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: Miliza, Halsey and Raymond frantically search the woods, while discussing how they rescued Miliza from Kharis the mummy when he went down in a quick sand bog. Halsey mentions that Kharis’ attack was obviously a diversion by Dracula so that he could release Larry Talbot from his cell where he had put himself to protect everyone when he changed into a werewolf. Miliza is especially worried as she has overheard several hunters saying that they have planted traps to catch Larry and plan to kill him with silver bullets.

CHAPTER SIX: EVIL FORCES JOINED

The Wolf Man is racing through the woods, agitated by the sounds to the torch bearing searchers. Stepping into a metal snare, it snaps shut on his leg and pins him to the spot. The werewolf struggles to pull himself free but can not. It finally collapses on the ground and cowers as the sounds of the search party get closer and closer.

A wagon approaches and stops. An elderly woman alights from the carriage and approaches the subdued werewolf. Kneeling beside the beast she begins to invoke an incantation which changes the werewolf back into Larry Talbot. Larry looks up at the old woman and recognizes her as Maleva. With her help, Larry manages to open the trap and free his leg. Hurrying, the two climb into the wagon and drive away before the search party arrives.

Nina and the Frankenstein Monster are resting at a pond. She tells him that she feels they are safe from Dracula’s pursuit. Dracula and Steinmuhl step out of the darkness as the vampire says her relief is premature. Dracula starts to hypnotize Nina which upsets the Monster who attacks Dracula. The Monster grabs Dracula by the neck and starts to strangle him.

Dracula exerts all of his hypnotic power at the Monster, who is easily bent to the vampire’s will due to his weakened state. Laughing triumphantly, Dracula leaves with the Monster as his willing slave. Once out of sight of the sobbing Nina, Dracula tells Steinmuhl to see where Nina goes, and if she finds the others, to take care of them.

Miliza, Halsey, and Raymond return to the village. They are sitting around a hotel room pondering what their next move should be when a knock is sounded on their door. Opening it, the group is surprised to see a gypsy boy standing there. He hands Miliza a note. It is from Larry who tells them to follow the boy. The boy leads them to a gypsy camp, where Larry is hiding in one of the wagons.

Milza and Larry are happy at their reunion and kiss. Larry introduces Maleva, explaining how she saved him. He tells how it was Maleva’s son Bela who originally bit him and passed the werewolf curse to Larry. Maleva now feels responsible to help Larry when she can.

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. Outside of the wagon, Steinmuhl is listening. Taking dynamite out of his coat, he plants it under the wagon, lights the fuse and runs off into the woods. The wagon explodes in a huge ball of flame.

NEXT WEEK-CHAPTER SEVEN: FALLING DOOM