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House of Frankenstein (1944)
Now. Will you
give me my chalk? Try that again and I'll put you on solitary confinement. You would-be Frankenstein. Don't profane his name with your dirty lips. He was a genius in whose footsteps I will follow when I get out of here. When you get out. If I have anything to say about it. You'll never get out. But I will. Now. Friend Daniel. Shall we go on with our work? Now. This brain... is taken from the man and transplanted into the skull of the dog. But given the mind of a human being. Now. Frankenstein would have severed the spinal cord... here. But I'm not certain that he was right. Could Frankenstein have made me like other men? He gave life to a body that he made from parts of other bodies that had died. Yes, Daniel, he could have made you like other men. Dr. Niemann. Did you know Frankenstein? No. But my brother, who assisted him, learned his secrets. And before he died, he passed them on to me. Then... you could give me a new body. If I had Frankenstein's records to guide me. I could give you a perfect body. Hyah! Hyah! Try it again. Herman! Now, all together! We could help you. My arms are strong. Well. Thank you. Take the front wheel. We'll take this. Try it again! We have help! Push! Hyah! Hyah! May I offer you the warmth of my living wagon? Thank you. So you're a merchant that's been held for ransom by mountain bandits. For the better part of three months. And that's your servant? - Do you doubt me? - It's a doubting world. Kind sir. As I. Professor Bruno Lampini. Have reason to know. I have a collection of the world's most astounding horrors. When I exhibit them, what do I get? Doubts, jeers, cries of'Fake! Fake!" You expect your patrons to believe that the skeleton you show them... is really that of Count Dracula? I. Lampini. Took it... pardon me... borrowed it from the cellar of Dracula's castle... in the Carpathian Mountains. With my own two hands I spread upon the floor of its coffin... a layer of soil taken from its birthplace. So that by proxy. Shall we say. The skeleton of his earthbound spirit might... might lie at peace within his grave. Until the withdrawal of the wooden stake from its heart... set Dracula free again... to satisfy his unholy appetite for blood. At night. The giant bat would seek its victims. But before sunrise. Return to the safety of his coffin. Aye, a single ray of sunlight falling upon a vampire would make him helpless. Do you ever exhibit your show in Visaria? Visaria...No. That's a town that doesn't care for horrors. They had one of their own some 15 years ago... when a Dr. Niemann tried to give a dog the mind of a human being. They threw him in prison... because he. Like Frankenstein. Used bodies of the newly-dead to carry on his work. - Is old Hussman still alive? - He's now the mayor of Reigelberg. Are you going there. By any chance? Later on in the season. It's a small place. Too far away to make a trip profitable. Nevertheless. That is where you are going. I am not going to Reigelberg. Then Daniel and I will go alone. No. No! Now the driver. Well. You seem worried. Friend Daniel. If they search the ruins of the prison. Our bodies will not be found. We should hide. And so we shall. But in the open. All the protection of a traveling show. I. As Lampini. You as my assistant. Free to move on toward those... for whom I have unloving memories. The... The ones who sent you to prison? Strauss. Ullman... and old Hussman. The burgomaster. Yes. Friend Daniel. We will travel to the village of Reigelberg... and pay our respects to the burgomaster. Your move. Inspector. That's a neat trap you've got me into. Checkmate. Put it in the book. Inspector. Grandfather? He's here. Carl. Yes. As a man, I admire you. As burgomaster, I respect you. But as a chess player. Herr Hussman. I hate you. Did you lose again. Inspector? It serves you right. I told you not to play with him. He always wins. Don't you. You old darling? I hope we're not breaking up your game, but Carl and I have decided... She means she has decided. To take in the midnight show of the horror exhibit down at the crossroads. Spooks. Ghouls. Vampires. Get his hat and coat. Carl. You're going with us. To stare at a lot of idiotic humbugs? Not I. My dear. I put my weary bones where they belong... in bed. Your hat and coat. I'm not going! You'd better give in. Grandad. These American girls can talk you into anything. That's all they do... talk. What? What did you say? Aaah! Now. Now. Darling. Remember your blood pressure. That's the man I married. Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk! I can never get a word in edgewise. Here. Put this on. And no arguments. Uhh. No. Come along. Inspector. You're coming too. Oh, no. And I don't want any arguments from you either. Come along. Come on. Persuasive little minx. Isn't she? Uh. Uh. Uh... Brrrr! I'm all over goose pimples. And properly so. You little goose. Don't be grouchy. This is fun. Master. Police inspector. It's all right. Daniel. We have our permit. Oh. Now. There is something I could really use. I wonder where I could get one. What for? Just the thing to keep your wife under control. This way. Ladies and gentlemen. Step this way to gaze upon an exhibit... absolutely unparalleled in the realms of showmanship. No doubt there are some among you... who will doubt the truth about what I am about to say... or doubt the reality of what you are about to see. But believe me. My friends. This is no fake. Before your very eyes is all that remains of a vampire. One of the world's undead. Dare I but remove this stake from where his heart once beat. And he would rise from the grave within which he lies... and turn into a bat, a vampire bat... who'd feed hideously upon the living, whose veins pulsate with warm and vibrant blood. Ladies and gentlemen. The actual skeleton... of Count Dracula. The vampire! Rubbish. Sheer rubbish. I don't know. Herr Hussman. There are many people hereabouts who still believe in the old legend. - Aye. Sir. It is true. - I'm surprised at you people. You seem to doubt what I say. Herr Burgomaster. Bats. Vampires. A stake driven through a skeleton's heart. Gibberish. Every word of it. Furthermore. My friends. One single ray of sunlight... falling upon a vampire will destroy him. Say. Who are you? My name is Lampini. You're not the "Lampini" I ran out of this area three years ago? That was my brother. Recently deceased. You remind me of someone. Someone I can't quite recall. Perhaps you will remember later. Herr Burgomaster. Yes. Perhaps. Drop the stick from your hand. - Drop it. - But if you move. I'll send your soul back... to the limbo of eternal waiting. Do as I ask. And I will serve you. I will protect the earth upon which you lie... so that before sunrise. Your coffin will always be ready for you. For that. I will do whatever you wish. I hope I haven't spoiled your evening for you. Inspector. As a matter of fact I found it most interesting. But I say good night here. Good night. Carl. Good night. Inspector. Good night. See you in the morning. Sir. Good night. Hans. Don't get lost in the fog. Brrr! Well. You certainly picked a night for it. My pet. It's like being wrapped in the arms of a gigantic ghost. Ghosts. Vampires! Can't you talk about anything else? Listen. If you're going toward the inn, may I offer you the accommodation of my coach? You don't have to say that twice. Oh. Pardon me. I'm Carl Hussman and this is Mrs. Hussman. - We are here on our honeymoon. - My congratulations. And this is my grandfather. How do you do? Herr Hussman. Permit me to introduce myself. I am Baron Latos from Transylvania. Well. Glad to know you. Baron. May I suggest that you join me for a bottle of wine at the inn? In the nature of. Shall we say. A celebration. Mrs. Hussman? Well. That's a wonderful idea if Grandad doesn't mind. Oh. Yes. A glass of wine will warm my blood. But you will accept our hospitality. Baron. The wine of the country from my cellar. Thank you. Herr Hussman. Driver. Stop at the Hussman home. Whoa. Oh. Driver. Go around to the kitchen. Ask the cook to make you some coffee. Thank you. Herr Burgomaster. I drink to love. A union to last throughout eternity. A love free from all material needs. I'll drink to that lack of material needs myself. Baron. But not till I raid the wine cellar. I won't. Excuse me. Darling. Be right back. Baron. You admire my ring? When I look at it. I see glimpses of a strange world. A world of people who are dead... and yet alive. It is the place from which I've just returned. It frightens me. Wear it. It will drive away your fears. It's too large. It will become smaller. No. I'm afraid. Take it back. It is the bond that links us together. I see your world more clearly now. I'm no longer afraid. I will come for you... before the dawn. Now as I was saying... I haven't the remotest idea what I was saying. I've been asleep. I must apologize. Baron. It must have been the wine. It's quite all right. Herr Hussman. Well. Here we are. I hadn't realized we talked so long. I must be leaving. Well. It's been a swell party. Baron. We'll save this for next time. Good night. Baron. Thank you for your hospitality. Herr Hussman. Not at all. Good night. Good night. Why. Rita. Aren't you going to bid me good night? Good night. Grandfather. Good night. My dear. Lampini. Lampini. Good night. Baron. Good night. Sir. Lampini. Niemann. Of course. Dr. Niemann. It turned out to be fun after all. Didn't it. Darling? It's a wonderful night. The darkness beckons to me. Another world. The world I see is far away. Yet very near. A strange and beautiful world... in which one may be dead... and yet alive. Rita, what is it? What's happened to you? I'm going