House of Dracula is a 1945 American horror film released and distributed by Universal Pictures. Directed by Erle C. Kenton, the film features several Universal Horror properties meeting as they had done in the 1944 film House of Frankenstein. The film is based around Dr. Franz Edelmann, who is visited by both Count Dracula and Larry Talbot, who are trying to cure their vampirism and lycanthropy, respectively. Meanwhile, bewitched by Dracula, Edelmann becomes obsessed with reviving a catatonic Frankenstein's monster.
The film was developed initially with the title Wolf Man vs. Dracula to be directed by Ford Beebe with Bela Lugosi reprising his role of Count Dracula. After actor Boris Karloff returned for a two-film deal with Universal and several requests from the censorship board, the film was put on hold for nearly six months. House of Dracula went into production directed by Kenton with a screenplay by Edward T. Lowe, who took elements from the Wolf Man vs. Dracula script while adding in Frankenstein's monster (from Frankenstein) to the plot. Many cast and crew members returned from House of Frankenstein, including John Carradine in the role of Count Dracula, Glenn Strange as the monster, and Lon Chaney Jr. as both the Wolf Man and Larry Talbot. The film went into production on September 17, 1945, and finished on October 24. The film uses large sections of music from previous Universal feature films and footage, sets and props from other early Universal horror films. The film was released on December 7, 1945. Historian Gregory Mank described it as "the final serious entry of Universal's Frankenstein saga". It received predominantly negative reviews in its early New York screenings, while retrospective reviews have been predominantly lukewarm.
Plot Count Dracula arrives at the castle home of Dr. Franz Edelmann and explains he has come to Visaria to find a cure for his vampirism. Dr. Edelmann agrees to help, believing a series of blood transfusions may heal him. The doctor uses his own blood for the transfusions. Afterwards, the count has his coffin placed in the castle basement. That night, Lawrence Talbot arrives at the castle demanding to see Dr. Edelmann about a cure for his lycanthropy. Talbot is told to wait, but knowing the moon is rising, has himself incarcerated by the police. Inspector Holtz asks the doctor to see Talbot, and, as the full moon rises, they both witness his transformation into the Wolf Man. Edelmann and his assistant Milizia have him transferred to the castle the next morning. The doctor tells him he believes that moonlight does not trigger Talbot's transformations; it is pressure on the brain. He believes he can relieve the pressure and asks Talbot to wait while he gathers more spores from a plant he feels can cure him. Despondent at the thought of becoming the Wolf Man again, Talbot attempts suicide by jumping into the ocean, only to end up in a cave below the castle.
Edelmann finds Talbot in the cave, where they come across the catatonic Frankenstein's monster, still clutching the skeleton of Dr. Niemann. The humidity in the cave is perfect for propagating Clavaria formosa, and a natural tunnel in the cave connects to a basement of the castle. Dr. Edelmann takes the monster back to his lab, but considers reviving him to be too dangerous. Meanwhile, the count tries to seduce Milizia and make her a vampire, but Milizia wards him off with a cross. The doctor interrupts to explain he has found strange antibodies in the count's blood, requiring another transfusion. Edelmann's assistant Nina shadows Milizia and discovers that the count casts no reflection in a mirror. She warns Edelmann of the vampire's danger to Milizia. The doctor prepares a transfusion that will destroy the vampire. During the procedure, the count uses his hypnotic powers to put Edelmann and Nina to sleep. He reverses the flow of the transfusion, sending his own blood into the doctor's veins. When they wake, the count is carrying Milizia away. They revive Talbot and force the count away with a cross; Dracula returns to his coffin as the sun is rising. Edelmann follows him and drags the open coffin into the sunlight, destroying him.
The doctor begins reacting to Dracula's blood and finds he no longer casts a reflection in a mirror. Falling unconscious, he sees strange visions of a monstrous version of himself performing unspeakable acts. Edelmann awakens and tries to perform the operation on Talbot. The doctor begins transforming into a more monstrous personality and murders his gardener. When the townspeople discover the body, they chase Edelmann, believing him to be Talbot. They follow him to the castle, where Holtz and Steinmuhl interrogate Talbot and Edelmann. Steinmuhl is convinced the doctor is the murderer and assembles a mob to execute him. The operation cures Talbot, but Edelmann again turns into his monstrous self. The doctor revives Frankenstein's monster, with the others witnessing Edelmann's transformation. Edelmann breaks Nina's neck and throws her body into the cave. Holtz and Steinmuhl lead the townspeople to the castle, where the police attack the monster, but are subdued by the creature. The doctor kills Holtz by accidental electrocution, and Talbot shoots Edelmann dead. Talbot starts a fire that traps the monster and the townspeople flee the burning castle. The burning roof collapses on the monster.
