"Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell" is not exactly what it may sound like it will be. Whatever you may think of my tastes in horror movies I tend to avoid the ones that glorify satanic practices for entertainment value. What I do enjoy, though, is good gothic horror. That’s what makes this movie enjoyable for me. This is closer to the original Frankenstein movies than many others that have come out since.

Hammer Films was on the decline at this point. "...The Monster from Hell" is heralded as their final gothic horror, final Frankenstein movie, and, arguably, final watchable project. Struggling desperately by this time, and, from accounts of people most familiar with the company, having lost sight of what made their early horror films great, most Hammer projects had deteriorated into sex and skin fests as they tried to keep the company afloat with bared bodies. It didn’t work. "…Monster from Hell" was basically their last gasp for air, but though it was the best movie they produced in quite some time, it wasn’t enough to save them.

Opinions I've found on this movie vary drastically with some saying it is a treasure and others saying it is trash which made deciding to get it a tough decision. For me it didn’t hurt that the actors include Peter Cushing (that’s Grand Moff Tarkin to the likes of me) and David Prowse (Darth Vader’s masked physical self) with the latter also taking part in a commentary.

Simon is a young scientist following in the footsteps of Baron Frankenstein and experimenting with exhumed corpses. He is quickly caught and sentenced to the same insane asylum as his mentor. He soon learns that strange experiments are taking place in the asylum at the hands of the young man's idol, Frankenstein himself, experiments that pique Simon's interest. One patient, a brute of a man with strength and stamina far beyond the norm, has fallen to his death. Because of his physique he is a prime candidate for a transplant experiment involving cadaver pieces.

Whatever his interests are Simon draws the line at harming the living so it doesn't sit well with him when a sweet mute girl is handed over to the reanimated brute like a plaything. What's more important, the life of the girl or the life of an experiment? Different people have different answers, and Angel's well-being hangs in the balance.

This isn’t Shakespeare, but it’s a fitting story that holds true to the spirit of Mary Shelly’s original. You’ve got scientists playing God who succeed on one level and fail miserably on another. There’s the misunderstood monster who is working mostly on primal instincts, not necessarily evil but without the capacity to be fully human. He kills not for the sake of taking a life, but for survival and revenge for wrongs committed.

Usually we’re dealing with the scientist and the creation, but this time we have two scientists who see eye to eye on some things but not others. This makes for great conflict since Simon’s passion for science doesn’t not override his compassion for people. But because of the interesting character I found myself wondering if he would hold true to these ideals or sink into the mindset of doing anything for the success of an experiment like his predecessor did.

The movie rides on the story, the atmosphere, and the acting abilities of the principal cast. It does a fair job on all three levels which is a good thing because almost every other element is poor. The monster costume is unconvincing, even laughable (mostly because it's so outrageous I guess), the make-up and effects range from tolerable to cheesy (never great), and the score often hurts my ears.

This isn’t a fright a minute and may be too slow for the moviegoer wanting blood and death in every scene since you do have to put up with some exposition. It harkens back to the black-and-white horror of the original "Frankenstein" except for the increased gore. It is that classic feel that I like most about this movie and the main reason I recommend it.