House of Frankenstein (1944)
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60% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
51% of users liked it
(3,519 ratings)
In many ways the most endearing of Universal's B-grade "monster rallies" of the 1940s, House of Frankenstein manages within its 70-minute time span to make room for Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange), Dracula (John Carradine) the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney Jr.), and a couple of new… More In many ways the most endearing of Universal's B-grade "monster rallies" of the 1940s, House of Frankenstein manages within its 70-minute time span to make room for Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange), Dracula (John Carradine) the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney Jr.), and a couple of new recruits, mad scientist Boris Karloff and demented hunchback J. Carroll Naish. Escaping from prison, Karloff vows to continue his diabolical efforts to emulate Dr. Frankenstein's "eternal life" experiments; he also swears vengeance on the three men (Sig Ruman, Frank Reicher and Michael Mark) who were responsible for sending him to prison. With the help of fellow escapee Naish, Karloff murders a travelling-carnival impresario (George Zucco) and assumes his identity. He travels first to the village where Ruman is burgomaster. Since his carnival is a "chamber of horrors", Karloff utilizes one of those horrors--Count Dracula--to settle his account with Ruman. Dracula does so, but dies when the first rays of sunlight stream across his body. En route to the next village, Naish gives shelter to runaway gypsy girl Elena Verdugo, who joins the caravan (though she remains incredibly naive concerning Karloff's intentions!) Coming to the village when the Frankenstein monster and the Wolfman were presumably drowned at the end of Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1944), Karloff revives the latter, who when he's not baying at the moon is the comparatively good-looking Lawrence Talbot. Karloff secures Talbot's cooperation by promising to perform some brain surgery that will relieve him of his lycanthropy. Later on, Karloff kidnaps and kills his other enemies Mark and Reicher, intending to use their brains to cure Talbot and to reactivate the Frankenstein monster. Jealous of Verdugo's attentions towards Talbot, Naish rebels against Karloff, and is killed for his troubles. Talbot turns into the Wolfman, whereupon Verdugo kills him before expiring herself. And Karloff, rendered immobile by the requisite attack of angry villagers, is dragged by the lumbering Monster into a pit of quicksand. Thus House of Frankenstein has something in common with Hamlet: No one is left alive at fade-out time. It's to scenarist Robert Siodmak's credit that he was able to fashion a coherent screenplay out of the crazy-quilt of copyrighted horror characters handed to him by Universal Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Erle C. Kenton
- Written By
- Edward T. Lowe
- Genres
- Classics, Horror
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1944 Wide
- Studio
- Realart Pictures Inc.
Critic Reviews
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Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
71 incomprehensible minutes of the very worst Universal had to offer.
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Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
This one is just bad.
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Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Creepy, fun Universal programmer featuring a bevy of beasties
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The horror story makes absolutely no sense, but it is so nutty that it makes for a diverting watch.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
House of Frankenstein -- choppy though it is -- has its pleasures.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Boris Karloff
as Dr. Gustav Niemann
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J. Carrol Naish
as Daniel
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Lon Chaney Jr
as Lawrence Stewart Talbot
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John Carradine
as Count Dracula
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Anne Gwynne
as Rita Hussman
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Lionel Atwill
as Inspector Arnz
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George Zucco
as Prof. Bruno Lampini
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Peter Coe
as Carl Hussman
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Elena Verdugo
as Ilonka
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Sig Rumann
as Burgomaster Hussman
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William Edmunds
as Fejos
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Charles Miller
as Toberman
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Philip Van Zandt
as Inspector Muller
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Julius Tannen
as Hertz
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Hans Herbert
as Meier
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Dick Dickinson
as Born
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George Lynn
as Gerlach
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Michael Mark
as Frederick Strauss
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Olaf Hytten
as Hoffman
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Frank Reicher
as Ullman
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Brandon Hurst
as Dr. Geissler
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Glenn Strange
as The Monster
