House of Dracula movie review

In 1945 Universal released House of Dracula, which was another monster rally movie, featuring Lon Chaney Jr as The Wolf Man/Larry Talbot, Glenn Strange as Frankenstein's Monster, John Carradine as Dracula, Onslow Stevens as the mad doctor Edlemann, and Jane "Poni" Adams as Nina the hunchback. The movie is a direct sequel to The House of Frankenstein, though it has some inconsistencies, for example, Dracula was destroyed by being exposed to sunlight, but here he is again alive and well, and The Wolf Man was killed with a silver bullet, but here he is again, just so that Universal can milk them for all their worth. The Universal Monsters were hugely successful, and film going audiences couldn't get enough of them, just think of how cool it was to be able to go to a late night picture show back in the 40's and see all of these famous monsters alive on the silver screen, larger than light right before you. House of Dracula starts with Count Dracula arriving at Dr Edlemann's castle home, introducing himself as Baron Latos. Dracula sought out Dr Edlemann to help him find a cure for his vampirism, which is a theme that was explored in the Daughter of Dracula. Edlemann along with his beautiful hunchback assistant Nina, and his other assistant Milizia agree to help him. To help Dracula, Edlemann suggests that Dracula undergo a series of blood transfusions, mixing in Edlemann's blood with Dracula's. Later that night Talbot also arrives at Edlemann's castle looking for a cure for his lycanthropy, which is again a theme that has been explored in previous Wolf Man movies. As the moon is full soon after his arrival he is locked in a jail cell, where Edlemann is able to witness the transformation to werewolf. Edlemann is convinced that the metamorphosis is not caused by the full moon but instead a pressure put on Talbot's brain. Edlemann believes that he can relieve the pressure with a treatment from a mold, but it will take time to collect more of the mold spores. Talbot depressed about the idea that it will take some time for him to be cured, tries to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff into the sea. However on a rescue mission to find his body, it is discovered that he didn't die but got washed into a cave in the cliff, and in the cave they not only find all of the mold that they need for the treatment, but they also find the body of Frankenstein's monster, who when he sank into the quicksand at the end of House of Frankenstein, ended up in this cave. Now we all know that Frankenstein's monster is immortal, so it is still alive, though in a very weakened state, so Edlemann takes it back to his laboratory to restore it. Meanwhile Dracula tries to seduce Milizia and turn her into a vampire, but she wards him off with a cross, and Nina realizes that he is a vampire and casts no reflection. Dr Edlemann decides to destroy Dracula, but Dracula reverses the blood transfusion infecting Edlemann with his own blood. Now Edlemann being infected by Dracula's blood starts to become evil, sort of a Jekyll and Hyde type of effect. The operation on Talbot works, and he is cured of his lycanthropy, and Edlemann is committing murders, and while he is evil he resurrects the Frankenstein monster, which leads up to an epic finale to the original Universal Monsters cycle, other than Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, this would be the last time the famous first-wave of Universal Monsters appear on the silver screen. I know I was really critical of the House of Frankenstein, but I honestly feel like The House of Dracula works a lot better. The story is more compelling, and all of the characters are perfectly cast. This one is definitely not a great movie on the level of the original Dracula, Frankenstein, or Wolf Man, however it is still pretty well done. I really enjoyed this movie, and it has a good replayability to it. I like the concept of all of the monsters seeking out a cure to their curses. The one major critique of have of this movie is that with trying to have all of the monsters in the movie, it tends to be too much going on, and becomes a bit of a mess at times. Overall though I would say that this is a pretty great monster movie with a decent story. Would I recommend this movie? Yes, it is definitely worth seeing. It definitely deserves its place in monster movie history as a really good monster mashup movie, that ended the original Universal Monster movies of the first wave of Universal monsters. Putting this on during a chill Halloween party would definitely be a nice way to see these monsters all together.