Monday, December 2, 2013

ABBOTT and COSTELLO



ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN-1948-This Universal production is one of the best horror comedies ever made. It's arguably Abbott and Costello's best film but unfortunately it also ushered out the era of the studios classic horror monster movies. Bud and Lou play baggage handlers Chick (Abbott) and Wilbur (Costello) who get into trouble almost immediately when they deliver to crates to "MacDougal's House of Horrors", a wax museum. The crates contain "the remains" of Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi) and the Frankenstein monster (Glenn Strange). Meanwhile, Larry Talbott (Lon Chaney) tries to convince "the boys"  he's the wolf-man. It turns out Wilbur's girlfriend Sandra (Lenore Aubert who's also in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KILLER BORIS KARLOFF) is in league with the count to put Wilbur's brain inside the head of the monster! Jane Randolph (CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE) plays an insurance investigator who pretends to be sweet on Wilbur. There's lots of great bits and one liners and director Charles Barton does a great job of combining the comedy and horror. Frank Ferguson plays the owner of the museum and there are appearances by A & C "regulars" Joe Kirk and Bobby Barber. Vincent Price is the voice of the invisible man.

This is one of eight Abbott & Costello comedies directed by Charles Barton who had been assistant director on the Marx Bros. movies MONKEY BUSINESS and HORSE FEATHERS.

Thanks for reading!

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