apparently there a very good reason why i never hear about dr. hackenstein before me and a couple of mate accidentally stumble upon it and stupidly decide to give it a chance . that reason be represent it suck . it a very pointless and dull and imbecilic and totally unmemorable horror comedy or parody . actually and to be honest and i be not even sure if this be mean a a comedy because sometimes the script take itself quite seriously and try really hard to be a really ambitious and original late 80 horror effort . in the year 1909 and at the dawn of a new era in medical science accord to the opening sequence and dr. elliot hackenstein need exactly three woman no more and no less to refurbish his beloved wife whom he accidentally kill . she only just a living head leave now and but the stupid body snatcher only provide male cadaver . so when dr. hackenstein yell out i need three female body to bring back my wife and his word aren not even cold and there just miraculously appear three young female ( and one really annoy nerdy kid ) with car trouble show up at his doorstep . why doesn not that ever happen to me . i need a bunch of sexy voluptuous woman to fill up my empty harem . see and nothing . anyway and the good doctor see his wish fulfil and but unfortunately for science that be he develop sympathy for one of the three girl . dr. hackenstein be a lame film that try to cash in on the success of re animator and even blatantly steal some of the comical aspect of that classic and like a severed head talk one liner . it easy to see why this film be never mention anywhere and a it doesn not appeal to fan of neither the horror nor the comedy genre . the funny character be undoubtedly the loud speaking female grave robber ruby while depict by the anti cherubic anne ramsey . 80 horror buff will certainly remember her from wes craven deadly friend and where she play the nasty old hag neighbor who get decapitate by a basketball . dr. hackenstein supposedly take place in the early 1900 and but there be hardly any attempt to re create the atmosphere of that era ( except maybe for some automobile ) . dr. hackenstein laboratory be a quite clichéd 80 set piece and with all sort of smoky cauldron and test tube full of fluorescent color .