House of Dracula (1945)

Director:

Erle C. Kenton

Writer:

Edward T. Lowe Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

7 December 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

HORROR UPON HORROR in the HOUSE OF DRACULA

Plot:

Count Dracula and the Wolf Man seek a cure for their afflictions; a hunchbacked woman, a mad scientist and the Frankenstein monster have their own troubles.

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Monster | Cure | Frankenstein's Monster | Cave

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Lawrence Stewart Talbot / The Wolf Man (as Lon Chaney)
John Carradine	...	Count Dracula
Martha O'Driscoll	...	Miliza Morrelle
Lionel Atwill	...	Police Inspector Holtz
Onslow Stevens	...	Dr. Franz Edlemann
Jane Adams	...	Nina
Ludwig Stössel	...	Siegfried (as Ludwig Stossel)
Glenn Strange	...	The Frankenstein Monster
Skelton Knaggs	...	Steinmuhl

Also Known As:

The Wolf Man's Cure

Runtime:

67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Spain:13 | Canada:G (Quebec) | UK:PG | USA:Approved (Certificate #11300) | Finland:(Banned) (1947) | USA:Unrated (DVD) | Sweden:7 | Sweden:15 | Germany:12 | Finland:K-11 (2004)

Filming Locations:

European Village set, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Footage of Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein Monster from Bride of Frankenstein (1935) appears during a dream sequence, intermixed with footage of Glenn Strange in the same role.

Goofs:

Continuity: The close-up of Frankenstein's monster burning in the flames at the end is very obviously not 'Glenn Strange'. In fact, it is a shot of Lon Chaney Jr., borrowed from the earlier Ghost of Frankenstein.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Edelman: What are you doing here? Who are you?
Count Dracula: I am Baron Latos. I have come to you for help.
Dr. Edelman: It's five o'clock in the morning.
Count Dracula: I must apologize for the intrusion. But travel is very difficult for me, and I've come a long way.
Dr. Edelman: I don't understand.
Count Dracula: Perhaps you will, after you've led me to the basement room of this castle.
Dr. Edelman: Eh - a very strange request. This castle is my home!
Count Dracula: Have no fear, doctor. Had conditions permitted, I would have presented myself in the usual manner.
Dr. Edelman: Well, it is most unusual...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "McCloud: McCloud Meets Dracula (#7.6)" (1977)

More fun from Universal, but looks like leftovers

MORD39 RATING: **1/2 out of ****

HOUSE OF DRACULA is a small notch below the previous HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, mostly because the novelty of the three monsters theme feels repetitive. Just the same, it's much fun and a fitting conclusion to the "serious" monster pictures in a beloved series.

John Carradine is capable again as Dracula, but Lon Chaney's Wolfman stint is really automatic by now. Once again, Glenn Strange is an impressive Frankenstein Monster, albeit a brief one for the last minute or two. The real attraction this time is Onslow Stevens in the role of a kindly sympathetic doctor who sets out to "cure" Dracula and the Wolfman, but ultimately becomes a sort of Jekyll/Hyde as a result of his efforts. Stevens is excellent in this film, and takes center stage.

Still, there is a feeling of "yesterday's leftovers" with the film. Stock footage is lifted again from GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and there is a general aura around the proceedings which suggests that it was thrown together more hastily.

These negative comments in no way make for an unsatisfactory view, however...HOUSE OF DRACULA is the last of its line, and still an essential Universal Horror.