Lady Frankenstein Movie Review (1971)

I’m not known for having a deep knowledge of Italian Horror, it’s just never been my thing, I’m more into British Horror – Hammer & Amicus, specifically. However, there are moments where I find myself drawn into some Italian Horror, mostly the old, long forgotten films of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. I thought today might be a good time to talk about a tried-and-true tale – Frankenstein, except this time it’s not about a man, it’s about a lady…
 
Lady Frankenstein was released in 1971 in the midst of the Italian Gothic Horror period. Some critics panned it as being a rip off of previously released Hammer Horror movies, but let’s be honest – even in 1971 the story of Frankenstein had been done to death and has since been bastardized a few more times for good measure. As for Lady Frankenstein, does it hearken late nights of Hammer movies with gorgeous actresses with fantastic breasts, sure it does! Nudity and Horror would go hand in hand in the 80’s – if I’m watching a Horror movie from the 80’s and I don’t see boobs, I’m rioting, that’s all there is to it. Nowadays I feel like it’s a natural thing – tits, murder, horror and the rewind button. HA!
 
Lady Frankenstein is the tale of Baron Frankenstein’s daughter, Tania, returning home from medical school to celebrate her becoming a surgeon. Much to the Baron’s surprise she wants to help him in his reanimation experiments, but she doesn’t realize that he’s moved on from animals to humans. Once she figures this out, she wants in but before she can join the team of the Baron and his associate, Marshall, the creature they recently reanimated kills the Baron and escapes to go on a murdering war path. The creature is only going after the grave-robbers who helped the Baron procure him and all his body parts. Meanwhile Tania and Marshall cook up the idea to continue the Baron’s work in hopes that their creature will be strong enough to kill the other one before it can return and kill them. All the while this is happening or well about to happen Marshall is professing his love to Tania and trying to coax her into marriage, the bed and so on. Tania being the ever-cunning lady that she is, goes along with it and marries Marshall, sexes him half silly and then talks him into killing Thomas, the young man who tends the animals at the castle. Thomas just happens to be a half-witted mute who’s well built and handsome. The reason for killing Thomas is to use his body for the new creature with the knowledge that they’ll use Marshall’s brain and heart so they can still be together, and Marshall will be young and handsome again. Of course, Marshall needs some coaxing which doesn’t take much – once Tania takes her dress off, he's a goner. You can see it coming from a mile away! Marshall does give a look of disgust about it, but I mean come on, he’s old! Ultimately, this all happens, the new creature is Thomas with Marshall’s brain, so they’re ready for the final battle with the original creature. By this time, the town is hip to what’s happening, so they chase the creature up to the Frankenstein place with lit torches where Thomas/Marshall finally kill the creature. Meanwhile the townsfolk have set the castle on fire, but this doesn’t detour Thomas/Marshall & Tania from getting it on right next to the murdered creature's corpse – all while the castle is burning down around them. And here’s the ain’t that a bitch moment – while they’re having sex Tania says, “oh Thomas!” as she starts to cum and then Thomas/Marshall strangles her…. Obviously, the “choke you while I poke you” thing was on an entirely different level in the early 70’s!

I’d originally watched this when I was young kid with my mom on late night TV, of course, it was edited to hell and back – they didn’t show breasts on TV back then. It kind of stuck with me, the whole Lady Frankenstein thing stands out. Females really haven’t been used enough in the Frankenstein lore despite it being written by a woman, which is a big miss to me. I’d picked up a DVD of this film several years ago, but the print was poor, so I’d been on the look out for an upgrade and happened to find it on a Shout/Scream Factory compilation with a few other movies a few months, so I grabbed it up with excitement. While I can’t say it’s greatest telling of this brilliant story, the scenery and landscapes were incredible – that’s one of my favorite things about Classic Horror aside from the acting. The scenery and backdrop is everything. It also doesn’t hurt here that actress Rosalba Neri known as Sara Hay in America, was nothing short of magnificent in her role as Tania. She was sinister yet coy enough to fool anyone within 5 feet of her due to her beauty. And once she takes her clothes off, it’s over! I even found myself wanting to howl! HA!! Neri was a well noted Italian Horror and Sexploitation actress and I’m sure a great deal of you have seen this beautiful lady in several films and you didn’t realize it – The Devil’s Wedding Night & Lucifera: Demon Lover come to mind. Paul Muller who plays Marshall was also an acclaimed actor who starred in over 230 films during his career. Horror geeks will recognize him from Jess Franco’s Dracula and Nightmare Castle specifically. If you get the chance to take in Lady Frankenstein, I strongly recommend checking it out, it’s a classic B-movie masterpiece!