House of Frankenstein (1944)

Director:

Erle C. Kenton

Writers:

Curt Siodmak (story)
Edward T. Lowe Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

1 December 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER! WOLF MAN! DRACULA! HUNCHBACK! MAD DOCTOR!

Plot:

An evil scientist and a hunchback escape from prison and encounter Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster.

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Monster | Hunchback | Gypsy | Frankenstein's Monster

Cast

Boris Karloff	...	Doctor Gustav Niemann
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Lawrence Talbot (as Lon Chaney)
John Carradine	...	Dracula / Baron Latos
Anne Gwynne	...	Rita Hussman
Peter Coe	...	Karl Hussman
Lionel Atwill	...	Inspector Arnz
George Zucco	...	Professor Bruno Lampini
Elena Verdugo	...	Ilonka
Sig Ruman	...	Burgomeister Hussman
William Edmunds	...	Fejos
Charles Miller	...	Tobermann
Philip Van Zandt	...	Muller
Julius Tannen	...	Hertz
Hans Herbert	...	Meier
Dick Dickinson	...	Born
George Lynn	...	Gerlach
Michael Mark	...	Frederick Strauss
Frank Reicher	...	Ullman
Brandon Hurst	...	Dr. Geissler
Glenn Strange	...	Frankenstein Monster
Olaf Hytten	...	Hoffman
J. Carrol Naish	...	Daniel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edmund Cobb	...	Coachman (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Man in Audience at Dracula Exhibit (uncredited)
Joe Kirk	...	Schwartz (uncredited)
Belle Mitchell	...	Urla, Gypsy Woman (uncredited)
Charles Wagenheim	...	Jailer (uncredited)

Directed by
Erle C. Kenton

Writing credits
Curt Siodmak		(story)
Edward T. Lowe Jr.		(writer) (as Edward T. Lowe)

Produced by
Paul Malvern	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans J. Salter		(as H.J. Salter)
Paul Dessau		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
George Robinson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Philip Cahn

Art Direction by
John B. Goodman
Martin Obzina

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
A.J. Gilmore

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Tummel	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
William Hedgcock	....	sound technician

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photography

Stunts
Billy Jones	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Hans J. Salter	....	musical director (as H.J. Salter)
Charles Previn	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1944) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1994) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Chamber of Horrors (USA) (working title)
Doom of Dracula (USA) (working title)
The Devil's Brood (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1947) | Finland:K-11 (2004) | Spain:13 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Australia:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Originally titled ‘The Devil's Brood’, this was given a $354,000 budget and a relatively generous (by Universal standards) 30-day shooting schedule. Star Boris Karloff earned $20,000 and Lon Chaney Jr. received a flat $10,000 for his third appearance as the Wolf Man. John Carradine and J. Carrol Naish were both paid $7,000 each. Lionel Atwill earned $1750 and George Zucco was paid $1500. Glenn Strange was paid $500 for his role as Frankenstein's monster.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Just after the scene where Dracula dissolves in the sunlight, we see the wagons driven by Doctor Niemann and Daniel pass a sign reading "Frankenstein-1km". If you look past the sign, in the distance you can see a pile of film equipment cases and crates, and even bits of scaffolding used for lighting.

Quotes:

Dr. Gustav Niemann: Fifteen thousand Marks. A thousand for every year I spent in a stinking, slimy dungeon. You bargain poorly, Herr Ulman.
Ullman: Don't kill me!
Dr. Gustav Niemann: Kill my trusted old assistant? Why, no. I'm going to repay you for betraying me; I'm going to give that brain of yours a new home in the skull of the Frankenstein monster. As for you Strauss, I'm going to give you the brain of the wolfman so that all your waking hours will be spent in untold agony awaiting the full of the moon... which will change you into a werewolf.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Creature Features: The Mummy/House of Frankenstein (#1.4)" (1970)

Soundtrack:

Gypsy Tantrums

There goes the neighborhood!

In 1943 Universal teamed up Frankenstein and the Wolfman and made a fortune. So the theory was if the public loved 2 monsters, let's toss five at them!!Strangely enough this works.

The mad doctor Niemann(Boris Karloff) and his hunchback assistant are locked in prison. Seems the old doc was doing some rather frowned upon experiments. A convenient lightning bolt destroys the prison walls and the doctor and his hunchback escape.

They are picked up by Lampini's travelling sideshow.The hunchback kills the owner and the doctor takes his place. They head to the town that vilified the mad doctor years before.

Without giving too much away the doctor stumbles upon Dracula(John Carradine),Wolfman (Lon Chaney) & the Frankenstein Monster (Glenn Strange).They all figure into his plot of revenge against the men who sent him to prison.

This movie has a wonderful sense of lunacy to it.Boris gives a fine performance as Niemann.Carradine gives his first portrayal of Dracula. (Always found him to be extremely hammy).Chaney of course gives a tortured air to Larry Talbot, the Wolfman.

Many critics felt that too many monsters spoiled the brew.But Dracula & the Monster are really nothing more than extended cameos.If you sit back and just enjoy the ride the movie accomplishes what it set out to do and that is just entertain. Gets an 8.