The horror-comedy is a venerable tradition within the scary movie world, as filmmakers have loved to juxtaposed frights with uncomfortable laughter, and vice-versa, almost since they first had moving pictures. "Baby Frankenstein" is one of the latest, and lesser, examples of the subgenre.
The set-up is pretty simple: a pint-sized laboratory creature is revived after being long dormant, setting off a flurry of activity around Halloween. Some want to capture him for money, others want him back (presumably) for more experimentation, and others just want to be his friend.
Baby Frankenstein -- who variously goes by the names Gary and Jeremy -- is supposed to be a childish creature, perhaps 10 years of age, and unlike Dr. Frankenstein's creation he never progresses much further than that in intelligence. Played by Rance Nix in green makeup, bright blue contacts and special effects that make it look like his exposed brain is covered by a clear dome, Baby is more of a cut-up than creature from the depths of terror.
Like any kid, he's fascinated by childish things. It seems he's been sitting alone in an attic for years, a product of the nearby Lundquist lab, which somehow lost track of him. When Lance (Ian Barling), a teen who's just moved into the house with his mom (Eileen Rosen), pokes at Baby he's surprised when he comes to life.
The various forces soon align themselves. Dauvin Lundquist (Andrew Gower), heir to the family business, puts out a $50,000 reward for the creature's return. This immediately captures the attention of Ken Glinevich (Patrick McCartney), the erstwhile boyfriend of Lance's mom.
Lance, with the help of the girl across the street, Truth (Cora Savage), goes on a long caper to keep Baby safe with Glinevich and Lundquist chasing them. They get some help from John (Mike Rutkoski), the helpful neighbor who lives next door.
Rutkoski, who wrote the screenplay with Jon YonKondy, who also directed, is aiming for slapdash hi jinx, and that's pretty much what we get. Baby learns a few words, that bowling is fun, and some people are friends while others are not.
The character of Glinevich is a puzzle. He's a ridiculous figure who's a constant blur of bluster and aggression, so we're not sure what Lance's mom ever possibly saw in him. With his salt-and-pepper pompadour, omnipresent sunglasses (even at night) and paunch, he seems like a guy who grew up idolizing The Fonz and never got it out of his system long past the point it became pathetic.
Supposedly a comical figure, he's suddenly supposed to be menacing in the second half, and mostly what he is is just annoying and creepy.
This is super low-budget filmmaking, and it shows. Other than Baby's get-up, which is pretty good, the whole thing looks like it was shot using somebody's credit card. That's fine; I'm quite the aficionado of low-rent schlock.
But "Baby Frankenstein" has little to redeem itself to make up for the lack of production values. Savage seems like the only cast member who realizes she's in a camp horror movie and milks it for what it's worth. It isn't much, but we'll take it.