House of Frankenstein & House of Dracula
House of Frankenstein (1944)
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
Screenplay by Edward T. Lowe Jr. & Story by Curt Siodmak
Cast: Boris Karloff (Doctor Gustav Nieman), Lon Chaney Jr. (Larry Talbot/Wolf Man), J. Carrol Naish (Daniel), John Carradine ( Dracula/Baron Latos), Anne Gwynne (Rita Hussman), Peter Coe (Carl Hussman), Lionel Atwill (Inspector Arnz), George Zucco (Professor Bruno Lampini), Elena Verdugo (Ilonka), Sig Ruman (Hussman)
House of Frankenstein (1944) remains one of my favorite of the latter part of the series. Except for his portrayal of the Monster in the first film and Bride, it is Karloff’s most memorable performance in the franchise. As Dr. Gustav Niemann, he plays the quintessential mad doctor/homicidal maniac with a verve that brings the character to life and bigger than life horror.
Sharing the screen with Karloff is an exceptional cast. John Carradine makes a sinister if short lived Dracula. His Baron Latos is a far cry from Lugosi’s Count and he is menacing opposite Anne Gwynne’s Rita Hussman. She immediately falls under the vampire’s spell in an exceptionally funny scene where the subtle comic relief is delivered by Sig Ruman and Peter Coe.
The real surprises in this one are J. Carrol Naish (who did receive special billing) and Elena Verdugo who form a love triangle with that perennial sheep in wolf’s clothing Lon Chaney Jr. Naish’s hunchbacked Daniel quickly becomes the focus of the film as he falls in love with the beautiful gypsy girl, Ilonka only to be out shined by the handsome Larry Talbot who is searching for an end to his moon light torment.
The cast is rounded out with fine performances by George Zucco and Lionel Atwill.
House of Dracula (1945)
Directed by Erie C. Kenton
Screenplay by Edward T. Lowe Jr.
Cast: Lon Chaney Jr. (Lawrence Talbot/Wolf Man), John Carradine (Dracula/Baron Latos), Martha O’Driscoll (Miliza Morelle), Lionel Atwill (Inspector Holtz), Onslow Stevens (Dr. Franz Edlemann), Jane Adams (Nina), Glenn Strange (The Frankenstein Monster).
In House of Dracula, John Carradine returns as Dracula/Baron Latos. There is no explanation for how he returns after his undoing by sunlight in House of Frankenstein, but who cares so long as he’s back! This entry has the most bizarrely convoluted story, so I will review it here. He tells the doctor that he is looking for a cure for the curse of vampirism. As usual, his motives are not pure. He only wants to gain access to the doctor’s nurse Miliza Morelle, played by the lovely Martha O’Driscoll. Lon Chaney Jr. returns as Laurence Talbot/Wolf Man also seeking help from Dr. Edlemann. Dr. Edlemann is played by Onslow Stevens with the surety of a practiced character actor. Talbot is serious about getting cured–guilt ridden and desperate, he begs the doctor for help.
Although the good doctor promises Talbot that he will cure him, Talbot tries to kill himself by jumping from the cliffs into the sea. The doctor searches for him in the caves beneath the cliffs. Entering the caves, he finds not only Talbot but that the humid environment is the perfect breeding place for the mold he needs to cure his nurse, Baron Latos, and Talbot. In addition, (eureka!) they discover the Frankenstein Monster and the skeletal remains of the notorious Dr. Neiman (both of whom we last saw sinking in the quicksand of a bog). They also find a stairway that leads to an old torture chamber in the castle.
Dr. Edlemann is distracted by the Monster and thinks he should bring him back to life, but he is talked out of it by his faithful hunchbacked nurse, Nina. For the time being, he turns his attention back to curing Talbot and the Baron Latos.
In the meantime, Baron Latos is working on pulling Miliza into his world of death and horror. Miliza is fearful but drawn to his world by the hypnotic suggestions he whispers to her. Nina senses that something is wrong with Miliza. She then sees that the Baron casts no reflection in the mirror as he and Miliza walk through the hall and out into the garden. She goes to the doctor to get help as the Baron continues his nefarious work on Miliza. The doctor goes to the garden and advises the Baron that he needs to give him another transfusion. During the transfusion the Baron works his magic on Nina who passes out. He then reverses the flow of blood from the doctor, sending his blood into Dr. Edlemann.
The Baron flies off in the form of a bat as the doctor and Nina come out of the lab. Dracula then flies into Miliza’s room, but she is saved from him by Larry and Nina and the doctor chases the Baron to his coffin. Dragging the coffin under a window, the doctor allows the sunlight to destroy Dracula! All is well. We think. Until we remember that Dr. Edlemann now has the blood of Dracula coursing through his veins. Slowly he begins to change and while looking at himself in a mirror–his image vanishes. He is being possessed by Dracula. Next thing we know, he’s trying to bring the Monster back to life.
You’ll have to watch the film to find out what happens when Frankenstein awakes as the Universal Frankenstein series comes–almost–to it’s end.
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