Count Alucard (Lon Chaney Jr) finds his way from Budapest to the swamps of the Deep South; his four nemeses are a medical doctor (Frank Craven), a university professor (J. Edward Bromberg), a jilted fiancé (Robert Paige) and the woman he loves (Louise Allbritton).
The film has a few points of historical interest. This was director Robert Siodmak's first film for Universal studios, and was written by Curt Siodmak (his brother). It also happens to be the first film where a vampire is actually shown physically transforming into a bat on screen. For what it is worth, the effects are actually pretty darn good considering the time.
Whether the film is actually good or not depends on how you look at it. For a fun story of a man, the woman he loves, and the vampire who comes between them... well, then it is pretty good. The plot is engaging and moves at a good pace, with Bromberg playing the VanHelsing role nicely.
There are some questionable aspects, though. We are never really told how Dracula survived being staked and burned, and we are expected to believe his best disguise is to write his name backwards. Alucard? Really? I also thought the casting of Lon Chaney Jr was a bit strange -- he does a great job, but he was already known as the Wolfman...
Overall, I think a stronger film than the predecessor (Dracula's Daughter), but not without its flaws.
The film has a few points of historical interest. This was director Robert Siodmak's first film for Universal studios, and was written by Curt Siodmak (his brother). It also happens to be the first film where a vampire is actually shown physically transforming into a bat on screen. For what it is worth, the effects are actually pretty darn good considering the time.
Whether the film is actually good or not depends on how you look at it. For a fun story of a man, the woman he loves, and the vampire who comes between them... well, then it is pretty good. The plot is engaging and moves at a good pace, with Bromberg playing the VanHelsing role nicely.
There are some questionable aspects, though. We are never really told how Dracula survived being staked and burned, and we are expected to believe his best disguise is to write his name backwards. Alucard? Really? I also thought the casting of Lon Chaney Jr was a bit strange -- he does a great job, but he was already known as the Wolfman...
Overall, I think a stronger film than the predecessor (Dracula's Daughter), but not without its flaws.