Classic Horrors Club

Thanks to Rod Barnett and his podcast, The Bloody Pit, I finally took a plunge into the gory guts of Flesh for Frankenstein (1973.) Both it and its companion film, Blood for Dracula (1974), have always hidden deep in my watch list, mostly due to fear of what I might find. If I found them. Rod and his delightfully garrulous guest, Mark Maddox, convinced me not only that the former would be accessible, but that the time had come to watch it. I was not disappointed.

Rod and Mark emphasize that Flesh for Frankenstein is a comedy and that only when you watch it through that lens does it make any sense. I agree that it’s very funny; however, it’s certainly not structured like a typical comedy, even a dark one. As obsessed as I am about categorizing almost anything, I don’t think I’d call it a “comedy.” Instead, it defies assignment of any genre and is like a piece of art that you can interpret as you wish.

The movie is undeniably artistic, lush and beautiful to watch. No expense seems to have been spared on production design, cinematography, or music. The same goes for the people, perhaps with more of an emphasis on the men than the women. Joe Dallesandro as the hero Nicholas, and Srdjan Zelenovic as Sacha/”Male Monster” are sweet eye candy for women and men of a certain persuasion, but only Dalila Di Lazzaro as the “Female Monster” exudes the same sexuality.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Monique van Vooren as Baroness Katrin Frankenstein is more… mature, and her moral character detracts from any physical appearance or tastes about beauty. She’s the type who isn’t “in the habit of conducting business from bed,” but does exactly that when she hires the young hunk she publicly scolded to be her bodyguard now that there are “murderers lurking around.”

Her marriage to Baron Frankenstein (Udo Kier) is in name only and… she appears to also be his sister?!? There are two children whose parentage I question and living in an isolated country mansion may have made them the true monsters of the story. They are constantly watching what’s happening, whether in the bedroom or the laboratory. When you see your mother having sex with other men and your father having sex with a corpse, you’re bound to be affected.

Yeah, the Baron has some disturbing ideas about sex, as well as a disdain for mankind. His pair of “zombies” will start a new race that’s more likely to meet with his approval… if he can wait the nine months it takes for a baby to be born. However, it’s not likely to go that far because, while Sacha has a gorgeous head, face, and nose, he seems to be gay, and he can’t quite rise to the occasion when the Baron orders the Female Monster to kiss him.

Flesh for Frankenstein is sexy, but not explicitly like you might think its original X rating would indicate. It’s also gory, but in an over-the-top, Monty Python sort of way. You might be shocked by either, but I don’t think you’ll be offended. You might want to dismiss the plot, but one does actually exist and offers some interesting ideas. The execution plays more like a stream of consciousness, but one that has the potential to fascinate.