House of Dracula (1945)

57% of critics liked it
(7 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(4,788 ratings)

This Universal "monster rally", an immediate sequel to House of Frankenstein, would seem to have been deliberately designed as the final entry in the studio's B-horror cycle. Onslow Stevens plays psychiatrist Dr. Edelman, who suddenly has a thriving business when two of Universal's "fright"… More This Universal "monster rally", an immediate sequel to House of Frankenstein, would seem to have been deliberately designed as the final entry in the studio's B-horror cycle. Onslow Stevens plays psychiatrist Dr. Edelman, who suddenly has a thriving business when two of Universal's "fright" personalities come calling. Count Dracula (John Carradine) wishes to be weaned away from his vampiric tendencies, while Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney), aka the Wolfman, wants to be cured of his werewolfism. Edelman does his best to help, simultaneously attempting to bring the Frankenstein monster (Glenn Strange) back to life. Unfortunately, Edelman inherits the madness, killer instincts and other antisocial habits of his celebrated patients. Only Lawrence Talbot manages to escape from Edelman's lab unscathed, ambling off into the sunset with heroine Militza (Martha O'Driscoll). Universal contract starlet Jane Adams, perennially cast as unfortunate young women with physical afflictions, plays Edelman's faithful hunchbacked nurse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 7 min.
Directed By: Erle C. Kenton
Written By: Edward T. Lowe
Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror

In Theaters: Nov 1, 1945 Wide
On DVD: Sep 1, 1993
Studio: Passport

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
A nifty thriller for the chiller trade.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
At least the weirdness gives it a surprising, fresh edge that might as well pass for good by this point in the cycle.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Lon Chaney lives!
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
There's no mystery here, no suspense or atmosphere.
, Film4
This becomes just a silly excuse to provide audiences with cheap scares.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
A lot of fun and an OK end to the studio's glory days.

Read all 6 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A later universal monster movie which deserves a watching, it's very interesting and exciting. I know I enjoyed it.
Morgan S

i really reall do not like this guy as dracula he is a worm compaired to bela lagousi!
Chris G

The classic Universal monster films end with House of Dracula, a film that has a misleading title because it isn't really Dracula's House. Dr. Edelman must be a renowned doctore because Dracula shows up wanting a cure, then the Wolf Man shows up wanting a cure and then… More
The classic Universal monster films end with House of Dracula, a film that has a misleading title because it isn't really Dracula's House. Dr. Edelman must be a renowned doctore because Dracula shows up wanting a cure, then the Wolf Man shows up wanting a cure and then Frankenstein ends up being buried beneath the castle. yes, all three are in this and yes, it fails miserably. The only cool thing is a female hunchback, but other than that House of Dracula is a blah B-movie that doesn't really go anywhere.
Cassandra M

This moody, creepy horror flick begins on a castle atop a cliff overlooking the sea, a great setting, as a vampire bat flies in and creeps toward a sleeping doctor (Onslow Stevens). The bat changes into a man known as Baron Latos, in reality Count Dracula (John Carradine). He seeks… More
This moody, creepy horror flick begins on a castle atop a cliff overlooking the sea, a great setting, as a vampire bat flies in and creeps toward a sleeping doctor (Onslow Stevens). The bat changes into a man known as Baron Latos, in reality Count Dracula (John Carradine). He seeks Dr. Edelmann's help to cure him of his vampirism. Eventually the good doctor also wants to help his hunchbacked nurse-assistant (Jane Adams), the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney), and Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange). But Dracula's trickery contaminates the doctor's blood, and he becomes a Jekyll/Hyde vampire himself. This is somewhat better than the prior year's "House of Frankenstein", being less episodic and more exciting visually. There's a hauting scene where Dracula tries to lure the second nurse (Martha O'Driscoll) into his world, where she is initially playing "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano, which soon gives way to terrifying music. Director Erle Kenton uses expressionistic shadows and eerie music to frame many sequences, including a wonderful montage sequence that the studio frequently used in their horror features. Two performers are of note: Stevens, with his wonderful voice, is at first sympathetic, then convincingly menacing. Adams, her beautiful face in alarming contrast to her twisted body, exhibits great pathos and sympathy. It all ends in a slam-bang climax, typical of 1940s Universal horror, a little abrupt, with footage borrowed from "The Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942). I hope Universal releases it soon on DVD (it was left out of their Double-Feature releases).
Michael G

Very possibly one of the most terrible and gimmicky movies ever made. But you love it like a retarded nephew.
Byron B

Such a cheesy mess! Really it is the House of Dr. Edelman. Carradine is Dracula, the complete gentleman, this time. He comes to the doctor's house to be cured of being a vampire. THE Dracula doesn't want to be a vampire anymore! He knows the doctor's beautiful… More
Such a cheesy mess! Really it is the House of Dr. Edelman. Carradine is Dracula, the complete gentleman, this time. He comes to the doctor's house to be cured of being a vampire. THE Dracula doesn't want to be a vampire anymore! He knows the doctor's beautiful blond nurse Miliza from some time in the past and his blood lust makes him start avoiding the doctors treatments. Lon Chaney Jr. is a pleasure to see return as Lawrence Talbot who as always seeks a cure from turning into a wolf. Dr. Edelman (Stevens) also has a pretty, but hunchbacked nurse named Nina who he plans to help with a little cosmetic surgery. Not that it matters how, but Frankenstein's monster is uncovered too and the doctor's lab happens to have the necessary equipment to charge him up. Edelman is experimenting with some miracle plant that would make the hump removal safe and fix Talbot's brain gland problem. For Dracula Edelman thinks his own blood is the solution, except that Dracula reverses the transfusion once. Somehow Edelman is not turned into a vampire. Evidently 10cc's is not enough! Rather than having another vampire in the house, Edelman is tormented with a Jekyll and Hyde type of mad scientist duality. In his "Hyde" state he dreams of setting the Frankenstein monster loose and he upsets the villagers by killing a man. It is Dr. Edelman's house and he is the focus. All of the other classic monsters that are the selling point of this movie hardly get any screen time. And in a flash it is over.
MJS M

Just plain silly