Semi OT: House of Dracula (1945)

[Gothick]

Fans,

Tonight's holiday viewing was Universal's HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945), in my opinion the best of the three serious "monster house" films from the period.  Again, a major plot point in DS was borrowed for this film--in fact, offhand I can think of at least two major plot points from this story that turned up in our show.

I find myself surprised to say that I'd still rate ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN higher than this HOUSE OF DRACULA, considering the series as a whole--my inner fanboy just can't stop bouncing up and down in my seat at the thrill of finally seeing Bela Lugosi play Dracula again.

Patti might be interested to know that A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN includes a climactic battle between Dracula and the Wolfman.  Maybe that's where Ms. Twilight got the idea of vampires and werewolves being mortal enemies.

G.

[dom]

I was thinking the same the, G, re: Drac & Wolfie in A&CMF and mentioning it to Patti. And while we are on the subject (sort of) I finally saw all of Lee's Dracula movies the other night courtesy of TCM. Because of an upgrade in cable I am able to record many shows at once and am taking full advantage - watching all the horror shows I missed as a kid - sort of a horror movie bucket list if you will. Never been a Hammer fan (and still ain't, really) but I will give Lee's Dracula his due, especially the first - Dracula/Horror Of Dracula. I believe Brides Of Dracula is the second in the series but does not use Lee in the lead. I'd like to see it though. I remember countless pix of it in Famous Monsters Magazine (I think). I couldn't sit thru the Hammer Frankenstein movies though. I watched them on fast forward, pausing only for highlights.

Been watching the Universal offerings for old times' sake...and loving it!

[Philippe Cordier]

Funny, I don't seem to be familiar with "House of Dracula" from 1945. I've never cared for the original "Dracula" with Bela Lugosi, even thought the screenplay, I believe, was by John Balderston, who adapted a Henry James novel as "Berkeley Square." But I had read the novel at a young age and no movie ever came close to doing it justice.

I enjoyed revisiting two of the Lee Hammer Dracula movies on TCM, too, and hastened to make certain I had all of them on DVD (had to order "Scars of Dracula" and "Satanic Rites of Dracula" to complete my library.

[Patti Feinberg]

I enjoyed revisiting two of the Lee Hammer Dracula movies on TCM, too, and hastened to make certain I had all of them on DVD (had to order "Scars of Dracula" and "Satanic Rites of Dracula" to complete my library.

I don't believe I've heard of Scars or Satanic Rites....is C. Lee Dracula in these?

Thanks,

Patti

[dom]

Scars - yes.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Satanic Rites, as well. But don't bother watching broadcast TV showings of them because they're R-rated and the edited TV versions massacre them.

[Uncle Roger]

I saw Satanic Rites of Dracula in a theatre in the late  1970's. It had been released to capitalize on the Frank Langella Dracula. It had been given a different title, Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride. (Or Bridge, as the local paper listed it.) It is also a very early credit for Joanna Lumley.

[dom]

I guess I've one more C. Lee Drac movie to see!