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Count Dracula arrives in the American Deep South at the invitation of an heiress who wants to be his bride. However, little does the Count realize that he is but a pawn in her larger game plan. This film, directed by Robert Siodmak, and written by Curt Siodmak and Eric Taylor, features an unusually sophisticated plot for the time. The heiress, an occult enthusiast, brings Dracula to America to make her a vampire. Then, she plans to destroy him so that she can make her fiancé a vampire so that they can enjoy unending life together. Not only is the plot interesting, the film is also extremely well-executed. Dracula and the Old South are an effective mix. The sets are atmospheric, and some of the visuals, like the coffin in the swamp, are quite memorable. There is only one drawback: Our Dracula, Lon Chaney, Jr. It isn't that he's bad. In fact, at moments, he gives the Count an interesting if unexpected physicality. But, once again (and this was my problem with Chaney in the original Wolfman,) he's just too
. American. Come on
Why couldn't they just get Bela back! It isn't like he was trying to distance himself from the character. He had himself buried in the cape for godsakes! And it isn't like Universal didn't want to use Lugosi in 1943. They used him as the monster in "Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman" that same year! This film is quite good by Universal's 1940s horror standards. However, had it starred Bela Lugosi, I honestly believe might have been an all-time classic. |