not to mention Shelly's original novel). This film is neither eerie nor scary, it's just plain stupid.

Peter Cushing Returns In One Of His Most Famous Horror Roles.......2005-06-10

Just as Boris Karloff became forever associated with playing the Frankenstein monster in the three classic Universal Studios efforts in the 1930's, Peter Cushing will be forever fondly associated with Baron Frankenstein after playing him in six films stretching from the late 1950's through to the 1970's for England's famed Hammer Studios. Here in "Frankenstein Created Woman", from 1967 which was his fourth time in the role Cushing had one of his best vehicles as the wily Baron which was a vast improvement on Hammer's earlier misfire with 1964's "The Evil of Frankenstein". This film returned largely to the core of the famous story and also added it's own unique twists which helped give it its own individual interest despite it being part of a series of movies on the Baron's various exploits. "Frankenstein Created Woman", has all the first rate trade marks one comes to expect from Hammer Studios; a superb lead in veteran Hammer star Peter Cushing essaying one of his most famous roles, able direction by arguably the studio's most talented director in Terence Fisher, lush technicolour photography and authentic period settings, and an attractive and talented young leading lady in Susan Denberg. Hammer managed through most of their Frankenstein series to make each story as uniquely self contained as possible, hence their ongoing popularity with audiences who didn't grow to feel they were seeing the same story over and over. This fourth installment is one of the series' best and has an almost supernatural feel to it dealing as it does with the good doctor's efforts to transfer the sole of one individual into the body of another with very startling results.

Set again in the 19th Century in the region of the Balkans we are introduced again to Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) who in his latest spree of experiments around the wonders of the human body has devised a way to capture the soul of an individual after they have died and give it new life in the body of another. Assisted in these experiements by his assistant the amiable Dr. Hertz (Thorley Walters), Frankenstein has perfected the process of capturing the individuals soul which must be retrieved less than a few hours after the person dying. An opportunity for Frankenstein's knowledge to be put into practice arises when Frankenstein's lab assistant Hans (Robert Morris), is wrongly accused of the murder of the local tavern owner (Ivan Beavis)who happens to be the father of his scarred girlfriend Christina (Susan Denberg). He in actual fact was murdered by three affluent young thugs who allow Hans to take the blame and being the son of a man guillotined years before for crimes Hans is given no chance to prove his innocence. Frankenstein seeing that Hans has no hope decides that his execution will be of great use in his experiements with the human soul and after Hans is guillotined and Christina in grief drowns herself Frankenstein manages to obtain both bodies and transfers Hans soul into Christina's body which also undergoes treatment to turn her from her former scarred face self into a beautiful young woman. Christina is revived and at first all seems well as she becomes a likeable and very beautiful young woman however very soon the soul of a vengeful Hans trapped in her body reasserts itself and drives Christina on a ruthless killing spree against the three young men who caused his unnecessary death. One by one the three men Anton (Peter Blythe), Karl (Barry Warren), and Johann (Derek Fowlds), are ruthlessly murdered after falling for the obvious charms of the beautiful Christina. The townsfolk grow increasingly alarmed at the murders and blame them on Baron Frankenstein who most do not trust. Barely escaping an angry mob Frankenstein realises that Christina is the one being driven by Han's soul in his thirst for revenge and pursues her when he discovers she has left town with the last of the trio of young men Hans wants to see dead. When he finally catches up with her Christina begins to realise from what Frankenstein is saying that she is responsible for the multiple murders and in her tormented state she decides to end it all by jumping off a cliff before the Baron can capture her.

