House of Frankenstein

***House of Frankenstein*** is a 1944 American horror film starring Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and John Carradine. The film was directed by Erle C. Kenton based on a story by Curt Siodmak, and produced by Universal Pictures. The film is about Dr. Gustav Niemann who escapes from prison and promises to create a new body for his assistant Daniel. The two murder Professor Lampini and take over his sideshow that involves the corpse of Count Dracula. After disposing of the Count, the two move on to the ruins of Castle Frankenstein where they find the body of Frankenstein's monster and The Wolf Man Larry Talbot preserved in the castle. Niemann thaws them and promises to cure Talbot of his werewolf curse, but secretly plots to revive Frankenstein's monster instead.

The film began production with the intention to write a story involving several Universal's horror properties. Universal had initially planned a film titled *Chamber of Horrors* to include several other of their horror-themed characters, but this project was halted with the idea later revived as *House of Frankenstein*. Filming began on April 4, 1944 with highest budget originally set for a Universal *Frankenstein* film at that time. Film ended in early May while the film with screenings starting in New York on December 15, 1944. This was not among the highest grossing film for Universal that season, but managed to out gross other Universal horror related output such as *Ghost Catchers* (1944) and *The Invisible Man's Revenge* (1944). On it's original release in New York, Film historian Gregory W. Mank declared that, on the film's premiere in new York City, critics "made mincemeat" out of it. Later reviews focused on the absurdity of connecting the monsters together and the lack of scares in the film. A sequel, that involved much of the same cast and crew titled *House of Dracula* was released in 1945.

## House of Frankenstein

### Premiere date

15 December 1944 (New York City), 16 February 1945 (United States)

## Plot

Dr. Gustav Niemann escapes from prison along with his hunchbacked assistant Daniel, for whom he promises to create a new, beautiful body. The two murder Professor Lampini, a traveling showman, and take over his horror exhibit. To exact revenge on Burgomaster Hussman, who had put him in prison, Niemann revives Count Dracula. Dracula seduces Hussmann's granddaughter-in-law Rita and kills Hussmann himself, but in a subsequent chase, Niemann disposes of Dracula's coffin, causing the vampire to perish in the sunlight. Niemann and Daniel move on to the flooded ruins of Castle Frankenstein in Visaria, where they find the bodies of the Frankenstein Monster and Larry Talbot, the Wolf Man, preserved in the frozen castle. Niemann thaws them and promises to find Talbot a cure for the curse. Niemann is more interested in reviving the Monster and exacting revenge on two traitorous former associates than in keeping his promises. Talbot transforms into a werewolf and kills a man, sending the villagers into a panic.

Niemann and Daniel save a gypsy girl named Ilonka, and Daniel falls in love with her; it is unrequited, however, as Ilonka falls in love with Talbot. Daniel tells Ilonka that Talbot is a werewolf, but she is undeterred, and promises Talbot that she will help him. Events reach a crisis point when Niemann revives the Monster and Talbot again turns into a werewolf. The werewolf attacks and fatally wounds Ilonka, but she manages to shoot and kill Talbot with a silver bullet before she dies. Daniel blames Niemann and turns on him. The Monster intervenes, throws Daniel out of the window, and carries the half-conscious Niemann outside, where the villagers chase them into the marshes. There, both the Monster and Niemann drown in quicksand.