Son of Dracula (1943)

Count Alucard (read his name backwards) finds his way from Budapest to the swamps of the Deep South; his four nemeses are a medical doctor, a university professor, a jilted fiancé and the woman he loves.

Director:

Robert Siodmak

Writers:

Eric Taylor (screenplay), Curt Siodmak (story)

Stars:

Robert Paige, Louise Allbritton, Evelyn Ankers

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Paige	...	Frank Stanley
Louise Allbritton	...	Katherine Caldwell
Evelyn Ankers	...	Claire Caldwell
Frank Craven	...	Dr. Harry Brewster
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Prof. Lazlo
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Judge Simmons
Adeline De Walt Reynolds	...	Madame Zimba (as Adeline DeWalt Reynolds)
Pat Moriarity	...	Sheriff Dawes (as Patrick Moriarity)
Etta McDaniel	...	Sarah
George Irving	...	Col. Caldwell
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Count Dracula aka Count Alucard (as Lon Chaney)

Storyline

Count Alucard finds his way from Budapest to the swamps of the Deep South after meeting Katherine Caldwell, of the moneyed Caldwell clan that runs a plantation called Dark Oaks. She's obsessed with occult matters. Who better to guide her through this supernatural world than Count Alucard, whose name no one bothers to spell backwards? No one, that is, except the wily Dr. Brewster, an old family friend. He'll join Professor Lazlo, a specialist in the occult, in fighting this "Alucard" and the woman he's influenced. Or has Katherine influenced him? Meanwhile, Katherine's fiancé, Frank Stanley, will find his courage and his sanity sorely tested when he accidentally shoots Katherine to death, yet finds that she goes on living.

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Plot Keywords:

count | swamp | professor | occult | doctor | 

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Taglines:

Can You Take It? More Startling . . . More Blood-Curdling Than Anything You've Ever Seen!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Destiny

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film features the first man-into-bat transformation ever seen on camera. In Dracula no transformations were shown on screen. Both John Carradine and Bela Lugosi would get similar treatment over the next five years.

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Goofs

This film is a sequel to the Bram Stoker novel Dracula rather than the film Dracula. Professor Lazlo's exposition of Dracula's backstory describes events of the novel which were not shown in the earlier film.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Harry [townsman bit]: How are ya, doctor?
Prof. Harry Brewster: Hi, Harry.
Frank Stanley: Hey, Charlie!
Charlie, station agent: Hello Dr. Brewster, Mr. Stanley.
Frank Stanley: How are ya. Say, uh, those all the passengers you have?
Charlie, station agent: Just the four.
Prof. Harry Brewster: You didn't put anyone off at the wrong station, did you? We're here to meet a friend of the Caldwells, a Count Alucard.
Charlie, station agent: There was no Count on this train. All customers. Say - there was a lot of stuff in the baggage car that might belong to your Count.
Prof. Harry Brewster: Thanks, we'll take a look at it.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

You're not giving--- just lending--- when you buy war savings stamps and bonds--- on sale here

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Connections

Featured in Creature Features: Dracula's Daughter/Son of Dracula (1971)

User Reviews

One of Universal's best

Count Alucard (Dracula spelled backwards) goes to Louisiana to make willing Louise Allbritton his bride. But she has other ideas up her sleeve.

Very atmospheric film starts slow but really picks up speed in the middle leading to a great, unexpected ending. Lon Chaney Jr. is (surprisingly) good as Alucard and the atmosphere is just beautiful...swamps drenched with fog and moss. Also Chaney plays Dracula NOT his son (despite the title). This was the first movie to use Alucard as an anagram for Dracula.

This was considered a lousy horror film for many years--most people complained that Chaney looked WAY too healthy to play an undead vampire and they found the plot slow. Now it's getting the recognition it deserves. A well-done, neglected little gem. And, again, the ending is GREAT!