Guest
expanded the successful formula of its predecessor, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), sufficiently to include no less than five ‘monsters’. “Monster battles Monster” perfidiously expounded the trailer: it was a weak promise which remained largely unfulfilled, but that is not to say the film was not one of the best in the whole Universal Frankenstein saga. Sporting Karloff, Chaney, Atwill and Zucco, House of Frankenstein also boasts some superb supporting performances from John Carradine, J Carrol Naish, Peter Coe, Anne Gwynne, Sig Ruman and Elena Verdugo, with probably the most underused and underrated turn coming from Glenn Strange as the Monster, in scenes which, although beautifully expressed under Karloff’s careful coaching, are all too brief and sidelined. The Ghost of Frankenstein’s (1942) Erle C Kentonwas seconded to direct, and with Edward T Lowe’s competent screenplay based on an original story by Curt Siodmak, a superb bespoke score by Hans J Salter and slick, polished production, House of
