Post by Zorro on Jan 2, 2023 12:22:46 GMT
If all you were to read about a movie you were thinking of watching were that it features a former Penthouse Pet of the Year as the female lead, was written and directed by a man who learned film making by skipping school and spending his days in the theaters of 42nd Street and Times Square, and that it was given an X rating by the MPAA, you would think that movie was something sleazy. In the case of Frankenhooker, you'd be wrong. You'd be forgiven, but you'd be wrong. In fact, if one were looking for something sleazy, Frankenhooker would disappoint.
It is a comedy. Its humor is sometimes sly, often jokey, and in its best scenes satirical of it's time and its genre. The effects can be a little crude, which is part of its charm, but while it is made for adults it is never sleazy. It's just fun.
Instead of synopsizing the plot, I'll just say it is, as the title suggests, a variation on the Frankenstein theme, and was inspired by another cult favorite, The Brain That Wouldn't Die. Writer and director Frank Henenlotter said the concept arose as an extemporaneous pitch to producer James Glickenhaus, after the idea he initially tried to sell was rejected. When the producer asked what else he had, Henenlotter replied, with Brain in mind:
"I started making up a story for Jim. I said, 'This guy's girlfriend dies,' and he goes, 'How?' And I said, 'Oh. Um, An electric lawn mower runs her over.' And Jim started laughing. And I got about 45 minutes worth of the plot and as long as Jim was laughing I kept making it up, and he knew I was making it up. At one point he said, 'What are you going to call it?' It's about this guy putting his girlfriend back together with body parts of hookers, so I'm thinking, well, Frankenprostitute? No. Frankenwhore? No. Frankenthis, Frankenthat, then I thought, Frankenhooker!"
The girlfriend, sweet-natured Elizabeth Shelley, true of heart and wide of hip, is played by Patty Mullen in her third acting gig and her only lead role. Her talent for character and physical comedy, even beneath the costumes and makeup, is evident.
Patty Mullen as Elizabeth Shelley
Her boyfriend, Jeffrey Franken, is our not exactly mad but maybe a little undisciplined scientist who, having been thrown out of three medical schools for reasons we are never told, busies himself in his off hours from the electric company by keeping a one-eyed brain alive. He's got skills, and he keeps good notes. He is played very ably by James Lorinz, an actor who looks like a lot like Andrew McCarthy, sounds a little like Al Pacino, and is smart enough to play his part straight. He never mugs or forces a joke or lingers too long over one gag. He just keeps it moving, muttering placations when needed and conjuring one solution after another. Jeffrey's character and motives are quickly established while the opening credits roll and we watch over his shoulder as he draws plans to repair the carnage that occurred immediately prior. Listen carefully to his mutterings. And because he mutters a lot, turn on the captioning.
Frankenhooker was written and filmed during the rise of what came to be called the crack epidemic in NYC. James Lorinz said in 2019 that it received an X rating not for the bare breasts and the streetwalkers (who possibly became SAG members during the shoot) but for the crack usage. I haven't found any documented reason why the MPAA X'd it, (though there is an oft repeated story about the production company secretary receiving a phone call from the board congratulating them for making the first movie rated S, "for sh!t!) and I'm not sure how Lorinz would know (he also said it was the first NC-17 movie) but Henenlotter said the decision was based on nothing more than the board's corruption and dislike of both the movie and independent producers. The X rating was appealed unsuccessfully three times by Glickenhaus before he decided to go to the trade press in protest of the MPAA. Ultimately, he defied the ratings board and released Frankenhooker unrated.
One minor character in the red light district scenes, a bible quoting old man demanding repentance, reminded me of Anthony Perkins's character in Crimes of Passion. In researching that (I'd forgotten the title and, mercifully, much of the film) I found that the MPAA rated that film X initially, too, and seemed to encourage director Ken Russell to accept it, to reclaim the rating from pornographers. I wonder then if six years later the board might still have had that objective in mind with Frankenhooker.
It was successful on its release, though it came and went quickly. It received a second life and cult status about 15 years later when it was rediscovered. I can't recall exactly when or how I first heard of it, but I always wanted to see it and I was very excited to find it streaming. I was not disappointed.
It's common today to read a review of an old movie that says something like "It is still timely now!" and some commentary like that would apply here if I wanted to be cynical. But no. Just enjoy. I will say that if the Farm Film Report guys were still around, I'm sure they would agree: Frankenhooker is real good.
"...all the right parts in all the right places."