10 Best Horror Movie Crossovers

The first Dracula and Frankenstein films were released by Universal Pictures in 1931. They appeared in a couple of films together in the 1940s, but didn’t interact until Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein in 1948.

The official crossover film by Independent International Pictures was the first to see them pitted against each other as Hammer thought it would be too confusing to combine the characters as Peter Cushing had iconic roles in both franchises.

The film featured mad, wheelchair-bound scientist Dr Durea, who was the last descendent of Dr Frankenstein. Durea’s mute assistant Groton was played by Lon Chaney Jr in his last ever role. Together, they worked in a secret laboratory behind a haunted house on Venice Beach in California with their friend, an evil dwarf named Grazbo, who works at the haunted house.

The trio murder women, experimenting on them to create a blood serum which they hope will cure all their disabilities. Dracula (played by the amazingly-pseudonymed 'Zandor Vorkov') approaches them wishing to also use this amazing serum to enable him to go out in sunlight.

In return he helps Durea revive Frankenstein’s monster to get revenge on Dr Beaumont, who was responsible for crippling him.

The catalyst for the conflict between the characters is Las Vegas Showgirl Judith, who discovers the lab and the doctor’s victims, Dracula kills Judith's boyfriend Mike with his demon ring that shoots lasers and then hypnotises her, attempting to turn her into his bride. The monster has also fallen for her and attacks Dracula, leading to the titular fight. Dracula rips Frankenstein’s head off and then falls into the sunlight and is turned to dust.

The film doesn't feature any iconic performances of these famous monsters, but it is a crazy plot and Dracula definitely stands out with his white skin, massive teeth and booming voice. Frankenstein's monster is gruesome-looking, and was the tallest incarnation of the creature, with actor John Bloom standing at 7'4".