House of Frankenstein (1944)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

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 F. Miller	...	Tobermann (as Charles Miller)
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:

Glenn Strange was the fourth actor to play the Monster in Universal's Frankenstein series. The actor who played the original Monster, Boris Karloff, was also present in the film, playing the role of Dr. Niemann. Being on the set, Karloff was able to personally coach Strange in the way the Monster should be played.

Goofs:

Plot holes: While searching for Dr. Frankenstein's records beneath the ruins of his castle, Dr. Niemann and Daniel discover the Wolfman and the Monster frozen. After thawing out the Wolfman, he then changes back to Lawrence Talbot. Dr. Niemann tells him he can cure him if he obtains the records of Dr. Frankenstein, last observed being read by Dr. Mannering in "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman" during a laboratory scene prior to the castle being destroyed. Talbot immediately proceeds to a another room where he reaches into the wall and miraculously pulls out the record book totally intact and undamaged.

Quotes:

Daniel: Master.
Dr. Gustav Niemann: Yes?
Daniel: Now that I have helped you with Strauss and Ullman, will you give Talbot's body to me?
Dr. Gustav Niemann: What?
Daniel: He's big. He's strong.
Dr. Gustav Niemann: Talbot's body is the perfect place for the monster's brain that I will add to and subtract from in my experiments.
Daniel: Master, you made me a promise.
Dr. Gustav Niemann: No! You think I'd wreck the work of a lifetime because you're in love with a, a Gypsy girl?
Daniel: I've killed four men for you!
Dr. Gustav Niemann: Do as I say or I'll never help you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Gypsy Tantrums

Great Cast Makes Film Better Than It Should Be

"House of Frankenstein" is salvaged by a great cast of seasoned performers who make this movie better than it should be, given it's split "B" movie story. In a move to re-generate interest in its fading horror series, Universal gives us Dracula, the Frankenstein monster, the Wolf Man, the Hunchback and the Mad Doctor all in the same film. But where's the Mummy? It is essentially divided into two parts.

We begin with the notorious Dr. Gustav Niemann (Boris Karloff) and his hunchback assistant Daniel (J. Carroll Naish) escaping from the prison in which they have been held for the past 15 years. They come upon a traveling Chamber of Horrors that supposedly includes the remains of the infamous Count Dracula, run by a Professor Lampini (George Zucco). Neimann wants to return to his home and resume his work of creating life from dead bodies and take revenge upon his accusers. The unfortunate Professor is quickly dispatched and Neimann takes his place.

It turns out that the remains of Dracula are genuine and Neimann brings him back to life in the form of John Carradine. Neimann plans to use Dracula as the instrument of his revenge. He is sent to murder the local Burgomeister (Sig Ruman) and is attracted to his grand daughter Rita (Anne Gwynne). When Rita is abducted by Dracula, her husband (Peter Coe) and the local police Inspector (Lionel Atwill) give chase and .....

Meanwhile Neimann plans to go to the ruins of Frankenstein's castle to seek out the scientist's notes on the creation of his creature. Along the way they stop at a gypsy camp and Daniel becomes infatuated with a gypsy girl Ilonka (Elena Verdugo). At the castle Daniel falls into a frozen cave where they find the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney Jr.) and the Frankenstein monster (Glenn Strange). The Wolf Man changes back into Lawrence Talbot and pleads with Neimann to help rid him of his werewolf curse.

Neimann takes them both back to his laboratory but becomes pre-occupied with restoring the monster rather than helping Talbot. Ilonka begins to fall in love with Talbot but is warned of Talbot's curse. The full moon comes up and you know what happens next. Daniel attacks Neimann because of his broken promises to him. The monster suddenly awakens and.....

The teaming of Karloff and Chaney makes this film work. Karloff is great as the mad doctor and Chaney brings pathos and sympathy to his portrayal of the doomed Talbot. Carradine makes a surprisingly good Dracula in an all too brief appearance. Naish almost steals the film as the tragic Daniel whose love for the gypsy girl is doomed from the start. Cowboy actor and former stuntman Glenn Strange takes over as the monster but has little to do until the last reel. Atwill and Zucco sadly, make only brief appearances in minor roles.

Followed by "House of Dracula" (1945) a similar but inferior film.