House of Dracula (1945)

Warm up the slab for what may be the worst entry in the Universal Monsters cinematic universe: 1945's "House of Dracula." While the previous entries ("Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man," "House of Frankenstein") had been at least suitably mediocre, "House of Dracula" somehow manages to give both Dracula and the Wolf Man more screen time while giving them less to actually do. (In the entire 68-minute movie, there may be about three minutes of actual monster mayhem.) Dracula (John Carradine) turns into a bat a couple of times for no reason, and spends most of his time receiving blood transfusions. Wolf Man basically just mugs for the camera and begs to die. And fans may be particularly enraged by the short shrift given to Frankenstein's monster. Not only does he have the least screen time, but also he has the dubious honor of having the least coherent plot thread in a film that struggles to attain coherence in the first place. In fact, to say this movie has a plot is an act of generosity that would cause even the most prolific humanitarian to stop and think. It seems to center around a doctor who promises to cure Dracula, promises to cure the Wolf Man, and stumbles upon the body of the Frankenstein monster for... reasons? There's one nurse with whom Dracula is obsessed, with no payoff, and another nurse with a hump on her back, again, without payoff. John Carradine is perfectly suave as the titular bloodsucker. Lon Chaney Jr. is game enough as the werewolf, but neither of them has sufficient charm to beat out the fundamental weaknesses in the script. It's watchable only if you're a die-hard fan, but you'll still be disappointed.

I checked Wikipedia over a dozen times to make sure I watched the Frankenstein movies in order and I still messed up twice. In my review of Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein I was confused about the Wolfman and Dracula knowing each other and that was because I was supposed to watch this first. Although they cross paths in this movie, they don't talk and are definitely not friends. Anyway, this movie is not very good. It starts with a doctor sleeping, fully clothed, in a chair in his giant castle at 5 am. Not bad enough? Well when the doctor is woken up by a stranger in his castle, he's not upset and just does what the stranger says. Still watching? Then the stranger tells him that he is Dracula and the doctor has almost no reaction at all. From that point on it gets even worse. The first time Chaney turns into the Wolfman, he just falls down and goes to sleep. The second time he is in a cave and the doctor goes in after him. Smart move. The Wolfman starts choking the doctor but changes back to human form even though the moon is still up. And how are there so many full moons? Then they find the Frankenstein monster and it gets even worse. An Abbott And Costello movie was the next logical step after this miserable mess. This movie is for hardcore fans only.

This Finale to the Highly Popular and Entertaining Universal Monster Series is an Underrated and Creepy Spook Show that has Moments of Horror and Terror and takes Itself, Surprisingly, very Serious Indeed.The Usual Suspects are Gathered in Dr. Edelmann's (Onslow Stevens) "Cure-All" Castle as Dracula (John Carradine) enters the Doctor's House and makes it His Own. Coffin in Tow (with the essential layer of home turf) the Count Politely asks for a Cure.Things Quickly become less Polite and more Terrifying as the Movie Progresses. Lon Chaney Jr. (The Wolfman) is in the Waiting Room, and You know why He is there, and He and the Good Doctor (at least for now) literally Fall Upon Frankenstein's Monster (Glenn Strange) and here We go Again.The Film is Rich with a Rousing and very Effective Musical Score, some Surreal SFX from John Fulton, a Gloomy Set beneath the Earth with Webby Weeds that is Dank, Dark and Foreboding, and for one Final Fear, a Beautiful Female Hunchback Nurse (Jane Adams) that is one of the Film's Ultimate Tragedies.Stevens gives an Outstanding Performance as the Doctor as He Adds another Monster to the Mix and gives the Film it's Driving Doom Laden Center.Overall, there are Real Chills and Thrills in this Curtain Call for the Series and does not Disappoint. It needs to be Looked at Again with less Jaded and Tired Eyes.Because as it Stands this Monster Movie Delivered a Horror of a Horror Movie that is more than just a Wrap. The Package Inside is Indeed a Respectable and a Credible Entry with its "Famous Monsters".Note...Lionel Atwill makes a short appearance as the "Inspector", it was to be one of His last Films as He died a Year later.

House Of Dracula feels tired, running on nothing but the fact that there is an onslaught of monsters here but not much else. It does manage to be somewhat entertaining however and its probably as best a send off Universal could get at this stage.The star is no doubt Onslow Stevens as Dr. Edelmann, a man who tries to help both Dracula and Larry Talbot become normal but in the process becomes a Hyde-like character and becomes the very thing he set to destroy. Great performance from Stevens and he upstages everybody else, even when he's not in the same scene. Strange doesn't get even 5 minutes a The Monster before getting destroyed (again). Chaneys Wolf Man is getting boring by this point although its nice to see Talbot get cured from his disease. Once again Universal missed out on an opportunity to just face each of the monsters off and again I sorely want that but no use crying over spilt milk. Overall, average with some great things sprinkled on top. End of an era and its a shame it didn't end on top but at least it ended with a band, even if the bang was recycled.