By Editor Gene Stevens Content Edited by Vicki Stevens
House of Dracula is one of my all time personal favorites. Universal had a flash brilliance when they decided to triangulate their most famous monsters together under the roof of the of House Of Dracula.
House of Dracula brings together our old ancient vampire, Count Dracula (John Carradine), Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.), known as the Wolfman and the monster created by Dr. Frankenstein (Glenn Strange). The story begins with Dracula and the Wolfman coming to the House of Dracula (probably misnamed, because the good Dr. Edelmann actually owned the place) because they are sick and tired of their supernatural afflictions, so they seek out Dr. Franz Edelmann (Onslow Stevens) for some kind of cure for what curses them. As the good Dr. Edelmann tries to help the two poor creatures, Edelmann himself becomes infected by vampire blood and the resulting condition complicates a lot of things.
Somewhere in the confusion Larry Talbot (played by Lon Chaney Jr.) decides he’s had about enough and decides to attempt suicide by jumping off a cliff into an ocean which is conveniently located next to the Edelmann estate. Then the good Dr. Elelmann risks his own life and repels down a large cliff to locate Talbot’s body, only to find him alive in a cave in the side of the cliff… How come there’s always a cave? I digress….. But THEN Dr. Edlemann and Talbot take a stroll through the cave and wouldn’t you know it, they find the body of Frankenstein’s monster partially buried in the mud down there. Who-da-THUNK?
It’s about this time that all hell breaks loose in the house of Drac….. I mean Dr. Edelmann’s place.
I forgot to mention that Dr. Edelmann also had a cute female assistant by the name of Nina (played by Jane Adams) who became the hunchback doctor’s assistant of the movie, replacing Igor. Who the good Dr. Edelmann promises to help get better. That is until all the monsters end up having a serious disagreement.
In the end The House of Dracula (Dr. (Edelmann’s place) closes in the usual Universal movies fashion. In that Frankenstein’s monster goes on a rampage and the place blows up and burns to the ground. The plot is much deeper and more complicated that I outlined here. But you won’t get any spoilers from me, because I actually think you should see House of Dracula yourself!
Release date: December 7, 1945 (USA)
Monsters After Midnight 