Dr. Frankenstein on Campus

There have been a large number of adaptations of Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 horror novel “Frankenstein.” Part of the reason is that the story has been in the public domain for the entire history of the cinema, so the tale is freely available. This means that even filmmakers at the lowest end of the budgetary spectrum can tell a Frankenstein story, and many have done just that.

This week’s movie is “Dr. Frankenstein on Campus” from Canada’s Agincourt Productions in 1970, (also released in some locations with the oddball title “Flick”). It was directed by Gilbert W. Taylor, (his only feature film). The script was by Taylor with David Cobb and William T.Marshall. The film takes place in the present day. Our story opens with “Viktor Frankenstein,” (Robin Ward), engaged in a sword duel on the campus of Ingoldstat University, for which he is expelled. He moves to a university in Toronto to resume his studies. He suffers ridicule from his fellow students because he has the same name as the main character in Mary Shelley’s novel. He develops a sexual relationship with fellow student “Susan Harris,” (Kathleen Sawyer in her only feature film). She is eager to get naked, (and does so frequently during the film), but Viktor refuses to remove his shirt. Viktor also forms a relationship with “Professor Preston,” (Sean Sullivan), who had recently taught at Ingoldstat. The two share an interest in technology to control the human brain using electrical signals. He demonstrates this for Susan by injecting her pet dog and cat with brain electrodes, then making them fight each other. At a party another student hands Viktor a joint. He doesn’t smoke it, but a photograph of him holding it is published on the front page of the student newspaper. “Dean Cantwell,” (Austin Willis), expels Viktor. Infuriated by this injustice Viktor injects an electrode into the brain of fellow student “Tony Bayles,” (Ty Haller), who is a master of Taekwondo. He uses Tony to murder the reporter and photographer from the newspaper, and then to kill Dean Cantwell. While running from the authorities Viktor falls to his death, and his shirt is ripped open exposing horrifying surgical scars. Viktor is actually a modern version of Frankenstein’s monster! He was created by Professor Preston in Ingoldstat, and has been manipulated by Preston’s mind control device all along!

This is a minor film at best, passably entertaining through most of the running time but redeemed by the clever and unexpected twist at the end. The cast is composed of interesting actors doing their best with the material, with Robin Ward delivering a rather intense performance as Viktor. I had fun with this picture, but I can’t really bring myself to recommend it to others.

In 1973 Robin Ward played the role of “Garth” on the Canadian science fiction television series “The Starlost.” The star of the show was Keir Dullea as “Devon.”

Sean Sullivan played “Dr. Roy Michaels” in the classic 1968 science fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” (which also starred Keir Dullea).

Austin Willis played “Simmons” in the 1964 James Bond movie “Goldfinger.” He was Goldfinger’s gullible gin rummy partner. Willis also played on the 1953 Canadian science fiction series “Space Command” as “Dr. Fleming.” One of his co-stars was James Doohan as “Phil Mitchell,” years before his regular role on “Star Trek.”

Ty Haller appeared in two other memorable science fiction films. He played “Private Grey” on 1968’s “Ice Station Zebra” and “Henshaw” on 1972’s “The Groundstar Conspiracy.”