*some spoilers*
This is one of those films where the subtext transcends the film itself. AIP had just made "I was a teenage werewolf," "Teenage Frankenstein," and "How to make a monster," the last of which was a self-referential take on how a make-up artist really does turn 2 actors into a werewolf and Frankenstein monster. "Frankenstein 1970" follows this blurring of reality by following documentary filmmakers interviewing the "real" Baron Frankenstein, necessarily played by Boris Karloff who began the Frankenstein saga at Universal Pictures. We quickly find out his motivation to create a monster is very personal: wartime Nazi torture has left him "less than a man" and prematurely aged him 20 years, thus sexually this Baron really is barren. Boris' make-up here is excellent at suggesting old age and depravity. He's enraged when a female actress he's attracted to shows some attention to his manservant ("you are much endowed with Miss. Lund's attentions!"), his words reflecting his sexual insecurity. Since cloning wasn't yet popular in the 1950's, he must assemble a body to perpetuate himself. "Yes, you CAN be of use" (as organ donors), the Baron laughs like a classic mad scientist, leaving the other characters speechless. Sex is also on the minds of the filmmakers. The director is apparently a Casanova, and Boris especially covets his eyeballs for his monster (the eyes are what smoulder in love). However, there's abit of black humor (like Lovecraft's "Herbert West-reanimator") as the blind monster keeps killing the wrong person and Boris keeps flushing unwanted body parts down his futuristic acid-filled toilet.
Speaking of futuristic, why "1970" (the 230th anniversary is no explanation)? Boris doesn't wear long hair and bellbottoms. Probably this was just a way of saying "in the near future" so everyone could still look and act like it's 1958 but the laboratory is futuristic (atomic) and he does have a sink faucet that turns on by photoelectric sensor just like today's modern restrooms.
Aside from sex, the second subtext is the filmmaking itself, which is highlighted approximately in the beginning, middle and end of the movie. First the film seems to be about a monster chasing a girl - the monster is a mysterious chimera - werewolf hands, Frankenstein's big feet, Mummy-like lame leg, but the face is never shown. The girl screams, then we hear "Cut" - we're really watching the documentary filmmakers making a film. Later we're set up again as the Baron explains his family history directly to the camera. We know now that this is probably part of the filmmakers film. As before, a girl screams, we hear "Cut," but the scream was unintentional - the Baron's speech was so riveting it scares an off-stage actress! The scriptgirl mentions the Baron was ad-libbing, so now it is the filmmakers who are being directed/used by their actor. This reversal is made complete in the very curious final scene where the filmmakers enter Baron's laboratory; one turns on a light, another cues up Baron's tape recorder, then plays it (they're unconsciously living their job in the Baron's "studio" - "Lights, camera, action"). They look at each other with the realization they were the Baron's actors. If this isn't strange enough, the Baron's monster is finally revealed. Instead of being ugly, it's the face of the pre-tortured Baron (young, blonde, with a virile-suggesting pencil mustache)! The real "monster" would then be the Baron himself - old, withered, scarred, white-haired, murderous. Over the years audiences often refer to Frankenstein's unnamed monster as "Frankenstein", and it's usually true the mad scientist is worse than his creation. Here this is made explicit by allowing Boris Karloff to play both roles in one film; it also brings everything (the actor, character and story) full circle with it's origins in the Universal films. Mind-blowing in scope.
This is one of those films where the subtext transcends the film itself. AIP had just made "I was a teenage werewolf," "Teenage Frankenstein," and "How to make a monster," the last of which was a self-referential take on how a make-up artist really does turn 2 actors into a werewolf and Frankenstein monster. "Frankenstein 1970" follows this blurring of reality by following documentary filmmakers interviewing the "real" Baron Frankenstein, necessarily played by Boris Karloff who began the Frankenstein saga at Universal Pictures. We quickly find out his motivation to create a monster is very personal: wartime Nazi torture has left him "less than a man" and prematurely aged him 20 years, thus sexually this Baron really is barren. Boris' make-up here is excellent at suggesting old age and depravity. He's enraged when a female actress he's attracted to shows some attention to his manservant ("you are much endowed with Miss. Lund's attentions!"), his words reflecting his sexual insecurity. Since cloning wasn't yet popular in the 1950's, he must assemble a body to perpetuate himself. "Yes, you CAN be of use" (as organ donors), the Baron laughs like a classic mad scientist, leaving the other characters speechless. Sex is also on the minds of the filmmakers. The director is apparently a Casanova, and Boris especially covets his eyeballs for his monster (the eyes are what smoulder in love). However, there's abit of black humor (like Lovecraft's "Herbert West-reanimator") as the blind monster keeps killing the wrong person and Boris keeps flushing unwanted body parts down his futuristic acid-filled toilet.
Speaking of futuristic, why "1970" (the 230th anniversary is no explanation)? Boris doesn't wear long hair and bellbottoms. Probably this was just a way of saying "in the near future" so everyone could still look and act like it's 1958 but the laboratory is futuristic (atomic) and he does have a sink faucet that turns on by photoelectric sensor just like today's modern restrooms.
Aside from sex, the second subtext is the filmmaking itself, which is highlighted approximately in the beginning, middle and end of the movie. First the film seems to be about a monster chasing a girl - the monster is a mysterious chimera - werewolf hands, Frankenstein's big feet, Mummy-like lame leg, but the face is never shown. The girl screams, then we hear "Cut" - we're really watching the documentary filmmakers making a film. Later we're set up again as the Baron explains his family history directly to the camera. We know now that this is probably part of the filmmakers film. As before, a girl screams, we hear "Cut," but the scream was unintentional - the Baron's speech was so riveting it scares an off-stage actress! The scriptgirl mentions the Baron was ad-libbing, so now it is the filmmakers who are being directed/used by their actor. This reversal is made complete in the very curious final scene where the filmmakers enter Baron's laboratory; one turns on a light, another cues up Baron's tape recorder, then plays it (they're unconsciously living their job in the Baron's "studio" - "Lights, camera, action"). They look at each other with the realization they were the Baron's actors. If this isn't strange enough, the Baron's monster is finally revealed. Instead of being ugly, it's the face of the pre-tortured Baron (young, blonde, with a virile-suggesting pencil mustache)! The real "monster" would then be the Baron himself - old, withered, scarred, white-haired, murderous. Over the years audiences often refer to Frankenstein's unnamed monster as "Frankenstein", and it's usually true the mad scientist is worse than his creation. Here this is made explicit by allowing Boris Karloff to play both roles in one film; it also brings everything (the actor, character and story) full circle with it's origins in the Universal films. Mind-blowing in scope.