House of Frankenstein (1944) - Archive

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Escaping Neustadt prison(after a terrible storm appropriately capsizes their prison cells)with hunchback Daniel(J Carrol Naish), the evil Dr. Niemann(Boris Karloff), a scientist, and follower of Frankenstein's work, wishes to find his idol's records wherever they might be. Niemann will murder Professor Lampini(George Zucco, rather wasted in a VERY minor role)taking his identity of traveling promoter for his "Chamber of Horrors". Desiring revenge for being sent to prison, Niemann first sets his sights on the village of Reigelberg to kill Burgomeister Hussman(Sig Ruman). Lampini had removed the skeletal remains of Dracula as an exhibit, with the stake still firmly wedged in his heart. Niemann removes the stake promising he'll watch over Dracula's coffin at night if the vampire murders Hussman. Under the disguise of Baron Latos, Dracula(John Carradine, quite effective in his limited screen time)will do as Niemann wishes but makes the mistake of pursuing Hussman's married granddaughter Rita(Anne Gwynne)..

Upon stopping at Frankenstein village, Daniel lusts after a pretty dancing gypsy ,Ilonka(Elena Verdugo)and saves her from the whipping of a thief. Coercing Niemann to carry her along, Ilonka will join them upward to Frankenstein's castle ruins. Niemann and Daniel find The Monster and The Wolf Man Larry Talbot(Lon Chaney, Jr, still weary and sorrowful for having his affliction, but the sympathy for this character is waning..)encased in blocks of ice underneath Frankenstein's castle. Niemann releases them from their temporary tombs, promising to cure Talbot of his affliction if he helps find Frankenstein's records. They head for Niemann's laboratory in Visaria where, on the journey, Ilonka and Talbot fall in love with Daniel growing jealous of this budding relationship and Niemann's not fixing his body as promised. Niemann, in fact, promised Daniel the body of an Adonis. With Niemann only concerned with revenge against two assistants who betrayed him to police, regarding his experiments, for wages and bringing strength back to the Monster, both Talbot and Daniel grow impatient and angry. Talbot hopes that Ilonka will kill him with a silver bullet and Daniel will finally confront Niemann once and for all regarding not doing as he promised..

Episodic which really is the only method when trying to form a movie with so many characters. My favorite part of the film has Carradine as Dracula. I thought he looked the part..completely sinister with a strong presence on screen. I was actually quite disappointed when his part in the movie was over. I think Naish captures that sympathy quite well taking a completely different approach to his hunchback than Dwight Frye. Karloff captures that menace with ease...it is good that he freed himself from further Universal monster movies, though.

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--April 6th, 2006