"Frankenstein Created Woman", definately benefits from the return of Terence Fisher to the directors seat and together with Peter Cushing playing again one of his most famous horror characters the partnership managed to put the Frankenstein series back on track. Heralded upon its release in 1967 with the catchy byline "A Beautiful Woman With The Soul Of The Devil!", this film doesn't have the resident "monster", that one comes to expect from the Frankenstein movies. Instead we have here the rather original idea (for this series anyway!), of a beautiful and seemingly innocent young woman being driven to unspeakable acts of murder by the transplanted soul of a recently executed man. Peter Cushing delivers his usual highly polished performance in the role that he played on and off for over 17 years. he has an interesting chemistry with the slightly daffy Thorley Walters as his assistant that brings to mind the film collaborations of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the earlier Hollywood films. Austrian born Susan Denberg makes a most interesting villianess and her quite sweetbeauty makes a starling contrast to the terrible murders she commits when possessed by the soul of Hans. One unique aspect of alot of the Hammer films of the 1960's was that they provided a solid training ground for many young British actors who went on the great success in later years. Foremost here in "Frankenstein Created Woman", is a very young Derek Fowlds as one of the young men who becomes Christina's /Han's victims. He would of course enjoy great success in later years as a star of the long running "Yes Minister ", and "Heartbeat" series on British television. This effort boasts all the standard Hammer features so appealing to horror lovers; beautiful colour photography, excellent period settings that still have a strong English feel despite being set in central Europe, and a number of stunning set pieces that seem to take on a life of their own such as in this film's case the haunting image of the guillotine towering over the hillside which is put into good use at various intervals throughout the film.

"Frankenstein Created Woman", is certainly good old fashioned horror entertainment of the kind Hammer Studios excelled in and is one of my absolute favourites in the series. Baron Frankenstein by this installment in the series had developed from being a villian into an almost hero type figure which some movie goers objected to at the time of release. This perhaps explains why in the next entry "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed!", Frankenstein once again became a villianous character. The slight character change in this film does however create interest and works in the stories favour as the otherwise sweet character of Christina suddenly takes on a bloodthirsty persona which produces quite startling results and really helps drive the story along. For all Hammer horror lovers this fourth entry in their classic Frankenstein series of movies is essential viewing and should definately be in your horror collection.

Good Hammer Frankenstein Movie.......2005-04-16

This was better than the previous one Evil Of Frankenstein i am not going to tell you the plot you will just have to see it any way Peter Cushing is Always great as Baron Victor Frankenstein the DVD is great and you see I love the Hammer Movies i have a big collection of DVDS i like the idea of this Anchor Bay Hammer Collection only they go out of print so fast and it is hard to find them

Will the real Soul please stand up.......2002-12-13

At the beginning of the movie a murderer is guillotine and witnessed by his young son Hans. Years later Hans is working with Dr. Hertz and Dr. Bon Frankenstein (played by Peter Cushing). Frankenstein has himself frozen for exactly one hour, down to the second, where he is trying to prove that the soul does not leave the body. He is revived and to celebrate his success sends Hans out to get some champagne at one of the local pubs. Hans is in love with the owner's daughter (Christina played by Susan Denberg) and spends the night with her but when the owner is killed Hans is accused and refuses to tell where he was when the murder took place. Hans is found guilty and himself guillotined like his father. Christina sees this and jumps off a bridge and drowns.

Dr. Frankenstein retrieves Hans's body, captures his soul, and places it in Christina body. Among Frankenstein accomplishments he is a brilliant cosmetic surgeon and turns Christina into a beautiful blond with the aid of Dr. Hertz. Now with a new body and Hans's soul revenge is sought for Hans and Christina's father's deaths.

This is another excellent Hammer film and with Peter Cushing heading the cast. The quality of the DVD is excellent.

WARNING.......2002-06-21

this Anchor Bay DVD appears to have serious flaws as almost all of the originally pressed discs no longer play correctly.....those of you who have these discs, Please check them in your dvd players as 9 out of 10 of them have suffered a form of corruption that doesnt allow them to work anylonger...........the worst news of all is that ANCHOR BAY dont apparently have the license to release this title again at the moment, so those of us who have dumped our Elite Laserdiscs are rather stuck with a dud dvd. Anchor Bay who are normally so excellent about handling themselves ought really to start something about refunding those of us who are stuck with a dud disc - clearly something they MUST have had some idea about.

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