House of Dracula: Superior to House of Frankenstein?

Everyone discusses House of Frankenstein, featuring the ill-fated love affair between Elena Verdugo and J. Carrol Naish, the Hans Salter score, the return of Boris Karloff to the Frankenstein series, and the full-blown monster rally with the Wolf Man, Dracula, the mad doctor, and the hunchback. The movie had a fantastic script co-written by Curt Siodmak.

It was a fantastic little Universal thriller.

However, what people mostly remember is that House of Dracula is the final serious installment of the Universal monster series, to be succeeded three years later by the comedic monster rally Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, after which the monsters faded away. Many view House of Dracula as the illegitimate child of the 1940s Universal series. Yet, I see it as much more than that. None of the 1940s Universal horror films are considered classics, but this film possesses its own charm.

After a moody, sea-washed shot of Dracula’s castle, we see a bat fluttering around the windows, ultimately materializing as a human near a woman’s bedroom in the form of Count Dracula (John Carradine), complete with top hat and cape. Outside a window, Dracula descends a stairway to enter the home of Dr. Franz Edlemann (Onslow Stevens), who is dozing in his armchair with a book and his pet cat.

Dracula enters the house through an unlocked door, standing before the doctor and awakening him. He tips his hat and says he's come here for help. He invites Edlemann to go to the basement laboratory to discuss his problem sufficiently “before sunrise.” Dracula, who says he’s Baron Latos, asks, “Dr. Edlemann, do you believe in the immorality of the soul?” Edlemann replies that science disputes these religious notions but admits to finding partial truth in them. The two figures descend the ornate staircase into the cellar. There, Edlemann sees a casket bearing the Dracula crest. The tall figure states, “Yes, doctor, I am Count Dracula, but I’m known to the outside world as Baron Latos. Before you see a man who has lived for centuries, kept alive by the blood of innocent people.”

“To seek release from a curse of misery and horror, against which I am powerless to fight alone,” is the sad story Dracula recounts, similar to the hapless drug addict who is equally powerless. Dracula continues, “Your reputation for helping others made me certain that you would (accept his case).” Edlemann says, “The cure will be a challenge to medical science!” Dracula asks him to accept that challenge.

The next morning, his hunchback nurse, Nina (Jane Adams), is asked by Edlemann to perform a blood test and to ensure that Baron Latos can see him immediately upon his arrival that night. That night, we return to Edlemann’s cellar to witness Count Dracula’s opening, squeaks and all, his casket. When Baron Latos arrives, he bangs on Edlemann’s front door, and Nina answers, granting him access. He informs her that Dr. Edlemann is expecting him.

Dracula enters the doctor’s office and is informed he has a parasite in his blood, “the form of which I am completely unfamiliar with. It’s possible it may have something to do … with your problem.” Edlemann will attempt to destroy this parasite, which may cure him. But the treatments will take time.

In the meantime, Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney) is waiting impatiently to see Dr. Edlemann. “I can’t interrupt the doctor now, he’s giving a transfusion,” desk nurse Miliza (Martha O’Driscoll) comments. Miliza tells him he’ll have to wait an hour or longer. Talbot, with a downcast face, proceeds to leave and states, “I can’t wait! There isn’t time. There isn’t time!” before exiting.

Edlemann and Latos are on operating tables close together, having completed the blood transfusion treatment, assisted by Nina. Gradually, they regain their strength and return to normalcy. Miliza enters to inform Edlemann about Lawrence Talbot. “There was something tragic about him. He had the look of a man tormented by fear. I told him you were busy, and he rushed out of the house, saying he couldn’t wait.” While recounting this, Miliza stares off longingly into space.

Edlemann is called to the police station immediately. A village mob gathers in front of the station, with Steinmuhl (Skelton Knags) leading. Police Inspector Holtz (Lionel Atwill) tries to usher Edlemann and Miliza inside while dispersing the unofficial crowd. Holtz informs the doctor about a crazy, raving man named Talbot, who he is holding in his cell, a man who called out for him. “That’s why I came to Varseria in the hope that you could help me … it’s too late now.” Edlemann steps forward and asks Lawrence what the trouble is. Talbot, in all seriousness, says, “Do you believe that a man could be transformed into an animal? Doctor, have you ever heard of the pentagram? The mark of the beast. When the full moon rises, I turn into a werewolf with only one desire in my mind … to kill!” With that statement, Talbot turns in his cell and notices the misty, full moon from the window. Edlemann states, “It’s a belief that’s only in your mind.” Then, inside his cell, Talbot begins to transform into the Wolf Man before everyone. Until he is fully transformed, he starts lashing out at everyone from within the cell, slowly losing consciousness.

