Son Of Dracula

U.S.A. / 1943 Directed by Robert Siodmak Starring Lon Chaney Jr. Louise Allbritton Evelyn Ankers B&W / 82 Minutes / Not Rated Format: DVD Double Feature Disc / R1 - NTSC Universal Studios

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This film was made during World War II, when Lon Chaney Jr. was Universal's top horror film star and — sad to say — the studio's classic monster jalopy was almost out of gas, running on bald tires. Due to its moody direction and atmospheric production design, Son Of Dracula is one of the best of Universal's efforts during this period of decline.    Elderly Colonel Caldwell (George Irving) and his two daughters, Katherine (Allbritton) and Claire (Universal scream queen Ankers), oversee a large plantation in the Louisiana bayous called Dark Oaks. Of late, raven-tressed Katherine has developed a morbid fascination with the occult ever since she returned from a trip to Europe. (Um, isn't there a big war going on there?) This distresses her fiancé, wealthy Frank Stanley (Robert Paige, who resembles a young Jim Nabors of Gomer Pyle fame). He doesn't like the fact she's taken to consulting hoodoo swamp witch Queen Zimba for advice, or that she eagerly awaits the arrival of a mysterious guest from the Continent. This guest, whom Katherine met on her travels in Hungary, is known as Count Alucard. She's disappointed when the Count fails to materialize at a formal soiree held at Dark Oaks in his honor. But Alucard — yep, that's "Dracula" spelt backward — has already arrived at Dark Oaks with an agenda all his own.     Skipping the party, the Count wings up to Col. Caldwell's room and snuffs the old gent, making it look like an accident. The will gives the family fortune to Claire but the house and lands to Katherine. Before long Alucard's in like Flynn with Katherine, who's entranced with the vampire's promise of eternal life. Rebuffing Frank, she marries Alucard in a quickie ceremony officiated by the local justice of the peace; this ticks her former fiancé off to no end. Frank confronts the couple at Dark Oaks, where in a jealous rage he blasts the Count with a pistol. Alucard isn't even scratched — the bullets pass right through him — but Katherine, standing behind him, is shot dead. Or is she?     Lon Chaney, with his bulky build and hangdog features (perfect for The Wolf Man's tortured Larry Talbot), is not a very effective Dracula here. His chief opponents, vampire hunters Dr. Brewster (Frank Craven) and Prof. Lazlo (J. Edward Bromberg), are dry, boring characters given too much screen time and saddled with the movie's worst dialog. Just as in Ghost Of Frankenstein, Ankers is given absolutely nothing to do. But the film, while by no means in the same league as Universal's great monster flicks of the '30s, should nevertheless satisfy fans of Golden Age horror. Director Robert Siodmak imbues it with an almost "Noir-meets-Gothic" look, utilizing shadows and lighting to good effect. The swamp sets, particularly Dracula's hiding place, look pretty cool; ditto the scene in which the Count glides across the water, standing atop his coffin, to the waiting Katherine. For their time the special effects are quite good. Even the mechanical bat — bane of most vampire flicks — comes off better than is customary. This is also the only Dracula film to my knowledge to ever mention Memphis, Tennessee! (Where this website originated, by the way.)     SOD was Chaney's only turn as Dracula and it's easy to see why. He's not terrible or anything, but he's certainly not right for the role. (Allbritton, as occult-obsessed Katherine, steals the show.) I think Universal should've cast John Carradine in the part here instead of waiting until 1944's House Of Frankenstein. (Note: There's been much debate among monster fans over whether the titular character is indeed the original Count Dracula or his offspring — the movie never makes this clear one way or the other. Eccentric Cinema takes the view that Chaney's character is, in fact, Dracula Junior.)

Son Of Dracula comes to DVD as a part of Universal's Dracula Double Feature disc released in late August 2001. Paired with Dracula's Daughter (1936) on a single DVD, the film looks and sounds great considering its age. Aside from a few minutes of audible hiss (noticed during Chapter 8) it fares better than most of the flicks in Universal's Classic Monster Collection. A theatrical reissue trailer is included, as well as onscreen talent bios and production notes. 9/10/01

UPDATE After being out of print on DVD for two years, this film was re-released in April 2004 by Universal Home Video in a combo package (Dracula: The Legacy Collection) containing Dracula, the Spanish Dracula, Dracula's Daughter and House Of Dracula. The original double feature disc pairing Son Of Dracula with Dracula's Daughter will again be issued by Universal in July 2007... This constant repackaging and needless reissuing of titles by the company has gone beyond absurd! - Ed.

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