Frankenstein '80

By day, Dr. Frankenstein (Gordon Mitchell) works innocuously in his lab. But at night, he works to perfect Mosaic (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 Mosaic's rampage.

{{castlist|

• 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}}

Despite the film's title alluding to Mary Shelley's character, the film has little in common with her creation.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=70}} The inspiration of Ferdinando De Leone and Mario Mancini's script was from the adult only comics such as Oltretomba.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=69}}{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=70}} Future Academy Awards winner Carlo Rambaldi provided the special effects in the film such as the monster named Mosaic.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=70}}{{sfn|Celli|Cottino-Jones|2007|p=106}} 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"{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=70}}

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.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=71}}

Actor Gordon Mitchell stated that parts of the film were possibly shot in Bavaria, but not any of the scenes he was involved in.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=71}} The rest of the film was shot in Munich and Rome.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=69}}

Frankenstein '80 was released in Italy on 12 December 1972 where it was distributed by Les Films 2R Roma.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=69}} Film historian Roberto Curti stated that the film "passed almost unnoticed in Italy at the time of its release"{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=71}} A photonovel version of the film was released in the Italian issue of Cinesex in May 1973.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=71}}

As of 2017, the film is in the public domain in the United States.{{sfn|Curti|2017|p=71}}

{{expand section|date=July 2015}}

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."{{cite web |url=https://allmovie.com/movie/frankenstein-80-v18482/review |title=Frankenstein 80 (1972) |author=Fred Beldin |work=AllMovie |access-date=30 June 2012}}

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."{{sfn|Paul|2005|p=28}}

{{reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book |last1=Celli |first1=C. |last2=Cottino-Jones |first2=M. C |title=A New Guide to Italian Cinema |publisher=Springer |date=2007 |isbn=978-0-230-60182-6 }}
• {{cite book

|last=Curti

|first=Roberto

|title=Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970-1979

|publisher=McFarland

|isbn=978-1476629605

|year=2017

}}

• {{cite book | last= Paul | first= Louis | title= Italian Horror Film Directors |publisher= McFarland |year= 2005 |isbn= 978-0-7864-8749-3}}

{{Refend}}

• {{IMDb title|id=0071518}}
• {{Internet Archive film|id=MarioMancinisFrankenstein801972}}
• [https://www.varietydistribution.it/en/catalogue/frankenstein-80/ Frankenstein '80] at Variety Distribution

{{Frankenstein}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frankenstein 80}}

Category:1972 horror films

Category:1972 films

Category:Italian science fiction horror films

Category:1970s Italian-language films

Category:Frankenstein films

Category:Films shot in Rome

Category:Films shot in Munich

Category:1970s Italian films

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