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:

At Hawkins’ office in World Peace Organization, Hawkins is relating to Miller the latest report from their agent Frank Raymond. Hawkins tells Miller that the group has been staying in the village of Vasaria trying to find a way up the mountain to Frankenstein’s castle since the road was blocked. Apparently there is a hidden road because Count Dracula’s assistant has been seen ordering mechanical and electrical parts. Raymond believes that the material is to rebuild damaged generators so that Dracula can recharge the Frankenstein Monster and use the creature to recharge the Springfield Death Ray. Raymond Talbot, and Halsey are going to try and catch Steinmuhl when he cames to pick up the parts. Miller voices a hope that the three men are successful.

CHAPTER NINE: WATERY GRAVE

Steinmuhl arrives at the shipping office in a large wagon. Entering the main office he passes a few pleasantries with the man behind the counter before asking about his delivery. Just then Talbot, Halsey and Raymond come up from behind different boxes and surround the startled man. They start to question him and he calls for help. A loud crash brings everyone’s attention to the door which was just smashed open by the Frankenstein Monster who had been in the back of the wagon. The three men back away in fear as the Monster approaches them, his hands clenching and unclenching in anticipation of killing them.

Thinking fast, Talbot goes over to a large stack of crates and throws his weight against it, the crates wobble but remain upright. Seeing what he has in mind Raymond and Halsey both add their weight and strength to the task and succeed in pushing the heavy crates over on top of the Monster. Looking around they see that Steinmuhl had escape. Hearing the Monster digging his way out from under the crates, Halsey says that they will need to get more help to subdue the Monster. Raymond and Talbot agree and go to alert the villagers.

The Monster comes up from under the crates and stalks outside where Steinmuhl grabs him by the sleeve and directs him toward their wagon. Trying to get out of town the two are confronted by the villagers, but the Monster dumps several barrels out of the back of the wagon to stall the villagers and allow the two to escape.

With the Monster gone, the villagers turn their wraith on the three men who had alerted them. Blaming them for returning the Monster to their village, they raise pitchforks and other weapons and prepare to kill them. Raymond disrobes, revealing that there is nothing underneath and scares all of the villagers into running away crying, “Ghost!” Raymond tells Talbot and Halsey to return to the hotel, he’ll be back later. Talbot and Halsey return to the hotel, where they reassure Miliza and Nina that everybody is safe. The two women were concerned from all of the shouting in the village.

Steinmuhl returns to the castle and tells Dracula when he gets up that he was unsuccessful due to the interference of Talbot and the others. Dracula is in a rage. He rants for few moments on what he plans to do to Talbot and his friends when he gets the opportunity. Suddenly he stops, looks at Steinmuhl and asks if he was followed. Steinmuhl assures him that it would have been impossible. Dracula is not so sure and decides that steps will need to be taken in case they have visitors.

Raymond returns to the others at the hotel and tells them how he followed the wagon tracks of Steinmuhl and the Monster. They led to a wall in the mountain that must be the entrance to a secret way into the castle. Talbot and Halsey are ready to go right then and there. Miliza and Nina want to go along but are told to stay at the hotel. They reluctantly agree.

Raymond leads the two men to the mountain and after careful examination find the door, but it is very heavy and takes the three men all of their strength to open. Halsey comments that the doors weight must have been why Steinmuhl had the Frankenstein Monster with him. With the door now open the three men enter a cavern and a trap door opens beneath their feet. They fall into a pit filled with water. The door snaps shut as Dracula emerges from the shadows laughing evilly to himself and commenting that that will take care of Talbot and his friends.

NEXT WEEK-CHAPTER TEN: THE MUMMY’S REVENGE