HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944). Colorized

HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN is a 1944 American horror film starring Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and John Carradine. It was directed by Erle C. Kenton and produced by Universal Pictures. Based on Curt Siodmak's story "The Devil's Brood", the film is about Dr. Gustav Niemann, who escapes from prison and promises to create a new body for his assistant Daniel. Over the course of the film, they encounter Count Dracula, the Wolf Man (Larry Talbot) and Frankenstein's monster. The film is a sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943).
Universal had initially planned a film titled Chamber of Horrors, which would have included several of their horror-themed characters, but this project was canceled. The concept was later revived as House of Frankenstein. Filming began on April 4, 1944, with the highest budget for a Universal Frankenstein film at that time, and ended in early May. Screenings started in New York City on December 15, 1944. It was not among the highest-grossing films for Universal that year, but it managed to make more money than other Universal horror-related output such as Ghost Catchers (1944) and The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944).

PLOT:
For trying to replicate Dr. Frankenstein's experiments, Dr. Gustav Niemann is put in prison, where he meets another incarcerated criminal, the hunchback Daniel. Promising to create a new, beautiful body for Daniel, Niemann convinces him to become his assistant. During an earthquake, the two escape. Niemman and Daniel stumble upon traveling showman Professor Lampini, murder him and take over his horror exhibit, which includes the recovered corpse of Count Dracula. To exact revenge on Burgomaster Hussman for putting him in prison, Niemann revives Dracula. Dracula hypnotizes Hussman's granddaughter-in-law Rita and kills the Burgomaster. Hussman's grandson notices what is going on and alerts the police, who go after Dracula. Waiting in a nearby carriage, Niemann notices it is Dracula whom the police are after and jettisons Dracula's coffin to flee with Daniel. As Dracula scrambles to get back inside, the sun rises and kills him.
Niemann and Daniel travel to the flooded ruins of Castle Frankenstein in Visaria. En route, Daniel saves a Romani woman named Ilonka from being whipped by her companion over an argument about money. Smitten by Ilonka, Daniel convinces her to join them in their travels. At the Castle, they find the bodies of Frankenstein's monster and Larry Talbot, preserved in the frozen cavern beneath the castle. Niemann thaws their bodies, and Talbot turns back into human form. Niemann promises to cure his werewolf curse by transferring his brain into a different body if Talbot leads them to Frankenstein's notes. Seeing Ilonka has fallen in love with Talbot, Daniel suggests Niemann transfer his brain into Talbot's vacated body. Talbot finds the notes, but Niemann is more interested in reviving the monster and exacting revenge on two traitorous former associates than in keeping his promises to Talbot and Daniel. Aided by Daniel, Niemann kidnaps his former associates and plans to transfer their brains into the monsters' bodies, cursing them to live the tragic lives of the creatures. That night, Talbot transforms into a werewolf and kills a man, sending the villagers into a panic.
Daniel warns Ilonka that Talbot is a werewolf, but she is undeterred. Not trusting Niemann to cure him, Talbot instructs her to build silver bullets, load them into a gun and wait at night near his bedroom. That night, Niemann revives the monster and Talbot turns into a werewolf. The Wolf Man attacks and fatally wounds Ilonka, who shoots and kills him before dying. Daniel blames Niemann for Ilonka's death, reasoning that if he had transferred Daniel's brain as asked then she would not have gotten involved with a werewolf, and attacks him. Having bonded with the man who revived him, the monster intervenes and throws Daniel out the window. With Daniel dead, the monster carries the half-conscious Niemann outside, where the villagers chase them into the marshes. There, the monster and Niemann drown in quicksand.