Rating summary
| Movie |  | 3.0 |
| Video |  | 4.0 |
| Audio |  | 3.5 |
| Extras |  | 1.0 |
| Overall | | 3.5 |
Son of Dracula Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 22, 2017
After dealing with one kid in 1936’s “Dracula’s Daughter,” the horror franchise finds more family trouble in 1943’s “Son of Dracula.” Of course, there’s
no real connection between the “Dracula” movies, as attention to series detail isn’t valued. It’s a brand name, and one that introduces Lon Chaney Jr.
as the titular vampire, preserving all the dead-eyed menace the character is known for, but now enjoying a few technical upgrades to shock audiences.
And the film needs all the visual help it can get, often struggling mightily with a lukewarm screenplay filled with exposition that rarely leads to
excitement.
Trouble comes to New Orleans in “Son of Dracula,” with plantation heiress Katherine (Louise Allbritton) inching into trouble when she decides to
romance Count Alucard (Lon Chaney Jr.), who’s visiting from his home in Hungary. Vampirism begins to spread, triggering confusion with an ex-
boyfriend and curiosity from another Hungarian, keeping Alucard on the move as he begins his reign of terror. “Son of Dracula” takes some time to even
touch on genre basics, providing a weirdly intricate study of family issues and relationship woes, only periodically indulging in vampire shenanigans.
However, the monster mash has more visual punch, with the production animating Alucard’s bat transformations, while special effects also construct his
ability to float over water. While low-fi, the tricks are fun to watch, adding a pinch of cinematic sophistication, which helps to sell the fantasy of Dracula.
Son of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
"Son of Dracula" arrives on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (1.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation. The results look similar to "Dracula's
Daughter," with detail best served in close-ups, getting up into faces to survey aging and make-up achievements, and some costuming retains its fibrous
qualities. Delineation isn't troublesome, but a few sequences struggle with solidification. Whites are comfortably balanced. Source is largely clean.
Son of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix manages dialogue exchanges to satisfaction, delivering suspenseful surges without slipping into distortive extremes.
Accents are easy to understand as well. Scoring isn't precise, but it works well, supporting the picture with hearty volume, but never steamrolling over
the drama. Sound effects preserve their intended spirit, with shrieking bats and snappy gunplay. Hiss is present throughout the listening experience, but
it's not distracting.
Son of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- A Theatrical Trailer (1:37, SD) is included.
Son of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Chaney Jr. isn't an especially inspired Dracula, failing to match his intimidating looks with a disquieting performance. "Son of Dracula" fares much better
with the rest of the cast, but even their commitment to the moment can't break the screenplay's inertia, with far too much time spent explaining
theories and threats, and not enough time sharing macabre events with the viewer.
