Frankenstein '80

Frankenstein '80
Italian film poster
Directed by	Mario Mancini
Screenplay by	Ferdinando De Leone Mario Mancini
Story by	Ferdinando De Leone[1]
Starring	John Richardson Xiro Papas Renato Romano Dalila Parker Anna Odessa Bob Fiz Renata Kasché Dada Gallotti Marisa Traversi Enrico Rossi Fulvio Mingozzi Gordon Mitchell Luigi Bonos
Cinematography	Emilio Varriano[1]
Edited by	Enzo Micarelli[1]
Music by	Daniele Patucchi[1]
Production company	M.G.D. Film[1]
Distributed by	Variety Distribution
Release date	12 December 1972 (1972-12-12) (Italy)
Running time	89 minutes[1]
Country	Italy[1]

Frankenstein '80 is a 1972 Italian film directed by Mario Mancini.

Plot summary

By day, Dr. Frankenstein (Gordon Mitchell) works innocuously in his lab. But at night, he works to perfect Mosaico (Xiro Papas), a monstrosity pieced together from dead bodies. Once completed, the behemoth escapes from the lab and embarks on a killing spree. Local beauties begin popping up dead, murdered in a variety of gruesome ways, as authorities attempt to stop Mosaico's rampage.

Cast

• John Richardson as Karl Schein
• Gordon Mitchell as Dr. Otto Frankenstein
• Renato Romano as Inspector Schneider
• Xiro Papas as Mosaic - the Frankenstein Monster
• Dalila Di Lazzaro as Sonia
• Roberto Fizz as Professor Schwarz
• Dada Gallotti as Butcher
• Marisa Traversi as Second Prostitute
• Lemmy Carson as Head Nurse
• Marco Mariani as Track Spectator
• Luigi Bonos as Hobo
• Enrico Rossi as First Investigator
• Fulvio Mingozzi as Second Investigator
• Umberto Amambrini as Vice Straus
• Luigi Antonio Guerra as Agent
• Anna Odessa as Stripper
• Renata Kasché as Redhead

Production

Despite the film's title alluding to Mary Shelley's character, the film has little in common with her creation.^[2] The inspiration of Ferdinando De Leone and Mario Mancini's script was from the adult only comics such as Oltretomba.^[1][2] Future Academy Awards winner Carlo Rambaldi provided the special effects in the film such as the monster named Mosaic.^[2][3] Curti referred to the special effects as "crude" and was an "early hint of the tendency towards excess that will characterise Italian genre cinema of the decade"^[2]

Lou Castel was originally going to act in the film but was not allowed after being expelled from Italy in April 1972 due to his political views.^[4] Actor Gordon Mitchell stated that parts of the film were possibly shot in Bavaria, but not any of the scenes he was involved in.^[4] The rest of the film was shot in Munich and Rome.^[1]

Release

Frankenstein '80 was released in Italy on 12 December 1972 where it was distributed by Les Films 2R Roma.^[1] Film historian Roberto Curti stated that the film "passed almost unnoticed in Italy at the time of its release"^[4] A photonovel version of the film was released in the Italian issue of Cinesex in May 1973.^[4]

As of 2017, the film is in the public domain in the United States.^[4]

Reception

From retrospective reviews, AllMovie called the film "stupid, sickening, and obscene", but "seekers of psychotronic cinema will have a field day with this ridiculous Italian exploitation product."^[5] In his book on Italian horror film directors, Louis Paul referred to the film as "strange" and "a lurid sex film dressed as a horror movie."^[6]

References

Footnotes

1. Curti 2017, p. 69.
2. Curti 2017, p. 70.
3. Celli & Cottino-Jones 2007, p. 106.
4. Curti 2017, p. 71.
5. Fred Beldin. "Frankenstein 80 (1972)". AllMovie. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
6. Paul 2005, p. 28.

Sources

• Celli, C.; Cottino-Jones, M. C (2007). A New Guide to Italian Cinema. Springer. ISBN 978-0-230-60182-6.
• Curti, Roberto (2017). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970-1979. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476629605.
• Paul, Louis (2005). Italian Horror Film Directors. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-8749-3.

External links

• Frankenstein '80 at IMDb
• Frankenstein '80 is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
• Frankenstein '80 at Variety Distribution