Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966) dir. William Beaudine, Circle Productions
And so we end our look back at Frankenstein. We've been to Mexico, Japan, and outer space. Why not end it in the Old West?
Some time in the mid 1880's, two players come into contact.
The first are the last of the Frankenstein clan. Doctors Maria (Narda Onyx) and her brother Rudolph (Steven Geray) have set up shop in a remote part of the American Southwest. The area has frequent electrical storms, which are a key component in their work. Keeping up the family tradition, you know. Of course, the graveyards are quickly filling up with the results of their failures and there's only so many children you can abduct before someone notices.
The second is Jesse James (John Lupton) and his goon Hank (Cal Bolder). Yeah, turns out Jesse wasn't shot by Charlie Ford but escaped. Don't think too much about it.
Jesse and Hank are both starved and desperate. They find Butch Curry (Roger Creed) and the remains of the Wild Bunch. They throw in with the gang, but a member betrays them to the law for the bounty. The gang is slaughtered. Jesse gets away but Hank catches some lead.
The two desperados stumble across the Lopez family, who are fleeing the area to escape the Frankensteins. The daughter Juanita (Estelita Rodriguez) takes pity on Hank, at least his pecs, and directs the two to the Frankenstein home.
Maria is a welcoming host, even covering for her guests when the law comes snooping around. She quickly falls for Jesse and even more so for Hank, although in the latter's case it's less lust and more needing specimens.
She sends Jesse out on an errand and quickly turns Hank into Igor. From there we get the typical monster on a rampage.
Shame we didn't see Doc Holliday take on a werewolf. Yeah, a follow up to Billy the Kid Meets Dracula was just what we needed. Not the worse thing ever made but the sets and script do it no favors.
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