away. Dracula crest. Like the one on the coffin. Where did you get it? From Baron Latos. Baron Latos? We've got to get it off. I want to go there. Carl. Grandfather! Grandfather! Connect me with Inspector Arnz. Hurry! Hello? Hello. Inspector. This is Carl Hussman. My grandfather has been killed. Herr Hussman? Wounds on the neck? Want kind of wounds? Two small punctures like teeth marks. I'll be right over. Rita! Rita! Rita! Arnz! Arnz! Arnz! Arnz! My wife... in that carriage. Master! The police. They're after us. Look. Master. I think they're after Dracula. There's one way to stop them. Yes. Aaah! Fejos. The police! Ah. Herr Inspector. You missed Ilonka's dance. She's pretty too. I will have her dance again especially for you. Not in the village of Frankenstein. You won't. We've had nothing but stealing since you came here. The burgomaster says you're to move on. But. Herr Inspector... No arguments. Break camp and get out. All right. The show's over. Go back to your homes. Oh. Daniel? Now drive on. We'll camp beyond those trees. What've you got here? A chamber of horrors. The burgomaster won't grant you a permit. So pack up and be on your way. But why? There's nothing in my exhibit to offend anyone. We've had enough horrors around here. Do you see those ruins? Our village has been quiet and peaceful since the damn broke... and swept the Wolf Man and the Frankenstein monster... to their destruction several years ago. No one ever mentions that place. Nor does anyone ever go near it. That's why you can't exhibit here. We want nothing to remind us of something we've been trying to forget. But we've come a long way and the horses are tired. It's very late. Could we at least rest here until tomorrow? No. You've got to move on. All right. Daniel. We'll move on. Hand over the money the villagers gave you. Only your share. All of it. When I joined you. It was agreed that I kept half. Give me the money. If you try to rob me. I'll tell the police that it's you... who's been doing the stealing! I'll thrash you within an inch of your life. Let me go. You smelly pig! No. Fejos! No! No! No! No, I say! Fejos! Daniel! Daniel! Do you want to bring the police on us? Get him out of here before he kills him. Master. She's hurt. May I take her with us? No. We only have tonight to search for the Frankenstein records. Please. Master. She's hurt. All right. If it will keep you in your right senses. Are you awake? You've nothing to be afraid of. Now I remember. Who are you? I'm Daniel. I'm with Professor Lampini's show. Here. I... I brought you some tea. It will make you feel better. That was nice of you. Are you the one that helped me? It made me mad when he whipped you. But he can't hurt you anymore. They've gone. Leaving me a hundred miles from nowhere. No. But we're going to Visaria. You can travel with us. You can sleep here and... talk to me when I drive. I get so lonesome when I have no one to talk to. You don't know me very well. I might talk you to death. Your name's Ilonka. Isn't it? You know all about me. Don't you. Daniel? I watched you dance. Did you? Did you like me? You're pretty. You're afraid of me. Aren't you? Afraid of you? If you weren't. You'd come up here where I could see you better. But you will talk to me sometimes? Won't you? Of course I will. You've been kind to me... and I like you. Daniel. Daniel! Yes. Master. Come with me. I've found a way into the ruins. Master. If we find the Frankenstein records. Will you make me like other men? To please your little gypsy girl. Friend Daniel. I'll make you an Adonis. Here's a book. Master! Does it... Help me, Master! - Daniel. Are you hurt? - No. Master. Evidently the force of the flood... burst through that wall and... washed everything into the cave beyond. We'd better look for the records in there. A glacial ice cavern. The Wolf Man. Master. Over there! The undying monster. The triumphant climax of Frankenstein's genius... And the Wolf Man. They may know where the records are. Friend Daniel. We'll set them free and they will help us. Master! Master! Who are you? Why have you freed me from the ice that imprisoned the beast within me? Why? Perhaps to help you. Mr. Talbot. No earthly power can help those that are arked by the sign of the pentagram. You came here to ask Frankenstein for help. Didn't you? Yes. But I was too late. He was dead. I wanted to die too. Nevertheless. When Dr. Mannering trailed you here from England. You asked him for help. I did. But he became more interested in the monster than he was in me. When the villagers learned that he had brought the monster back to life, they blew up the dam. These frozen waters... have held you here all these years. And now you've brought me back to a life of misery. With each full moon. I turn into a werewolf. I kill. I want to die. Only death can bring me release. You don't have to die. My boy. You're wrong. I can