Miliza is attracted to Talbot and visits him in Edlemann’s garden the following day when he is human again, saying, "The doctor will see you now." “Do you think he can help me?” Talbot asks. “He does wonderful things,” Miliza tells him. “I know he’ll do whatever he can for me,” Talbot hopes.

“Good afternoon, doctor. What do you have to tell me?” Edlemann levels with Talbot, “In your case, my boy, the diagnosis is challenging… the examination reveals one condition: pressure on several parts of the brain. This condition, combined with your belief, can lead to a change … during the period when your reasoning processes give way to self-hypnosis, your metabolism is out of control. When this occurs, your glands produce an abnormal supply of certain hormones. In your case, those that cause the physical …” Talbot is fed up with this scientific jargon. “What can they do about it … an operation?” Talbot asks, frustrated. He accepts his fate, but Edlemann suggests he may be able to help. The doctor shows him a greenhouse room filled with Formosa plants that produce a mold, which may aid him. “This mold can reshape the cranial cavity and thus relieve the pressure,” Talbot says. “Can he do it now?” Edlemann replies that it will take time to produce the mold in sufficient quantity. Talbot pleads, “Tonight the moon will be full again … what can you do to help me now?” “Only what you did last night … confine you!” Edlemann answers. Talbot, in distress, tells the doctor, “No, I can’t go through that again.”

Talbot rushes out of the doctor’s office and runs toward the cliff overlooking the sea and rocks below. Initially staring, Talbot jumps into the bubbling water below. The doctor says that Talbot’s body might be found further down the coastline, so he might still be saved. Edlemann, using a pulley system, is lowered down the cliff to the sea, hoping to find caves or shallow inlets where Talbot may have been washed ashore. In a small, dark, rocky cave, the Wolf Man lurks and snarls as Edlemann proceeds further in. The beast attacks the doctor, who is clawed. The doctor falls unconscious as the Wolf Man slowly transforms back into Talbot. Talbot sees Edlemann writhing in pain and declares, “I killed you!” When the doctor awakens, he says he came down to save you. Talbot declares, “Back to a life of misery and despair?” Edlemann looks around and notes that the temperature and humidity are ideal for producing mold. “We should have enough before the next full moon.” Walking a little further into the cave, we see the skeleton of Dr. Niemann interconnected with the Frankenstein Monster, buried in mud and quicksand. Walking further on, Talbot finds an exit to the castle, steps leading upward.

In his laboratory, there is an interesting panning shot showing Miliza and a helper descending into the underground, carrying Formosa plants, and panning right to display lab equipment before finally stopping on Nina, Talbot, and Edlemann standing next to the Frankenstein Monster, strapped to an operating table, alive but weak. “The spark of life is still there waiting to be revived,” Edlemann declares. Talbot rants on about the Monster leading to destruction and death, but Edleman is more optimistic. Edlemann walks around testing various gadgets and lab equipment, sending electricity into the silver bolts of the Monster’s neck, reviving him as Nina warns of the danger he will bring. But sadly swayed by the negative talk, the doctor says, “The Frankenstein Monster must never wreak havoc again,” and turns off all the power.

Later, Count Dracula enters Edlemann’s residence, taking off his cape. He walks over to hear Miliza play the piano. To her, he is Baron Latos, whom she remembers from a past concert, and who asks her to play some more. “I never heard this music before, yet I’m playing it,” Miliza says. “You’re creating … for me!” Dracula declares, “Beauty, the music of the world from which I come.” “It makes me see strange things … people are dead yet alive,” Dracula goes on, “Mine is a world without material needs.” “It calls to me, but I’m afraid.” “The fear will pass as the music becomes fixed in your mind … it will make you long to be there,” Dracula says. Miliza stares into space, playing some dissonant chords as she effortlessly adjusts the crucifix around her neck. Dracula looks away as she plays on, now more softly, without Dracula’s transfixed gaze. Dracula says the music will lure her into his world. At this point, Edlemann enters the room. As Miliza exits, the doctor tells Dracula they are making progress.

