Dracula's Daughter/Son of Dracula

Talk about your bum lineage: Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden) doesn't really want to lure tasty young things up to her studio to pose for portraits (the lesbian overtones of which are duly noted in The Celluloid Closet [VL-7/01]), but it's in her blood--her daddy was the king of the neckbiters, Count Dracula. The better entry in this Universal horror second-stringers double-feature, Dracula's Daughter (1936)--anchored by Holden's intense performance as the haunted offspring--has Edward Van Sloan reprising his role from the 1931 original Dracula as Professor Van Helsing, although he is secondary to the main action of Drac's daughter hooking up with psychologist Dr. Garth (Otto Kruger), who assures the Countess that a little willpower and positive thinking will rid her of her (unbeknownst to him) singular addiction. As convincing as Holden is as the Prince of Darkness' daughter, just so awful is the miscast Lon Chaney, Jr. as the fanged one's son (although he might actually be the Count himself; it's uncertain in the film) in the 1943 Dracula's Son, the sorry second feature. With the major Universal jewels already released (Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Werewolf, etc.), the endless sequels and spin-offs are being dusted off (five other extra-less double features are also available: The Mummy's Ghost/The Mummy's Curse, The Mummy's Hand/The Mummy's Tomb, The Ghost of Frankenstein/Son of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman/House of Frankenstein and Werewolf of London/She-Wolf of London). Optional. (R. Pitman)