help you. How? How can you help me? I too am a doctor. A scientist... like Frankenstein. Do you know where he kept his records? I think so. Show me those records and I'll build a new brain for you. I'll lift this curse from you forever. He wanted life and strength. I wanted only death. Here we are. The answer to both your problems lies here. But in my laboratory in Visaria. I have the equipment to restore his strength. Then I must wait until we reach Visaria. You must be patient. The horses are harnessed. Master. - Can you drive? - Why. Yes. Then take the road to Visaria. Master. Is he going to drive all the time? Yes. I need you here. We must apply hot compresses. The ice has seriously damaged his tissues. What's the matter. Daniel. You got bugs? You're not Daniel. No. Daniel's back with the doctor. Who are you? Just the driver. - Are you going to Visaria with us? - Yes. I promised Daniel I'd keep him company while he drove. But I'll talk to you if you want me to. My name's Ilonka. What's yours? Lawrence. Lawrence? Do they call you Larry? They used to. Larry! Larry! I have something for you. Look. Pretty. What's the matter with you? We've been together three days. And you haven't smiled once. I think I'd like you better if you smiled. Now don't start barking at me. There's a nice big smile for you. Now give me one. You see how easy it is. Then why are you always so sad? I wish you'd tell me. Why? Because I like you. Tell me. Maybe I can help. No one could help me. Daniel. Hurry up with that water. You going to stand there all day? Get started. We've lost too much time already. Master. Why can't I drive part of the time? Talbot bothers me with his everlasting impatience. We must get the monster to Visaria... before further changes make restoration more difficult. The desiccation of the tissues has gone further than I thought. It's not as bad as I feared. Our equipment is still usable. We must go to work and get it in shape as quickly as possible. Turn on the steam. Steam will soften the tissues so that... the high-frequency current will go through them. - How long will it take? - A day. Perhaps longer. Why must you do that now? You have everything you need here. Operate on me. I've yet to find a way of combining Frankenstein's technique with my own. The moon will be full tonight. You know what that means. I can't stand to go through that torture again. I tell you. I can't! An operation now would be a failure. It would leave you exactly as you are. You must wait. Wait! All right. Daniel. Master. Talbot is big and strong. Will you give me... Forget Talbot. We have work to do. But. Master. You promised... All in due time. Daniel. Tonight we call on my old friends. Ullman and Strauss. Herr Strauss. Yes. What do you want? Remember me? I'm Dr. Niemann. - Dr. Niemann? - Yes. Frederick. - Come with me. Aaah! Aaah! Pardon me. Herr Ullman. Do you know Herr Strauss? The garrulous gentleman who testified... that he saw me take a body from its grave. We don't forget. Herr Strauss. Do we? Oh. I'm sorry. Is that more comfortable? Niemann. I've saved 15.000 marks... Since you testified for the state to save your miserable hide? Let me go. Niemann. Let me go and the money is yours. Every bit of it. 15.000 marks. A thousand for every year... that I spent in the stinking. Slimy dungeon. You bargain poorly. Herr Ullman. Don't kill me. Don't kill me. Kill my trusted old assistant? Why. No. I'm going to repay you for betraying me. I'm going to give that brain of yours a new home... in the skull of the Frankenstein monster. As for you. Strauss. I'm going to give you the brain of the Wolf Man... so that all your waking hours will be spent in untold agony. Awaiting the full of the moon, which will change you into a werewolf. The plasma must flow at exactly that rate. No more. No less. If there's any change, call me. - Master. - Yes? Now that I've helped you with Strauss and Ullman. - Will you give Talbot's body to me? - What? He's big. He's strong. Talbot's body is the perfect home for the monster's brain. Which I will add to and subtract from in my experiments. - Master. You made me a promise. - No! You think I'd wreck the work of a lifetime... because you're in love with a... a gypsy girl? I've killed four men for you. Do as I say or I'll never help you. Larry! Larry! Daniel. You frightened me. Have you seen Larry? What's the matter? Don't you like Larry? You used to smile at me sometimes. Before he joined us. Why. Daniel. I believe you're jealous. You love him. Don't you? He's in some kind of trouble. I think. I want to help him. You do love him. But he doesn't know it. It wouldn't make any difference to him if he did. Why not? Why wouldn't it make any difference to him? Do you see that? It's a star. A five-pointed star. The pentagram. The pentagram! The sign of the beast. "Even a man who's pure in heart... and says his prayers by night..." "will become a werewolf... "when the wolfbane blooms... and the moon is full and bright." He's a werewolf. Oh. No! Not him. Not Larry! You're lying! You're lying to me! No. No. I'm trying to protect you. Stay away from him. When the moon is full again. He'll turn. And he'll kill. He'll kill. I don't believe you. You're making it all up because you're jealous. I hate you. You're mean and you're ugly! