General Witchfinders

We return to Hammer Productions with Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell, filmed at Elstree Studios in 1972. It marked the final chapter in the Hammer Frankenstein saga and director Terence Fisher's last film. 

The Film Features: 

Peter Cushing in his sixth and final portrayal of Baron Victor Frankenstein, a part he originated in 1957's The Curse of Frankenstein. Despite being 59 and apparently in poor health when he made this film, Cushing still insisted on performing a stunt requiring him to leap from a tabletop onto the hulking creature's back, spinning wildly in circles to subdue the monster gone amok with a sedative. 

Shane Briant as Dr. Simon Helder, best known for his four Hammer appearances, including this film and Demons of the Mind, Straight on Till Morning, and Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (coming soon from General Witchfinders). He reprised the role of Simon Helder years later in the film Sherlock Holmes vs. Frankenstein. 

Madeline Smith as Sarah "Angel" Klauss. Also seen in Hammer's The Vampire Lovers, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Tam-Lin, and Theatre of Blood, she went on to become the first Bond girl of the Roger Moore era, Miss Caruso, in the post-opening titles sequence of Live and Let Die (infamous for the scene where Bond unzips her dress with a magnetic wristwatch). After taking a break from acting to raise her daughter, she is still working now at the age of 74, recently appearing in Mark Gatiss's The Amazing Mr. Blunden. 

And of course, the main event... the feature creature... we have Dave ("Dave Prowse IS Darth Vader") Prowse as the Creature / Herr Schneider. 

Actor, bodybuilder, and strongman Dave Prowse carved a unique path in film history. He's best known for portraying Darth Vader (voiced by American actor James Earl Jones) in the original Star Wars trilogy. However, his career stretched far beyond that iconic role. 

He was a familiar face in the UK as the Green Cross Man, promoting road safety for children. However, in a recurring snub to the beautiful West Country accent, the first two adverts in the series had Prowse's voice dubbed by another actor. Thankfully, he appeared using his own voice in the third advert. 

Dave won the British heavyweight weightlifting championship for three consecutive years (1962-1964). Leading him to compete for England in the 1962 Commonwealth Games. During his bodybuilding training, he befriended future action stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. 

His role as the manservant in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film, "A Clockwork Orange," caught the eye of Star Wars director George Lucas, which led him to the defining role of Darth Vader. Throughout his film and TV career, Prowse was often typecast with parts such as the circus strongman in Vampire Circus, a Minotaur in (Doctor Who Klaxon)'The Time Monster,' and an android named Coppin in The Tomorrow People.  

He supposedly came close to iconic roles, claiming to have nearly landed the part of Jaws in James Bond and being considered for Conan the Barbarian before those parts went to other actors. 

We are told that Prowse lobbied for the role of Superman in Richard Donner's 1978 film. In a television interview, he recounted his response to being told "we've found our Superman" with a simple "Thank you very much," only to then learn Christopher Reeve had been chosen and Prowse would be his trainer. 

Finally, it's worth noting that David Prowse made his second appearance as a Frankenstein laboratory creation in this film, his first being in The Horror of Frankenstein (uncredited cameo in 1967's Casino Royale aside). He holds the distinction of being the only actor to play a Hammer Frankenstein's monster more than once.

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