Frankenhooker

Frankenhooker (1990)

Runtime: 85 minutes

Directed by: Frank Henenlotter

Starring: James Lorinz, Patty Mullen, many other random people but there's also Shirley Stoler and Louise Lasser (RIP)

From: Shapiro/Glickenhaus Entertainment

RIP Louise Lasser

I realize this is far from the most dignified movie she was in and one day in the future I really need to revisit the one Woody Allen film I saw her in (like 20 years ago by now) but she’s unfortunately someone whose work has mainly not been seen by me. Todd Solondz is really not for me so Happiness is out of the question and her most famous role (the soap opera spoof TV show Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) was way before my time. 

I should check out most of her work but I picked this as it’s a popular film somehow never watched by me before despite having viewed Basket Case before, my knowing some plot elements-like SUPERCRACK-and some scenes being filmed in The Bad New York City of Old. She’s only in one scene but was good in her role as lead Jeffrey’s Franken’s mom. Jeffrey is maladjusted anyhow but is much more so after his girlfriend Elizabeth Shelley is killed in a freak lawnmower accident, her body horribly mutilated.

The film is incredibly silly; Jeffrey is a mad scientist obviously mentally unwell who creates SUPERCRACK to explode a body so he can have a new body as Elizabeth’s head is the main part that wasn’t maimed so he decides to visit the prostitutes of New York City! No surprise, things go awry once he creates then animates the titular Frankenhooker.

The budget is low, the acting usually isn’t great and this could be nitpicked if you were the intolerable type. Thankfully I am not so I enjoyed the verisimilitude of director Frank Henenlotter, the OOT characters-Zorro, the buff Hispanic pimp was especially memorable-general absurdity-those prostitutes lose their minds once they discover Jeffrey’s crack supply-and how entertaining this trash was. The print I saw on Prime was from Troma-those that enjoy what the studio makes/releases should enjoy Frankenhooker.

One last important detail: the portrayal of the prostitutes is one thing—Elizabeth is presented rather well & sympathetic. Many reviewers have praised her character, especially after she’s reconstructed & deals with stupid men in a satisfying matter. Props to James Lorinz as Jeffrey, Joseph Gonzalez as Zorro, & especially Patty Mullen as Elizabeth. Also, I was amused that Shirley Stoller had a small role; she’s a “That Gal” actor who was in everything from Malcolm X to The Deer Hunter.