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! She hates me because I'm an ugly hunchback. If it wasn't for you. I'd have Talbot's body. Yes. Mrs. Strauss. Yes. Yes. Mrs. Strauss. What about our beers. Hoffman? At once. Herr Burgomaster. I must go now. Mrs. Strauss. Good day. I don't know. I don't know. The housewives ask me where their husbands are all the time. What are you muttering about. Hoffman? Strauss hasn't been home since yesterday. His wife's very worried. Sleeping off a drunk probably. I don't think so. Why not? Ullman hasn't been home since last night either. Neither has Braun. The storekeeper. That's odd. When one man doesn't come home. You think nothing of it. When three men disappear overnight. Particularly in a small town like Visaria. You begin to wonder. Inspector! I found Herr Braun... out in the woods. - He's dead. - Dead? What do you make of it, Doctor? The juggler vein is severed. Not cut. But torn apart... as though by powerful teeth. A werewolf! We'll all be murdered. Heaven help us. I must warn my wife and children. Schwartz. Meier. Come back here. I forbid that you spread such talk. What do you want to do? Drive folks from Visaria and ruin our village forever. I'm ashamed of you. All of you. Believing in such idiotic superstitions. Then how do you explain that? And how about Strauss? And Ullman. What happened to them? If there's a werewolf, our people should know about it. I think so too. Our children aren't safe. - If there's a werewolf. Let's find him. - Search for the werewolf! All right! All right! Organize your searching parties. The inspector will head one group. Schwartz another and Meier. A third. Find your werewolf. "Even a man who is pure at heart... and says his prayers by night..." Then you know? Daniel told me. Oh. Larry. Last night. I killed a man. You didn't know what you were doing. But I did. I wanted to kill and I knew that I wanted to. Tonight the moon will rise again... and I'll become that beast. I'll kill again. Can't Dr. Niemann do anything for you? - Ask him. Larry. Ask him. - Oh. He says... that he can. But he keeps putting me off. I don't trust him. I can't go on waiting and killing and waiting. I... I want forgetfulness. Peace. I want to help you. I'll do anything. When that spell comes over me, I'd kill anyone. I won't let you. I won't let you out of my sight. I might even kill you. I couldn't help myself. I'm not afraid. It's no use. Ilonka. Only death can bring us peace of mind. And a werewolf doesn't just die. He must be killed. Killed by a silver bullet. Fired by the hand of one... who loves him enough... to understand. He must be killed, killed by a silver bullet. Fired by the hand of someone... who loves him enough... to understand. Turbines. Now the generator. Check the mega-voltage. Twenty-five thousand. Increase to 50. The electronic bombardment will penetrate... Listen to me. Niemann. You promised that if I found the Frankenstein records. You'd cure me of this curse. I found them. Gave them to you. Now it's time for you to keep your part of the bargain. My boy. You must have patience. I've waited long enough. Last night I suffered the tortures of the damned. I killed a man. Tonight the moon will be full again. Now you stop whatever you're doing and operate on me... or I swear I'll... Would you destroy your only hope of release? Well. Any sign of your werewolf yet? We're early for him. I guess. Oh. So he appears on schedule like a train. Is that it? Increase your mega-voltage to a hundred thousand. Danger. Master! Danger. Master! - Danger! - Decrease! Hello, Schwartz! Come here quick! What's the matter? What is it? Lights at Dr. Niemann's. Weird lights. Flashing all over the old place. At Dr. Niemann's? Yeah, we saw them from the road. His place has been closed for 15 years. We better investigate. Larry. Go away. No. Larry. Let me in! Go away. I tell you. Tell Talbot I'm ready for him. Aaah! Aaah! Master. Master. The Wolf Man. The only thing I ever loved. It wouldn't have happened if you had kept faith with me. I served you well. Master. Remember Lampini? Strauss? Ullman? Now you're going to join them. Aaah! Search the castle and grounds. The Frankenstein monster! The Frankenstein monster! Can't stand fire. Aaah! Set fire to the marsh grass. Drive him back into the bog. Don't go this way. Quicksands! Quicksands! Not this way. Quicksands! Not that way. Quicksands! Quicksands! |
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