Universal Home Video is back with another series of classic horror DVDs. This time, Universal Home Video’s focus is on fewer extras and more movies. They have dropped the extras of their earlier releases and instead opted for perfect pairings of double features. For instance, one disc features two sequels to THE MUMMY, another two FRANKENSTEIN movies, and in the case of this review, two DRACULA films (only the Count himself is not in either of them). Both DRACULA’S DAUGHTER and SON OF DRACULA continue the saga of Dracula, but as Universal did not want to pay Bela Lugosi to reprise his greatest role, the Count’s children took over the reigns. DRACULA’S DAUGHTER came out first in 1936, and the film literally starts out only moments after the events of the original DRACULA. SON OF DRACULA (1943) pretty much ignores the events of DRACULA’S DAUGHTER, and is a vague continuation of the original. This third film is distinguishable as it features Lon Chaney Jr. as the vampire in what many would call a perfect case of bad casting.

Van Helsing is apprehended by the authorities and blamed for the lifeless corpses of Dracula and Renfield. Meanwhile, Countess Zaleska (Gloria Holden) and her brutish assistant, Sandor (Irving Pichel) prowl the streets of London, draining the blood of citizens unfortunate enough to walk the streets after midnight. Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) calls on his psychiatrist friend, Dr. Jeffrey Garth (Otto Kruger) to defend him. When Countess Zaleska steals the body of Dracula from the jail, suspicion is removed from Van Helsing. She burns her father’s corpse, and dreams of someday living a normal life. Countess Zaleska catches the attention of Garth when she appears as a tormented artist at high society parties. She believes that Garth can somehow help her condition, and abducts his girlfriend Janet (Marguerite Churchill) to force him to join her as one of the undead. Garth teams up with Van Helsing to face Countess Zaleska and save Janet.

DRACULA’S DAUGHTER adds some unique twists to the vampire genre. It is the first film where the monster is played in a sympathetic light, something that Lon Chaney would capitalize on in THE WOLF MAN. DRACULA’s DAUGHTER also avoids the genre clichés; there are no vampire bats, mist transformations, or sharp teeth. Countess Zaleska bites her victims on their necks (off screen) and they die from blood loss. So the film is light on horror and action, and heavy on gothic imagery and mood. Director Lambert Hillyer piles on the atmosphere, and aided by a solid cast, that’s how the film gets its power. Gloria Holden is outstanding in her debut role, looking both gothic and European. She certainly demonstrates her acting and presence in DRACULA’s DAUGHTER. Holden holds her own against veteran actors Otto Kruger and Edward Van Sloan. The principal cast play it straight, except for some bit players who provide some light comic relief. The humorous moments don’t detract from that fact that this is the first Goth-chick movie of all time.

A descendant of Dracula, Count Anthony Alucard (Lon Chaney, Jr.) arrives in America after polishing off most of Transylvania. He immediately puts the bite on a young woman, Katherine Cauldwell (Louise Allbritton). Her boyfriend Frank (Robert Paige) attempts to kill Dracula by shooting him, but the bullets fly right through Dracula and into Katherine, killing her. She is resurrected as a bride of Dracula. A shell shocked Frank turns himself into the police as a murderer. The skeptical Dr. Brewster (Frank Craven) investigates the case and invites his friend Professor Lazlo to help. Eventually Professor Lazlo (J. Edward Bromberg) convinces Dr. Brewster of the existence of vampires. The two men form a plan to kill the vampire lord. But, Frank escapes police custody and has plans of his own.

SON OF DRACULA is much more of a traditional vampire film than DRACULA’S DAUGHTER. There is plenty of vampire action, including neck biting, bat transformations, and levitation. The movie is directed (and co-written) by Robert Siodmak, who was responsible for the brilliant THE WOLF MAN the previous year. Siodmak brings the action from Europe to small town U.S.A. for SON OF DRACULA. The script is intelligent in approach and mixes science with the supernatural. There is also an emphasis on characterization here, something that went out the window after this film, as Universal opted for the more-is-better theory, with the monster bashes HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF DRACULA, etc. The main cast is very good with notable performances from Robert Paige, who successfully conveys the urgency of dealing with his undead girlfriend. J. Edward Bromberg is just as authoritative as Edward Van Sloan’s Van Helsing character. And Evelyn Ankers shines in her small amount of screen time. Which brings us to the reason why this film is unfairly bashed: the performance of Lon Chaney Jr. as Dracula. Chaney was hot at this time in his career, and was the first man to play Frankenstein, the Wolfman, Dracula, and the Mummy. But of all his great body of work, Chaney is hardest to swallow as Dracula. Perhaps the thought of following in the footsteps of Bela Lugosi just blew it for the audience. Except for this bit of miscasting, SON OF DRACULA has more bite than DRACULA’S DAUGHTER

- Phil Chandler