Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

Director: Charles Barton

Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr, Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert, Jane Randolph, Frank Ferguson, Charles Bradstreet, Vincent Price

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The LAUGHS are MONSTERous! Bud and Lou are in a stew when they tangle with the TITANS of TERROR!

Plot: This Abbott and Costello horror-comedy flick features the bumbling buddies as railroad baggage clerks who receive a strange shipment -- the last remains of Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. Trouble is they're still alive! When the deadly duo escape to a remote island, Abbott and Costello follow their trail and find not only the two ghouls, but also a mad scientist who wants to switch Costello's brain with that of Frankenstein's monster.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yeah.


This is one A&C flicks I fondly remember as a child. It's silly like all A&C movies which means it probably appeals to kids more than adults. What makes this one stand out is having Lugosi as Dracula (something he hadn't done since the early 30s, Chaney as the Werewolf and Glen Strange as Frankenstein's Monster (nice job, too).



Chaney's acting is as flat as ever and Lugosi spends an unusual amount of time covering his face with his cape. I almost suspected Ed Wood was in the vicinity.


The comedy bits are fun and Costello's double takes are priceless. And even though A&C don't actually meet Frankenstein (just the monster), it's still one of their more enjoyable pictures and it's got probably the best ending of all of them courtesy of a heard but not seen Vincent Price. Classic.


Can you find him?