Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Frankenstein's Daughter, Creating Life Amid Partying Teens

Did Hitler really die in a Berlin bunker at the end of World War 2?  In the 1950s, this was in doubt.  The FBI and other intelligence agencies were not so sure.  All we had to go on was the word of the Soviets who said he did.  They never produced a body...and weren't a very truthful regime.  As the FBI scoured Argentina for the mad Fuhrer, under the radar Dr. Frankenstein was percolating.  Could his ancestors have come to America to carry on the great mad man's experiments?  Hence 1958's "Frankenstein's Daughter," directed by Richard D. Cunha.

Okay, Oliver Frank (Donald Murphy) is actually Frankenstein's son.  He has come to the U.S. and attached himself to the kindly old Professor Morton (Felix Locher).  Morton is trying to cure death...God bless him! Not Frank!  While Morton isn't looking, Frank is carrying on his dad's experiments and creating life. More specifically, Frank has put together a man made of body parts of dead men...and now he wants a women's brain to implant in the head.  Yep, he's way ahead of his time.  He's sweet on Morton's sultry daughter, Trudy (Sandra Knight).  As recreation, Morton drugs Trudy causing her to turn into a vicious and hideous monster.  I know...a good metaphor for sultry babes out there.  His antidote brings her back to her normal self...a PMS metaphor?

Okay, now Kent murders Trudy's best friend, Suzy (Sally Todd). Suzy is a blonde babe.  Now Suzy's teenage babe brain is put inside the monster.  Oh yes, top billing in this film is John Ashley, hunk, as Trudy's boyfriend, Johnny.  He's useless and of no consequence to the plot so we will not mention him again...typical male!  Wait!  The luau pool party!  Several minutes of a music and dance interlude...why not?  Now the monster with the blonde's brain is on the loose and murdering poor schmucks.  Frank is trying to force himself on the nubile Trudy.  The cops get involved.  Now the great looking cheesecake and beefcake in swimsuits and sundresses are dancing around Trudy's pool.  Yep...this film has everything.

Now that Frankenstein's monster is a man with a female brain, will pronouns be an issue in this 1950s setting?  Will Trudy develop a life or at least a semi-interesting idea and do more than just look good by the pool?  Now that Suzy is a babe trapped in a man's body will she still...actually, never mind...inappropriate question.  See "Frankenstein's Daughter," and really get a vivid look at 1950s America. 

No comments:

Post a Comment