Paul Malvern

NOTE: Sequel to "House of Frankenstein" (1944) Dr Franz Edelman [Onslow Stevens] of Visaria has a reputation for treating patients with strange diseases. Consequently, Count Dracula [John Carradine] (known to the outside world as Baron Latos) and Larry Talbot [Lon Chaney, Jr] (aka The Wolfman) come to Edelman in search of cures for their problems. After securing a blood sample from Dracula, Edelman finds that his blood contains an unknown parasite. Edelman thinks he can create an antitoxin and administer it through a series of blood transfusions. In the meantime, Dracula can sleep in his coffin in the basement. Talbot doesn't fare as well. When he calls, Edelman is unable to see him, so Talbot races to the village jail and asks to be confined in a cell. When Edelman arrives, he is able to personally witness the transformation of Talbot into the Wolfman and agrees to attempt a cure. After examining Talbot, Edelman announces that pressure on his brain is causing his glands to secrete an abnormal supply of the hormone that causes him to transform. Fortunately, in an attempt to help his nurse Nina [Jane Adams] become cured of her hunchback, Edelman has been working on a mold which softens calcium salts (i.e., bone). This mold might also be used to reshape Talbot's skull and take some of the pressure off his brain. Unfortunately, it will take at least a month to produce enough of the mold for the operations. Distraught at the thought of becoming the Wolfman one more time, Talbot attempts suicide by jumping from a cliff. Thinking that the rushing river below might have washed Talbot into some nearby caves, Edelman is lowered into the caves where he discovers perfect conditions for growing the molds and convinces Talbot to return for treatment. He also discovers the body of the Frankenstein monster [Glenn Strange] as well as a secret passageway between the cave and his laboratory. In the meantime, Dracula has become smitten with Edelman's other nurse, the luscious Miliza Morelle [Martha O'Driscoll], and tries to entice her into joining him. But Nina oversees the Baron casting no reflection in a mirror and reports this observation to Edelman who rushes to the garden in time to save Miliza. Edelman tells Dracula that another transfusion must be done immediately. This time, however, Dracula reverses the blood flow so that some of his blood contaminates Edelman. When Edelman realizes what Dracula has done, he moves Dracula's coffin into the sunlight and destroys him, releasing the hold on Miliza. But now Edelman starts transforming. During the day he is himself, but at night he surges with the urge to kill. Knowing that his time is limited, Edelman operates on Talbot. That night, from his wheelchair by the window, Talbot sees Edelman hop a cart. Edelman subsequently kills the cart driver, and the villagers follow him home thinking that he is Talbot. The police interview both Edelman and Talbot but agree that Talbot is physically incapable of such activity. Talbot has put two and two together and promises Edelman that he will say nothing until Edelman is able to operate on Nina. That night, however, Edelman reawakens the Frankenstein monster. Nina tries to stop him, but Edelman strangles her. Talbot shoots Edelman, and the Frankenstein monster turns on Talbot and begins destroying the laboratory. The monster is killed in a fire, and Talbot walks off into the moonlight with Miliza. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl.]

It's some 20 years after the Frankenstein monster and the wolfman met their demise in "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman" (1943), but Dr Neimann [Boris Karloff] and his hunchback assistant Daniel [J Carroll Naish], currently locked in jail, still plan for a way to cure Daniel's deformity by Dr Frankenstein's operation. When lightning destroys the jail wall, they escape. They link up with Dr Lampini's traveling horror show, and Daniel kills Lampini [George Zucco] so that Neimann can take his place. They plan to head "towards those for whom I have UNloving memories." First stop is Regalberg where they revive Dracula [John Carradine], in the guise of Baron Latoes from Transylvania, who kills the Burgermeister who originally put Neimann in jail. Dracula is re-skeletonized by the morning sun as he attempts to crawl back into his coffin. Next, they head for the village of Frankenstein to search for Dr Frankenstein's records. Here, Daniel rescues and falls in love with gypsy girl Ilonka (Elena Verdugo]. They find the ice cave where the Frankenstein monster [Glenn Strange] and the wolfman [Lon Chaney, Jr] lie frozen, revive the wolfman, and enlist his help in return for a cure if he will help in transporting the monster to Neimann's old laboratory in Visaria. On the way to Visaria, Daniel and Neimann care for the monster while Larry Talbot [the wolfman] and Ilonka drive the wagon and fall in love, much to Daniel's dismay. They also kidnap two of Neimann's nemeses--Herr Ullman [Frank Reicher] and Herr Strauss [Michael Mark] -- because Neimann plans to give Ullman's brain to the monster, the monster's brain to Talbot, and the wolfman's brain to Strauss. Daniel begs for Talbot's body so he can have Ilonka, but Neimann says no. Daniel attempts to warn Ilonka about Talbot's wolfman side, but she refuses to believe him. To release his anger, Daniel whips the supposedly unconscious monster. The full moon rises that night, and Talbot changes to the wolfman. The next day he confesses to Ilonka. She vows to release him. That evening, Neimann finally gets down to business. He revives the monster but not soon enough. Talbot changes into the wolfman and attacks Ilonka who shoots him; they both die. Distraught, Daniel attacks Neimann, the monster kills Daniel, the villagers see the lights flickering in Neimann's laboratory windows and attack the monster, who carries Neimann's body into the swamp where they both get sucked into quicksand. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl.]

As a youngster John Wyatt saw his parents killed and his brother kidnapped. On a wagon train heading West he meets his brother who is now a spy for the gang which originally did the dirty work. He and his brother both fall for Mary Gordon. Ballard's trail jumpers attack the Wyatt Company wagon train, killing young John's parents and kidnaping his brother, Jim. In post-Civil War California, John Wyatt, now a man, pulls together a vigilante posse, The Singing Riders, who all ride white horses, dress alike, and ride the trails singing and rounding up outlaw gangs. Meanwhile, John is ever on the lookout for the gang that murdered his parents. —Jeff Hole <jeffhole@aol.com> When Ballard and his men attack the Wyatt wagon train, they kill all except two young brothers. Twelve years later one brother John has organized a vigilante group. The other brother Jim is now part of Ballard's gang and the two are destined to meet again. —Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>

Police try to solve a murder on board an ocean liner. Captain Holling is relieved of command of his ship after he suffers a nervous breakdown. His replacement, Captain Downey, takes over the liner just as it is about to be used for an experiment in remote control. Professor Grimson has devised a system for controlling the ship from a laboratory on land. But as Grimson demonstrates the system and the special component that makes it work, a rival group is listening in, hoping to use the device for its own purposes. Shortly after the demonstration, the professor is attacked and fatally injured. Major Pope comes on board to investigate the attack, and he decides to come along on the planned trip. Soon the ship is full of passengers and crew--and at least two of the ship's occupants are really enemy agents. —Snow Leopard