Todd’s Serial Blog

DRACULA RETURNS: A UNIVERSAL SERIAL IN 13 CHAPTERS

Producer: Morgan B. Cox
Director: Lewis D. Collins
Photography: Gus Peterson
Script: Joseph Polland
Paul Huston
Barry Shipman
Music: Charles Previn
Make Up: Bud Westmore

Cast:

Larry Talbot: Lon Chaney, Jr.
Miliza Talbot: Martha O’Driscoll
Count Dracula: Bela Lugosi
Frank Raymond: Milburn Stone
Jack Halsey: Dennis Moore
Steinmuhl: Skelton Knaggs
The Frankenstein Monster: Glenn Strange
Kharis, The Mummy: Tom Tyler
Nina: Jane Adams
Inspector Krohl: Harry Cording
Hawkins: C. Montague Shaw
Miller: Edward Keene
Dr. Matthews: Bryon Foulger
Maleva: Maria Ouspenskaya

RECAP:

In Washington at the World Security Council, Hawkins is sitting in his office, when a messenger boy enters and hands him an envelope. Scanning the contents he reaches for his intercom and tells his secretary he needs to see Miller immediately. Miller rushes in asking what’s happened. Hawkins hands him the paper he had received and tells him it is from agent Raymond, who believes that Dracula is planning to have Kharis the Mummy to dig out the Frankenstein Monster and use him to power the Springfield Death Ray. Raymond, Halsey, and the Talbots are rushing to get there first. Miller says he hopes they are successful.

CHAPTER FOUR: KHARIS ATTACKS

The group wastes little time heading back to the ruins of Edelmann’s mansion, knowing that once darkness falls Dracula will be on his way. Coming to the burned out ruin, Miliza quickly finds the trap door that leads to the caverns underneath. They go down into the darkness armed with flash lights and shovels. A quick examination shows where the monster had fallen when the house collapsed but he was obviously not buried there. Unknown to them the Monster is behind them and slowly approaches, his arms out in front of him, the fingers curled inward, preparing to kill them.

Hearing a sound behind them, Miliza turns and sees the Monster. She screams. The three men turn at her cry and see their danger. Armed with nothing but shovels they brace themselves for the Monster’s onslaught. A voice calls out from the darkness for the Monster to stop. He does. A bent and disheveled figure emerges from the shadows. Miliza recognizes her as Nina, Dr. Edelmann’s assistant, who suffers from a humped back.

Miliza asks her how she survived. Nina explains that Dr. Edlmann in his demented state only choked her into unconsciousness. When the house burned down and collapsed, both she and the Monster fell down into the catacombs. Finding that the Monster isn’t evil, and knowing that he will be hounded if they go into the village, she decided to take care of him and make sure they are never discovered.

Talbot and Miliza take turns explaining to Nina about Dracula coming to use the Monster to power the Springfield Death Ray. They want her and the Monster to come with them, but Nina refuses. She and the Monster will go away some place where Dracula won’t find them instead. Talbot tries to argue with her. Feeling Nina is being threatened, the Monster grabs Talbot and tosses him aside. Telling him to come, Nina and the Monster walk off into the darkness of the catacombs.

Raymond surmises that it will be impossible to follow them through the caves. Halsey agrees. Talbot checks his watch and says they have get back to the village, it will be dark soon. Once back at the village they go to police headquarters where Talbot frantically convinces newly appointed Inspector Krohl to lock him up in a cell.

Krohl reluctantly agrees. It is not a moment too soon. After the door is locked, Talbot slumps on the bed and looking out the window at the rising moon he transforms into the Wolf Man while they watch, horrified. The Wolf Man spies them through the bars and throw himself at the door, trying to reach them with his claws. They all back away. Krohl is visibly shaken by this, as he understood Talbot was cured of his affliction. They all retire to his office, where Miliza tells him about Talbot reverting back to his former state when he received a blow to the head from Steinmuhl, who is now in the employ of Count Dracula. Krohl says he will put out an APB on Steinmuhl immediately.

Outside the window of Krohl’s office is the very man they are discussing, Steinmuhl. After hearing about the Monster, hurries away to where Dracula and Kharis are waiting. Dracula had seen them coming into town and sent Steinmuhl to see what was happening. Hearing Steinmuhl’s report, he smiles and turns to Kharis and says that he has something very important for him to do.

Bidding Inspector Krohl goodbye, Miliza, Raymond and Halsey leave the police station. Turning a corner they walk right into the waiting arms of Kharis. He easily knocks Raymond and Halsey aside. Scooping Miliza up in his arms, he starts to make off with her.

NEXT WEEK-CHAPTER FIVE: WOLF MAN ON THE LOOSE