This is John Carradine’s most powerful scene from either of the House films. For once, he seems otherworldly, possessed of a hypnotic stare that demonstrates his ethereal power. He appears to come from another world. However, for me, Carradine disappoints, coming across as a well-dressed aristocrat who seems more noble than undead. He is bloodless and human in a distinguished manner. There is no sense of the animalistic present, which is a strength of both Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi. That balanced contrast between the regal and the savage is absent here.

Next, we find ourselves with Miliza and Nina tending to the mole-producing plants in the former underground torture chamber. Miliza is exhausted, and Nina tells her to go to bed, assuring her that she will finish up down here. Miliza wobbles up the staircase and nearly falls. In a daze, she continues up the stairs, looking as if she is in a trance. Count Dracula leads her outside, showing no reflection in an interior mirror.

Dracula says to her, “The music is bringing my world closer, closer,” as Nina, who witnessed this supernatural incident, rushes upstairs to inform Edlemann. “Baron Latos, he left this evening, didn’t he? Miliza and I were working, and she grew tired, like someone in a trance. She left me without saying a word … she encountered Baron Latos in the hall… they went into the garden … and when he walked in front of the mirror, I couldn’t see his reflection. I imagined that, didn’t I? Didn’t I? The good doctor approaches the terrified Nina, saying, “No, Nina, Baron Latos shows no reflection. Trying to save him has endangered the lives of all of you.” And he rushes outside.

Dracula is still trying to indoctrinate Miliza: “Cast away the cross so you can join me there.” Still within a trance, Miliza clutches the crucifix around her throat and casts it aside. As Edlemann appears with Nina, he tells Miliza to go to her room and wait for the music when he comes. Edlemann informs Dracula that the secret to the transfusions working is Edlemann’s blood, and they must try another transfusion right away.

During the transfusion, Edlemann loses consciousness, raising Nina's concern. As everything blurs for the nurse, Dracula begins to rise from the table, but Nina suddenly collapses onto the floor. Dracula then stands up and reverses the blood flow of the transfusion, pumping his own blood into Edlemann. Nina soon regains consciousness and discovers that Dracula is gone, leaving only the doctor lying on the table. She calls out to Edlemann, who slowly awakens. Dracula is in the garden when he transforms into a bat and flies away. Nina and the doctor arrive downstairs just in time to see a bat flying past the windows. The bat materializes into Dracula's form in front of Miliza in her bedroom. He starts to lead her outside when the doctor enters her room with a crucifix in hand, trying to scare Dracula away. Dracula returns to Miliza’s bedroom, then sneaks outside, with Edlemann close on his heels. When Edlemann reaches his basement laboratory, he sees Dracula's coffin closing. In a rather undramatic sequence, he pushes the coffin into the sun and opens it, the dreaded vampire turning to bone, dead. Meanwhile, Talbot and Nina are attending to Miliza, who smiles, now out of the trance. Edlemann enters from the cellar, exhausted.

Edlemann paces restlessly in his living room, and even his pet cat is agitated. The doctor acts ill, rubbing the front of his face. The cat hisses at him and runs off. Something is very wrong, as Edlemann is severely sick. He looks into his mirror and witnesses his features transform into a dark, evil image; ultimately, his reflection in the mirror slowly fades away as music swells, and the doctor collapses in his chair. Then comes the montage sequence, where images of Dracula and the mad lab converge as Edlemann, now transformed, sinisterly leers. The montage sequence contrasts the old and new doctor, now a vampire from the tainted blood of Dracula. Images of Edlemann with the Glenn Strange Monster appear, along with snippets from The Bride of Frankenstein. Finally, the evil form of Edlemann emerges as the montage ends, all evil smirks and facial mannerisms.

