The House Of Frankenstein movie review.

The House Of Frankenstein, released by Universal in 1944 is a monster cross-over movie. Reprising his role as the Wolfman, or Larry Talbot is Lon Chaney Jr, also starring John Carradine as Dracula, Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein Monster, Borris Karloff as Dr Niemann a mad scientist, and J. Carrol Naish as Daniel the Hunchback. This movie is more about bringing all of the first-wave of Universal Monsters together on one screen, after the success of Frankenstein Meets Wolfman, which this a direct sequel of. These movies were known as "monster rally" movies and would be continued in House of Dracula, and again in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (both of which we will be taking a look at in up coming reviews). The House of Frankenstein begins with the mad scientist, Dr. Niemann being in a prison along with his assistant Daniel, the hunchback, who he promises to restore his broken body. After they escape from prison they happen to cross paths with Professor Lampini, who is traveling with a horror show exhibit. One of the displays at the show is the skeleton of Dracula, who if you remove the stake from it's heart is supposed to come back to life. To exact Niemann's revenge on the Burgermeister that put him in prison he removes the stake from Dracula's heart. Dracula then seduces and makes off with the Burgermeister's daughter in law, and kills the Burgermeister himself. Then after a chase scene Neimann ditches Dracula's coffin, and Dracula ends up getting caught outside of his coffin when the sunrises, thus ending the brief Dracula story arch. Then they arrive in a small village of Frankenstein where they meet up with a Gypsy troupe, which includes the beautiful dancer Ilonka. Daniel saves her from a whipping by the leader of the troupe and they bring her with them on as they continue their way to the Frankenstein Castle. Daniel ends up falling for Ilonka, but though she is friendly to him, it is unrequited love. At Frankenstein Castle they locate Frankenstein's notes, as well as the the frozen remains of the Wolfman, Larry Talbot, and the Frankenstein Monster. They thaw the bodies, and find out that they were preserved and they came back to life. Ilonka then falls for Larry Talbot, as they continue their trek to Dr Neimann's house and his laboratory. Here Dr Neimann sets about finding a brain to put into the Frankenstein Monster's body, and also promises to free Talbot from the werewolf curse, and the jealous Daniel tries to turn Ilonka against Talbot informing her that he is a werewolf, but she vows instead to help Larry, as she falls even more in love with her. The full moon comes and the Wolfman goes out and murders, as a Wolfman is apt to do. Daniel now discovers that the dr has no intention to put his brain into a new body, and Talbot is pissed because he isn't being cured from his curse, and the city's folk is upset about the murders and not too pleased that Niemann is back, and this all leads to the exciting climax of this monster mash. When I watch this, I try to think of what it would have been like to be young and see all of these awesome monsters alive on the screen together, it would have been exciting to see these famous monsters duke it out. However compared to the previous Dracula movies that we have looked at, it feels like Dracula was included as a afterthought as his story arch is very short and anti-climatic. The story line, is cliche b-monster movie story, and it is starting to feel like the monster's stories have kind of been run dry at this point. It is entertaining, and the actors are all fantastic of course, and wonderfully cast, but no matter how great the actors are, or how enjoyable it is to watch, that doesn't make it great, or original. I am a huge fan of the Universal Monster movies, but I will say that these monster rally movies seem like just a way to milk the franchises for all their worth. Though all of these Universal horror movies are considered B movies, this one actually feels like a b-movie release, and it feels like they tried too hard to include all of the monsters, and didn't try hard enough to actually make a good movie. Sure, there's action, there is an acceptable story, there are some great characters, but the horror has just become cliche at this point, and the monsters are basically cartoons of their former selves. Please don't take my harsh criticism of this movie to mean that I didn't enjoy it or that I don't like it, but it is what it is, and a great classic horror it is not. Would I recommend this movie? Yes, honestly I would, there are some points of greatness in it, for example Chaney reprising his role as The Wolfman is fantastic, so is the beautiful Ilanka and her love for Talbot, Caradine does make a decent seductive Dracula. I mean the movie isn't bad, it's just not great, but have some friends over and have some drinks and throw on The House Of Frankenstein, it would be a perfect way to celebrate Halloween, but if you want a serious classic monster movie look to the original Dracula series instead, and don't get into the monster mash movies.