"Son of Dracula" is an incredibly entertaining entry in the series.<br /><br />**SPOILERS**<br /><br />Arriving at the Caldwell Estate in Memphis, Tennessee, Frank Stanley, (Robert Paige) and Dr. Harry Brewster, (Frank Craven) bring back a set of coffins for Katherine Caldwell, (Louise Allbritton) but her guest does not arrive. Soon after, a series of misfortunes befall the family, and Dr. Brewster decides to call in Professor Lazio, (J. Edward Bromberg) an expert on superstitious matters. He believes that her guest, Count Alucard, (Lon Chaney Jr.) Isn't who he appears to be. As they begin trying to discover his true identity, a rash of murders around the countryside point them to the only true person he can really be.<br /><br />The Good News: This is a far better film than what it's reputation has given it. The film's best attribute is it's undeniable mood and atmosphere. The tangled vines and muddied waters of the bayou are as sinister as any desolate mountain road in Transylvania. The consistent overgrowth and dank air give a sense of discomfort, especially in the bog scenes. The house itself is a large Gothic monstrosity, and has a sinister appeal to it that works incredibly well. There are several scenes that are quite moody and add immensely to the mood. The sequence where Dracula's coffin rises from beneath the muck of the swamp and then glides toward the waiting Katherine, floating over the waters is a clear-cut highlight, looking equally impressive in both execution, creativeness and look. The initial transformation sequence where, from behind, Dracula evaporates into a bat and flies off in seamless motion is a close second, and is a really impressive scene as well. It's one of the fastest moving films as well, making it seem like there's no real stop and that's always a plus. This was a far better film that what it really could've been.<br /><br />The Bad News: There's several things wrong with this one that could've been fixed. The plot in general is a confusing mess. In fact, it's never adequately explained whether Alucard is the son of Dracula or actually Dracula himself. There's a vague mention of it but nothing is really concretely explained at all. It's pretty hard to believe the nonsense story given as a cover story for the Count as well, as it's a really obvious trick and is discovered far too easily for it to have any real effect on the use of it. It's also quite easy to find several gaping logic and plot holes in here that differ from the norm of vampires, yet these spoil the plot and can't be revealed. This really were all I could find wrong with this one.<br /><br />The Final Verdict: A very solid and entertaining entry that is far better than it's status and keeps it far from boring. There's several small flaws here and there, but these can be overlooked as the good points far outweigh the bad ones. Recommended to the fans of the first parts in the series and those who love the Universal films.<br /><br />Today's Rating-PG: Violence