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 office of Miller in the World Peace Organization, Hawkins is going over the latest report from Frank Raymond. Hawkins voices his concerns that with everyone searching for the werewolf, Dracula may be able to find the Frankenstein Monster and use the creature to power the Springfield Death Ray. A messenger enters the room and hands a slip of paper to Miller. Miller reads it and says that Raymond has gotten a message from Talbot that he is safe in a gypsy camp and they are going to meet him there. Hawkins says he is glad to get some good news for a change.

CHAPTER SEVEN: FALLING DOOM

There is a commotion in the village. Nina stumbles in and collapses in front of a fire. Miliza and Halsey help her into Maleva’s wagon. In between sobs, Nina apologizes for not accepting their help and tells how Dracula now has control of the Monster.

Raymond hears something outside. Raymond discards his clothes and, invisible, slips out of the wagon where he spies Steinmuhl listening. Taking dynamite out of his coat, Steinmuhl plants it under the wagon, lights the fuse and runs off into the woods.

Raymond bangs the door of the wagon open, startling all of the occupants. He says there is a bomb under the wagon. Everyone rushes outside. The wagon explodes in a huge ball of flame. When it is ascertained that everyone is okay. Larry tells Maleva that he can’t endanger her or her people by involving her with the search for Dracula. Maleva is reluctant to have them leave, but understands Larry’s concerns and eventually bids them farewell, wishing them luck.

Steinmuhl comes upon the mud encrusted Kharis stumbling through the woods and wants to take him back to Dracula’s lair. The mummy is recalcitrant at first until Steinmuhl reassures the mummy that once Dracula has powered up the Springfiled Death Ray, he will revive Princess Ananka. The two return to Dracula, who has hooked the Monster up to the Springfield Death Ray. Throwing a switch, Dracula drains energy from the Monster to the machine, but the Monster is too weak to do more than give a miniscule amount of power to the machine. Dracula realizes he must power the Monster up first, and to do that he will have to go to Frankenstein’s castle.

Back at the village, our stalwart heroes have reached the same conclusion. Joined by Nina, they hire a car and head for the Monster’s birthplace. It is a long and treacherous trek over twisting mountain roads.

Dracula has already reached the castle where is surveying the wreckage of Dr. Frankenstein’s machines and what will needed to be done to repair them. Steinmuhl, looking out through a telescope, says he sees a car coming up the mountain.

Dracula takes a look through the telescope and recognizes the car’s occupants. He smiles wickedly and rolls the Springfield Death Ray to the window saying it should have just enough power to take care of them. Pointing the Death Ray at a nearby mountain range he fires it, and dislodges tons of rock, causing an avalanche. The tumbling boulders descend on the car and carrying it over a cliff, bury it under massive amounts of rubble.

NEXT WEEK-CHAPTER EIGHT: SURPRISE ATTACK