Frankenhooker (USA, 1990) - Color, Director(s): Frank Henenlotter
MPAA Rating: R
[UK: 18]
Approx. 85 min.
Z-rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Cheese Factor: 5 stars out of 5
How can you not love that video cover?! All the random body parts, science equipment, and the anti-drug slogan that reads "Winners Don't Smoke Super-Crack!"
After the fiancée of med school drop out Jeffrey Franken (played by James Lorinz) is torn apart by an automated lawn mower run amok, Franken salvages any pieces he can find in order to rebuild her. Naturally, he turns to working girls to fill in any necessary parts he's lacking. Jeffrey plans to collect their parts by supplying the prostitutes with a lethal version of crack that he engineers in his lab, ingeniously dubbed "Super Crack". After collecting all the parts he needs, all he needs to do is rebuild his fiancée. Oh, that and deal with their pimp, Zorro.
James Lorinz plays the perfect awkward, mumbling mad scientist. I love the intro credits where he's just scribbling notes over a diagram of a human body and mumbling to himself. This movie is pure cheese, I couldn't help laughing all through it. A brain with an eyeball in it is created for no reason, there are exploding hookers, and Franken drills directly into his own skull to stimulate his thought process! With a title like Frankenhooker, you really couldn't expect anything but total campy goodness.
Nudity: Tons! Franken needs to find the "right parts" to rebuild his fiancée, which gives him the perfect excuse to inspect multiple female bodies. There are also crazy purple Franken-tits for anyone looking for something a little... different.
Gore: As I mentioned, hooker do explode but there isn't much in the blood and guts department. There are definitely limbs all over (as you might've expected from a Franken-movie) but not a lot of the red stuff.
Awesome: to the MAX! I love cheesy, fun movies like this. Although some of what's happening on screen doesn't make any sense, they do a great job of creating an atmosphere where you'll just excuse the medical inaccuracies to have a good time. This trashy sleaze-fest would make a great double feature with Re-Animator or even in a triple feature along with Bride of Re-Animator!