Son of Dracula (1943)
Directed by Robert Siodmak
Written by Curt Siodmak & Eric Taylor

Lon Chaney, Jr. brings his usual skittish and emotionally needy charm to the role of "Count Alucard," whom the locals realize too late is actually, yes, the son of Dracula. Apparently simply spelling his name backwards was amply complicated coding.

This, the second sequel in Universal's Dracula franchise (following Dracula's Daughter and preceding the all-monster schlockstravaganza House of Dracula) is actually the least hokey of the bunch (including the original), with pretty good bat transformation effects and a surprisingly non-laughable script.

Acting is fine, mood is suitably eerie (thanks mainly to a recurring "creep-out" organ sound), and while there's nothing ingenious or particularly thrilling about it, SOD does its job much better than it probably needed to.

Review by Sweet Earl