Blackenstein (also known as Black Frankenstein on its theatrical release poster and whose actual on-screen title is Blackenstein the Black Frankenstein) is a 1973[2][3] American blaxploitation horror film directed by William A. Levey, and starring John Hart, Ivory Stone, Andrea King, Roosevelt Jackson, Joe De Sue, Nick Bolin and Liz Renay.

[4] Big and burly African American soldier Eddie Turner (Joe De Sue) stepped on a land mine while serving in Vietnam and lost both arms and both legs.

Winifred is startled when she sees one of Bruno's legs is tiger-striped, which Doctor Stein attributes to "an unknown RNA problem" which he hopes to correct during the course of treatment.

When Doctors Stein and Walker arrive to ask if he would be interested in submitting to experimental limb transplant surgery that could correct his condition, he immediately consents.

Although he lies in a near-catatonic state by day, compelled by horrible cannibalistic urges, the black suit and turtleneck-clad Eddie secretly leaves the house late each night in search of victims who he dismembers, disembowels and devours zombie-style, always returning in time each morning for his ongoing schedule of DNA injections with his doctors none the wiser.

The police call in the Los Angeles County Canine Corps, and the Doberman Pinschers surround Eddie, knock him to the ground and, with a fittingly macabre irony, viciously tear the monster to pieces in the same way he killed his victims.

[6] According to director William A. Levey, non-actor Joe De Sue was cast in the title role because he was a client of criminal lawyer turned writer/producer Frank R. Saletri,[7][citation needed] as was celebrity cult icon Liz Renay who plays one of the monster's victims.