I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957)

"What I create, I must control." - Prof. Frankenstein

A determined scientist experiments with reanimating the dead.
Starring: Whit Bissel, Gary Conway, Phyllis Coates, Robert Burton

Link to IMDB

Professor Frankenstein is a genius when it comes to experimental transplants that are advancing the boundaries of modern medicine, but his colleagues are skeptical about some of his more extravagant theories on what can be done with the human body.
The Prof. doesn't mind being laughed at though, because in his laboratory at home he plans his own experiment to create the most perfectly healthy human possible by piecing together cadavers. Wow, this movie wastes no time getting to the good stuff!
Frankenstein's assistant, Dr. Karlton, is wary of getting involved with something so unethical, but when the corpse of a teenager literally lands on their doorstep, the experiment must begin!

The movie even establishes that the Professor is actually an ancestor of the original Dr. Frankenstein. Well shit, no wonder his colleagues are cautious of his weird ideas!!

"In this laboratory there is no death until I declare it so." - Prof. Frankenstein

Frankenstein doesn't have much free time to spend with his fiancée, Margaret, because he and Dr. Karlton are busy in the basement laboratory; sawing, stitching and electrocuting a variety of body parts that they've collected from hospitals and graveyards. Soon enough, their macabre creation is given life and awakened!
The Boy they created seems to be a success. His mind is almost childlike at first, but he's strong, obedient and eager to learn. The only flaw is his face, which has been hideously deformed.

Eager to see the world outside, the Boy escapes from the lab and wanders the city at night, and of course he gets himself into trouble. Now with the police snooping around and the Boy becoming more lonely and defiant, Professor Frankenstein begins to manipulate his creation for his own deranged plans.

This is more of a traditional monster movie than I Was a Teenage Werewolf, and it almost has a Twilight Zone feel to the presentation. But it does still retain the drive-in cinema style of the 50's which allows room for some laughs and cheesy absurdity.
There is a solid story here with more complexities than I described, but suffice to say that the Professor is one crazy man. It's a mix of the classic tale modernized within an old-fashioned B movie, and the elements all come together nicely without going too far off the rails.

Be sure not to miss:
- Whit Bissel also played the mad doctor in I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
- An alligator in the basement is the best idea ever.
- The title is inaccurate, of course. It should be, I Was a Teenage Monster Created by some Jerk named Frankenstein.
- The final scene was filmed in colour, to showcase the make-up effects better.

Internet review:
"A campy, trashy delight; this is a B-Movie fan's dream." - Leofwine_draca

Should I watch it?
Good enough to deserve a watch.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

Teenage Frankenstein gets...