The evil Edlemann is in the lab, strengthening the Monster with electricity and ranting about how they tried to destroy him, but couldn't. He offers eternal life … power! While about to serve the doctor a meal, Nina overhears these rants. This minimalist laboratory is quite impressive, with electrical machines functioning at full capacity. When Nina knocks on his door, the doctor yells at her to leave him alone and go away. As Edlemann approaches the door, his body casts large, distorted shadows. When the door opens, Nina sees an ill Edlemann, the good one. Although he is in control, he admits to being unwell and doesn’t know what the future holds, but he will operate on Nina first. However, she pleads with Edlemann to operate on Talbot first, as the moon will be full in a few days.

Down underground, attending to the plants, Nina tells Miliza to get more rest. Nina says they’ll have enough mold to operate on Talbot, so there's no need to worry. Next, the doctor finishes operating on Tabot and washes up afterwards. Telling Miliza, “We’ll know in a few days, all we can do now is hope.”

Talbot, bandaged head and wheelchair ridden, has this one scene to shine. Nina suggests sleep for Talbot, but the recovering werewolf states, “Sleep, I’ll have a lifetime in which to sleep. I don’t know what lies ahead … please don’t think that I’m ungrateful. Time after time, people have tried to help me, and time after time, they failed. If this fails … When I face the night … until the full moon turns it into a thing of ugliness and horror … until that time comes, I’ll live a 1,000 hopes, I’ll die a 1,000 times.” Talbot lies deep in thought

Sitting and reading inside the house, Talbot sees Edlemann chase after and board a long horse-drawn wagon, the rider unaware. Edlemann climbs up to taunt the driver. “You act as though you were afraid.” The driver says, “Why should I be afraid?” Edlemann responds, “Of the night, perhaps … afraid of me! If not, you would look at me … you’re afraid I’m going to kill you.” Edlemann, in full vampire mode with transformed features, chokes the poor driver to death, finally ripping his throat to shreds. Edlemann and the dead driver fall from the wagon, and while the town attends to the driver, the doctor runs off, pursued by the town mob.. Edlemann hides on a roof as the villagers pass by. When he slides off the roof, thinking he’s safe, a village woman eyeballs him, and again, the mob is in hot pursuit. Long, sinister shadows of the doctor are created as he is chased through the twisty streets. A police officer takes a shot at him. Hopping fences along the way, Edlemann is robust as a man half his age. He disappears into a graveyard. Trying and failing to break into a house, Edlemann climbs a tree and scales a wall. He slides down a roof to his property, falls face down, quickly gets up, and his facial features return to normal. Talbot once again sees him outside, pausing his reading. He quickly enters his house but hears knocking on his door.

It's Holtz, Steinmuller, and two police officers who rush through the door. Holtz wants to see everyone in the house at once. Siefried died by some animal-like thing ripping out his throat. When Holtz observes Talbot, bandaged and sitting in a wheelchair, Talbot glumly knows that they suspect him. Holtz asks if Talbot has been out this evening, and Miliza announces she can’t account for his actions for the last hour, Holtz adding Siegfried was murdered about 20 minutes ago. Miliza tells Holtz that Talbot is only out of control during a full moon, which occurs tomorrow night, and Edlemann adds that he is weak from a recent operation. Holtz abruptly leaves.

Talbot enters Edlemann’s bedroom, telling him, “It’s you I am worried about. You secretly went to the village, and I saw you. I saw you when you came back.” Edlemann asks why he didn’t tell Inspector Holtz? “After what you’ve done for me, you tried to help me. And the doctor comments that you want to help me now. Adding, “The blood of Count Dracula has contaminated my blood. Some nameless horror has seized my soul and mind. The lust changes me into the thing that killed Siegfried tonight. If you wish to help me, there’s one way you can. Say nothing to Inspector Holtz about that you know … to give me time, time to do for Nina what I did for you. After that, this evil thing must be destroyed. If I am unable, you must do it for me.”

Meanwhile, back in the village, Steinmuhl and a villager have found a medal in Siegfried’s clenched left hand. It is a metal identification tag for Dr. Edlemann. Holtz tells Steinmuhl to stay out of this and let him do his work. But Steinmuhl says, “It’s clear Dr. Edlemann killed my brother.” Out of Holtz's reach, Steinmuhl gossips to the villagers about the identification medal, riling them. Soon, the villagers are storming out carrying torches, forming a mob, with Steinmuhl leading the pack.

