When American International Pictures achieved a level of success with BLACULA, they must have figured that the next logical step was to do the same thing to the Frankenstein franchise. Hence, we have BLACKENSTEIN. The Funkified Frankenstein treatment began and ended with this film. They already had two more sequels on the drawing board, but it fared so poorly that they said “the hell with it” and went on to make SCREAM, BLACULA, SCREAM.
Joe DeSue, who hasn’t been heard from since, is the unlucky recruit to become the monster. Unfortunately, the lighting is so bad on this film that it’s very hard to see him on the screen. Maybe they took the position that if you don’t see him clearly, it will be more scary during his attack scenes. The likely answer, though, is that they had incompetent techs working the camera lights.
For years I couldn’t wait to see this movie. When I finally did, I thought, “THIS is what I waited for?” Take it from me, it’s only marginally interesting in spots. The highlight is when Stu Gilliam, playing a stereotypical pimp, is killed. The dogs tearing apart the monster would have been something to see – if only we had been able to actually see it.
Rating: 1 Neckbolt out of a possible 10. And that’s being magnanimous.
Joe DeSue, who hasn’t been heard from since, is the unlucky recruit to become the monster. Unfortunately, the lighting is so bad on this film that it’s very hard to see him on the screen. Maybe they took the position that if you don’t see him clearly, it will be more scary during his attack scenes. The likely answer, though, is that they had incompetent techs working the camera lights.
For years I couldn’t wait to see this movie. When I finally did, I thought, “THIS is what I waited for?” Take it from me, it’s only marginally interesting in spots. The highlight is when Stu Gilliam, playing a stereotypical pimp, is killed. The dogs tearing apart the monster would have been something to see – if only we had been able to actually see it.
Rating: 1 Neckbolt out of a possible 10. And that’s being magnanimous.
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