Cast Cast adapted from the book Universal Horrors:
Production Development
The first news of a follow-up to House of Frankenstein (1944) appeared in Hollywood trade papers in April 1944 with the announcement of a film titled Wolf Man vs. Dracula, the script of which differed greatly from that for House of Dracula. Bernard Schubert was hired to write the script and turned in his first draft on May 19. The film's director was to be Ford Beebe, who had worked on various horror related projects, including directing the film serial The Phantom Creeps (1939) and the features Night Monster (1942) and The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944), as well as producing Son of Dracula (1943). Unknown to Beebe, actor Boris Karloff had agreed to return to Universal Pictures for a two-film deal, which eventually became House of Frankenstein and The Climax (1944). This signing put Wolf Man vs. Dracula on hold to focus on House of Frankenstein, which was to begin shooting on April 4. Schubert completed a final shooting script for Wolf Man vs. Dracula dated November 30, 1944. The film's producer Paul Malvern had cuts made to it as ordered by Joseph Breen of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association. The script's second draft had only minor variations, but the censors again requested several more cuts, leading to the production's cancellation and the script being shelved for nearly six months. Following the release of House of Frankenstein, Malvern hired that film's screenwriter, Edward T. Lowe, to rework the Wolf Man vs. Dracula script. Lowe's script, titled Destiny and dated April 13, 1945, read much closer to the final film of House of Dracula and now included Frankenstein's monster. By this point, Beebe had become busy with other film projects, so Erle C. Kenton took over as director. Two days later, Lowe delivered the next treatment, which now included new traits such as Nina being made a hunchback. Lowe rewrote the screenplay three more times, borrowing elements from previous films, like the violent reaction to a cat from Werewolf of London. During these re-writes, someone in production sent a memo to Lowe saying they "did not like the title Destiny and it should be more like the previous monster films - like House of Frankenstein - how about changing the name to House of Dracula?" Lowe was rewriting the script up to the eve of shooting the film.
House of Dracula is a continuation of the film House of Frankenstein and used much of that film's crew. Lowe is credited as the screenwriter. He based his screenplay on the uncredited story by George Bricker and Dwight V. Babcock. Despite being a follow-up, the script does not explain the resurrection of Count Dracula or the Wolf Man and moves Visaria's location to a cliff top on the seacoast. Elements of an earlier draft of a script dated September 20, 1945, features a scene where Edlemann examines a seven-year-old boy whose leg he has healed. Despite being cut, the finished film references this scene. Actor John Carradine commented that around the time the film's script was finished, soldiers were returning from World War II. Many families were dealing with relatives suffering from the horrors of war. This led to film studios "running scared from any type of horror film. The public now wanted musicals and light fantasy. The horror and monster company on the lot was reduced to what could be compared today as a weekly television soap opera or series". In 1986, Carradine said Universal in the 1940s "was like a factory anyway and there was little room for creative talent when it stood in the way of box office profits. The studio had little interest in making big budget pictures. It actually was very much the counterpoint of the television industry [in 1986]". Malvern echoed these statements in a later interview, noting that in the 1940s, Universal's structure was set up as a "forerunner of the modern day television production company".
Pre-production
The film was announced initially with Bela Lugosi reprising his role as Dracula. When asked why Lugosi did not perform in either House of Frankenstein or House of Dracula, Malvern said that "he probably was working at a different studio [...] lots of actors were now free lance and the Screen Actor's Guild had formed around 1937". Film historian Gregory William Mank said Lugosi was just completing work in Genius at Work (1946) and would have had time to join the cast; he apparently received no offer for the role. Carradine instead portrayed Dracula, reprising his role from House of Frankenstein. Carradine spoke about playing Dracula in 1986: "I pity anyone who plays the part", adding "The role holds a curse greater than Hamlet! Give the audience Richard III, Othello, The Merchant of Venice and what will they remember? A Vampyer!" Carradine said his portrayal of Dracula was to be "as evil as possible for I learned long ago that if I wanted to continue to eat, villains find steadier work than artists". Carradine commented the script made Dracula into "a type of dope fiend. Instead of existing as the traditional vampire, he now was seeking out the help of a doctor to cure him of his vampirism by the use of medical means", adding "he knows he is doing something wrong, and yet he cannot stop himself. In Stoker's day it was more sexual regression than drugs". On getting an actor for the role of the Monster, Malvern noted: "Lon was the Wolf Man, Lugosi was making pictures over at Monogram and Karloff wouldn't have played the monster again if it meant a million dollars". Glenn Strange portrayed the role of Frankenstein's monster as he had done in House of Frankenstein. Lionel Atwill signed on to play Inspector Holtz—his fifth appearance in a Universal Frankenstein film, after playing Inspector Krogh in Son of Frankenstein (1939), Dr. Boehmer in The Ghost of Frankenstein, the mayor in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and Inspector Arnz in House of Frankenstein. Atwill died of bronchial cancer shortly after filming House of Dracula.