Back at Edlemann’s, he addresses the assembled crew, telling Talbot that the past is behind them and a bright future lies ahead. Edlemann is about to lead Talbot out to see the full moon, but Talbot wants the others to stand back until he can be sure of the cure. After Talbot silently prays, the moon rises from over a fence, casting eerie shadows on him. As the moon rises higher, tears well up in Talbot’s eyes, but he remains unchanged, Miliza smiling in the background. She rushes out to embrace Talbot, the moon shining behind, Talbot obviously cured.

But Edlemann disappears, and Nina follows, seeing electricity in the lab as the Monster grows stronger. Nina enters the lab, and the vampire Edlemann creates the activity. As sinister shadows cover all corners of the lab, the evil doctor helps the Monster from the operating table, Nina watching in fear. Edlemanmn raves, “He has the strength of 100 men!” Nina cries out behind him, “Dr. Edlemann, no!” The doctor turns and recognizes Nina, leering at her and asking what she is doing here. Once again, his gigantic shadow dwarfs the nurse’s horrified form. He accuses her of spying on him. At this moment, Holtz and his men return, Miliza and Talbot answering the door.

Edleman, in full evil mode, tells the nurse she shouldn’t have come here. His huge shadow grasps the shadow of Nina as she screams, strangling her. The others come running. They arrive to see Edlemann finishing choking Nina and flinging her down a hole in the floor as Frankenstein’s Monster rises from his table. The Monster easily knocks aside an officer as Edlemann pushes Holtz into an electrical gizmo, killing him, the evil doctor smiling. Edlemann turns menacingly toward Talbot, who points a pistol at him, ranting about calling the police, breaking promises, when Talbot delivers upon a promise by shooting Edlemann, and before dying (What, a vampire killed by regular bullets?), Edlemann smiles an emotional thank you for putting him at peace.

The Frankenstein Monster approaches as the Steinmuhl mob reaches the front door. The Monster knocks over chemicals on a shelf, causing a fire. Talbot then topples the entire shelf, igniting an even larger blaze as the mob enters the lab. In a budget-saving move, footage of Lon Chaney as the Monster from Ghost of Frankenstein substitutes for Glenn Strange footage (although they bear no resemblance to each other), depicting the Monster perishing in the flames. Abruptly, the end credits roll.

Fans always considered House of Frankenstein as the superior “B” product. IMDb awards House of Frankenstein a 6.2 and awards House of Dracula a 5.7. Both films are similar, and House of Frankenstein was released first. House of Frankenstein boasts an exceptional cast: Boris Karloff, John Carradine, J. Carrol Naish, Lon Chaney, and George Zucco, while House of Dracula features a far less impressive cast, with Onslow Stephens replacing Karloff as the mad doctor, even though Stevens’ sympathetic performance as Edlemann rivals Karloff’s performance. Skelton Knaggs as mob leader Steinmuhl is quite quirky and stands out. Jane Adams as Nurse Nina is again a passionate and sympathetic person. Lon Chaney never fails to win our sympathy as Lawrence Talbot. And John Carradine as Dracula, though he ultimately disappoints, is no better in House of Frankenstein, and perhaps gets to express his characterization better here because of the romance angle.

Both House of Frankenstein and Dracula follow a specific formula, with the Dracula subplot at the beginning of both films and culminating in the Monster subplot, which feels rushed in House of Dracula. House of Frankenstein does a poor job of merging the two subplots, coming across as episodic. In contrast, House of Dracula succeeds in integrating both parts, making the film feel more cohesive as a single entity. In contrast, House of Frankenstein resembles two separate movies instead of a short Monster Rally film. However, House of Frankenstein does a better job of developing the Frankenstein subplot, which is well-crafted and expanded effectively. In House of Dracula, the final Frankenstein Monster subplot occurs with only minutes left, substituting one Frankenstein Monster’s performance for another, and concludes the story too abruptly and unsatisfactorily. The budget constraints in House of Dracula seem to affect the quality of the final film, and are more apparent, which feels like a project that ran out of money toward the end. This is not an appropriate way to conclude the Universal monster series with a budget-scrapped production. However, despite its flaws and weaknesses, I must admit that the first House film fell a few notches, while the second film rose a few notches, making both films about equal in quality and audience satisfaction.

THE EVIL DR. EDLEMANN