The Mutations (1974) (aka The Freakmaker) Review
The Mutations (1974) (aka The Freakmaker) Review
Professor Nolter (Donald Pleasence), a college science professor, believes it is man’s destiny to survive an uncertain future by evolving into a hybrid plant/human mutation. To test his theories, Nolter supervises the abduction of young co-eds and fuses them with mutant plants he has developed in his laboratory.
Sluggishly directed by former Oscar-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff THE MUTATATIONS never really seems to have much oomph. Even the opening credits seem to go on an age, if only to showcase stop-motion footage of plants, which then segues into the film’s first scene where Professor Nolter is lecturing students about plant life. I felt like I’d stumbled onto a nature documentary by accident.
The film’s saving grace is the always excellent Tom Baker, as the sinister Mr.Lynch who exudes the necessary quota of menace for his character to work a treat. It was not long after this that Baker became the then latest incarnation of TV’s DOCTOR WHO, a role that he brought the same level of charisma and gravitas to. During his time in the role as the infamous doctor Baker again had to deal with a mad scientist with monstrous plants in THE SEEDS OF DOOM.
As with most horror movie scientists Professor Nolter is looking to create something for the greater good but in the process attempts and fails to create plant-human hybrids that actually stay alive long enough (these are terribly unconvincing to look at). More of a curiosity piece than essential viewing THE MUTATIONS is criminally dull and only comes to life whenever Tom Baker is onscreen, otherwise this is rather pedestrian and questionable in its depiction of ‘freaks’.
