HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945)

House of Dracula, the last stand of the Universal Monsters. Too bad it wasn't more impressive....

Too bad it was nothing more than a silly monster mash.......

Yes, it may be entitled House of Dracula, but the film belongs to Dr. Edelman, a medical doctor whom is sought by the Wolfman and Dracula himself for potential cures. It should be called HOUSE OF EDELMAN. Trust me, I know.

Dracula (John Carradine) seeks  Edelman's female assistant but is at Edelman's under the guise of seeking a cure to his unholy curse. The Wolfman (Lon Chaney Jr) seeks a cure as well. After learning he'll have to wait a few nights for the cure, Lawrence Talbot (The Wolfman) does what any of us would do: Be completley unreasonable and attempt suicide. This is contrived so that we may find the Frankenstein Monster (Glenn Strange in a thankless role). Eventually he is cured and some real cheesy terrible lines are delivered in the process. For once, the Wolfman does not get any kills in a film. Listening to his plight is as usual, unitentionally funny. The Frankenstein Monster is breifly introduced and he only stumbles around the lab for sixty seconds at the climax.

Dracula eventually shows his true colours to Edelman but it is near dawn and he must retreat to his coffin. Edelman exposes him to the sunlight, forever ending his curse. However Edelman's blood has become infected by Dracula's. This causes him to murder people, and wouldn't you know, he gets more kills than anyone else in the film. Even a police officer, before he is shot by Talbot.

The female hunchback is unique and may be the first ever on film. Lionel Atwill is again, the chief of police. The film has it's share of impressive sets which help generate the mood. One only wishes it was better written. Monster Mash films can be done well. Just check out HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN for proof.

This is the seventh film the Frankenstein monster appeared in. The third for Dracula and the fourth for the Wolfman. This monster mash ends up becoming one of the most disappointing films of all time. Sure, it's not too bad, it's a fun watch, but it's just not what it's supposed to be. Somehow it's not what was promised to me. The film is really the last serious attempt at a horror film by the Classic Universal Studios and it's so disappointing to end the film with A) Dracula dead halfway in, B)The Wolfman cured and ready to live his life and C) Frankenstein's monster coming alive for only a moment and then dying in a burning lab where stock footage from Ghost of Frankenstein was used. For the FINAL film, it really let's us monster fans down. This film is everything HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN isn't. It's still fun but is nothing more than a nostalgic, guilty pleasure. THREE STARS OUT OF FIVE.