DVD Review:House Of Frankenstein

In the early 40’s Universal’s interest in Horror movies began to fade. After the huge success of Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, Universal began cramming as many monsters as they could into their movies. Throw Dracula into the mix with ol’ Frankie and Wolfie and you have the all out monster mash that is 1944’s House of Frankenstein.

House of Frankenstein spins the old casting wheel and portrays Boris Karloff as the mad scientist Dr. Gustav Niemann (instead of the bumbling brute, that he’s known for). The film opens with the vengeful Dr. Gustav Niemann, escaping from prison. He is helped by the hunchback Daniel, for whom he promises to create a new, beautiful body. The two murder a traveling showman and take over his horror exhibit. To exact revenge on Hussmann, who had once caused his imprisonment, Niemann revives the body of Count Dracula. Dracula succeeds in killing Hussman, but in a subsequent chase is destroyed by the rising sun. Niemann and Daniel resume on to the flooded ruins of Castle Frankenstein, where they find the bodies of the Frankenstein Monster and Lawrence Talbot, the Wolf Man preserved in the frozen waters. Nieman thaws out the two and promises Talbot to find a cure from the curse. However, in fact he is more interested in reviving the Frankenstein monster and exacting revenge on two former associates than in his promises to Daniel or Talbot. Talbot is also envied by the hunchback Daniel as both love Ilonka, a gypsy girl. She has fallen in love with Talbot but is the object of Daniel's affection. Daniel reveals Talbot's curse to Ilonka but she is not deterred and promises to help him in fighting the curse.

Things enter a critical stage at night, as Niemann revives the Frankenstein monster and Talbot again turns into a werewolf. Talbot is shot by Ilonka with a silver bullet, thereby releasing him, but Ilonka is killed in the process. Daniel blames her death on Niemann and begins to choke him. The Frankenstein monster intervenes, throws Daniel out of the window, and carries the half-conscious Niemann outside, where the villagers begin to chase them and drive them into the marshes. There, both the monster and Niemann seem to drown in quicksand.

Overall, the Monster Mashes of the 40’s are a wild ride and if you like House of Frankenstein, then be sure to Check out the above mentioned Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, House’s sequel House of Dracula and the film that paired the Monsters with two of the greatest comedians of all time Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein.

Remember that one Scooby Doo episode where the gang visits Franken Castle, a house haunted by a werewolf, vampire, and a monster similar to Frankenstein's? Yeah, that was awesome.

- House of Frankenstein

 Check the whole movie out on youtube: