Writteny by Robert “Bob” Martin and Frank Henenlotter
Directed by Frank Henenlotter
Starring James Lorinz, Patty Mullen and Louise Lasser
USA
I remember as a kid when we’d stay in hotel rooms on vacation, sometimes there’d be a little pay-per-view movie brochure along with the brochures for local attractions. It would list all the movies you could order. Of course we’d never order any, but I’d always flip through out of curiosity and one time I distinctly remember seeing FRANKENHOOKER was one of them.
Now, imagine. You’re some lonely salesman on a road trip, ready to kick back and enjoy some dirty pay-per-view. You choose FRANKENHOOKER. You’re instantly confounded by the film that unspools before you as your money goes down the drain.
But, outside that scenario, FRANKENHOOKER is surprisingly entertaining – this is another low budget Troma Team release, this time from BASKET CASE director Frank Henenlotter, who once again uses an offbeat sense of humor and authentically sleazy real-life New York locations to his advantage. Hell he even shoots a scene in Times Square! Take that, Cameron Crowe (this is a dated old man reference to a 20-year-old movie called VANILLA SKY).
The movie concerns a guy who still lives at home with his mother, doing weird experiments in his spare time (he has a living brain with an eyeball floating in a fish tank). When is fiancé dies in a tragic lawnmower accident (LOL) he decides to use all his know how to bring her back, Frankenstein-style, opting to murder sex workers and use their various body parts to help stitch her back together.
He successfully brings her to life, but unfortunately all she can do is spout sex worker catch phrases (“Wanna date?” “Lookin’ for a good time?”). Before long she’s busted out of the garage lab and is staggering around Times Square looking for johns and accidentally murdering them with her electric powers.
As you might expect, none of this is meant to be taken seriously, and although it is sleazy, it is definitely funny, especially when the titular Frankenhooker goes on her “rampage.” This is because Penthouse Pet turned actress Patty Mullen is legitimately funny. It’s a pretty demanding comedic role, requiring her to be both physically funny with the way she walks and the faces she makes, and verbally funny with the way she spouts her lines. She nails it and makes the movie. It’s a shame she didn’t get more work. Her list of credits is inexplicably short.
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