Review of Flesh For Frankenstein

Introduction

I`ve never seen `Flesh for Frankenstein` before, let alone uncut and uncensored. I guess I expected it to be a hybrid of Hammer Horror and Warhol Factory camp trash, particularly with Factory director and screenwriter Paul Morrissey in the driving seat. Something along the lines of `The Rocky Horror Show` perhaps, with a touch of `Carry on Screaming` thrown in for good measure. A perfect excuse for some gothic transexuality perhaps?

I was surprised then to discover a movie that was possibly more akin to euro-horror trash (Jess Franco, Jean Rollins) and Hammer/Amicus material than to previous Factory output.

This might be explained in part by the cloudiness surrounding the making of the movie. It`s now understood that whilst Andy Warhol`s name was added to the production credit, his in-house Producer-Director Morrissey may have had less input to the production than the credits (or his audio-commentary) might have us believe.

Rumours abound that this (and companion movie `Blood for Dracula` filmed immediately after this picture) were directed by horror genre director Antonio Margehriti`s.

It`s a cannily shot period piece, crafted in traditional film language, and rather cleverly put together for 3D viewing, with all the added technical challenges that this brings. This probably goes some way to explaining the exponential leap of technical proficiency between this and previous Morrissey movies `Flesh` `Trash` and `Heat`, filmed primarily in Manhattan loft spaces with a hand-held. Don`t expect anything like that here.


To be fair, there are some familiar Morrissey themes here, and there`s no doubting Morrissey`s creative input into the screenplay, casting and so on. Despite being typical risqué early seventies horror, with sex and death in equal measure, there is something slightly depraved at its heart. There was certainly enough here to keep the censors unhappy until it was finally released uncut in 1992 after years of dispute (nicely documented in the booklet included here, `The BBFC, Morrissey and the Horror Genre`).


Filmed in Italy, the locations, the props, the décor, the sets and the cast are all visually perfect. It`s also well shot, with some imaginative and technically adept cinematography which, once again, may come as a (pleasant) surprise to those who take their expectation cue`s from the Warhol`s tenuous association (via Morrissey) with the movie.

Morrissey favourite and visually striking Joe Dallessandro is predictably cast here as a country stud who`s role is principally an aesthetic one, though he does provide an erotic diversion for the Baron`s wife/sister (it`s never clear as she is referred to as both in different dialogue.

Udo Kier is brilliantly cast as the crazed Baron Frankenstein, with an accent not unlike Arnie`s, managing to just stop short of complete comedy in a way that works in the context. His most memorable moment is perhaps the notorious necro lovemaking scene where he opens the stitches of his female monster and lovingly caresses her innards. (Subject to the censors scalpel until relatively recently).

The Germanic baron is obsessed with creating a superior master race (a familiar theme?) and, having created a female creature (the beautiful but speechless Dalila di Lazzarro) he decides its time to build it a mate - a neat reversal of the Browning `Bride` movie.

Looking for an amorous and potent male he spots a farm labourer (played by Srdjan Zienovic) coming out of a brothel, where the women inside are seen to be screaming, presumably in ecstasy (though actually at a rat). Murdering the farmer, the Baron and his crazed assistant take his severed head to attach to the body that they have already prepared, little knowing that the farmer is in fact an impotent, disinterested monk, turning the whole diabolical experiment into a diabolical failure.

In the meantime, the farm labourer`s friend is now in the employ of the Baron`s sister/wife as a servant/gigolo and he recognises his friend, though is bemused as to why he has suddenly become so tall. (You think, having seen his friends beheaded torso that he would have figured it all out a bit more quickly though he is but a simple peasant…).

From here on in the film degenerates into a darkly comic blood bath.

There is nothing particularly spooky about the movie. It tends towards the darkly comic though never enough to have you chuckling aloud. It`s also visually sick, though all the blood and guts (literally) look far too post-office red to be real. If you`re a fan of say, Herschell Lewis`s unique blend of camp but explicit gore then you shouldn`t find this too disturbing.

Video

Tartan have (once again) excelled themselves in providing a transfer that is quite brilliant. In its original 1.85:1 Anamorphic aspect ratio, this print looks in fantastic nick, and it`s a first-class transfer too, with rich and vibrant colours and impressive detail even in the blacks.

Audio

This is a serviceable enough period piece (and a whole lot better than you might have expected given the poor audio on Morrissey`s previously credited work). The score is actually very good with some memorable orchestral refrains. Not half bad.

Features

First up is an engaging and lucid commentary from Paul Morrissey and Udo Kier which errs on the artistically po-faced. There`s little reference to the evident humour, almost as if in re-assessing the importance of the film, and in analysing its content, Mr. Morrissey could arguably be taking a visit up his own nether regions. For all of that, it will provide an interesting 90 plus minutes for devotees.

Also provided are some inconsequential screen tests, as well as an interesting stills montage with commentary which provides a serviceable alternative to the longer trawl of the audio commentary proper and covers much of the same ground.

Finally, there`s a really nice booklet entitles: `The BBFC, Morrissey and the Horror Genre` which tracks the ongoing relations between the British Board of Film Censors and Morrissey, with particular reference to `Flesh for Frankenstein` and `Blood for Dracula`. It`s a fascinating insight into the workings of the BBFC during the seventies, eighties and nineties, detailing their prescribed cuts for the movies at varying times. For example:

QUOTE: "Reel 2: a) Remove shots of Sasha`s headless trunk gushing blood b) Reduce to establishing shot only the episode where the Baron cuts open the wound on the body of the naked female monster. Remove all shots of him smearing blood over her breasts, pulling the organs from her body and of his having an orgasm. "

Don`t worry - they`re all included on this edition. Yuck!

Conclusion

I don`t know whether `Flesh for Frankenstein` will please fans of Paul Morrissey`s earlier works for Warhol`s Factory (`Flesh` `Trash` etc), and I`m not entirely sure that it will please fans of period Hammer / Amicus either, as it`s a weird hybrid of both.

Who knows? Perhaps it will delight both camps.

I have to confess that I thoroughly enjoyed this slightly camp, and certainly debauched, romp through familiar horror territory. The locations, sets and cinematography will confuse Morrissey fans used to his earlier work as they`re all highly impressive in far more traditional film-making style
.

Equally impressive is the casting with Udo Kier (`Blade`) taking the role of Baron Frankenstein and somehow perfectly straddling the line between camp comedy and disturbing psychodrama.

This edition is entirely uncut and contains scenes of some notoriety - though in truth, it`s not a scary movie. It has more in common with the euro-sex-horror of Jess Franco and Jean Rollins than with the original Frankenstein movie, though there`s a hint of `Carry on Screaming` and `Rocky Horror` in there too.

Some of the (originally 3D) gore is pretty tasteless but very stylised and no more disturbing than much contemporary gore, though may have caused a few palpitations at the time of its release.

This fine edition, with a first class print and transfer, and a host of extras, will be a very welcome addition to the collections of fans of early seventies horror and/or Paul Morrissey`s work.

As a fan of both, I enjoyed it far more than I would care to admit.