Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Charles Barton

Writers:

Robert Lees (screenplay) &
Frederic I. Rinaldo (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 June 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's a grand new Idea for FUN !

Plot:

Two hapless frieght handlers find themselves encountering Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster and the Wolf Man.

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Monster | Frankenstein's Monster | Full Moon | Spoof

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bud Abbott	...	Chick Young
Lou Costello	...	Wilbur Grey
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Larry Talbot / The Wolf Man (as Lon Chaney)
Bela Lugosi	...	Count Dracula
Glenn Strange	...	The Frankenstein Monster
Lenore Aubert	...	Dr. Sandra Mornay
Jane Randolph	...	Joan Raymond
Frank Ferguson	...	Mr. McDougal
Charles Bradstreet	...	Dr. Stevens
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bobby Barber	...	Waiter (uncredited)
George Barton	...	Man (uncredited)
Harry Brown	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Joe Kirk	...	Man at costume party in fez (uncredited)
Howard Negley	...	Harris (insurance man) (uncredited)
Vincent Price	...	The Invisible Man (voice) (uncredited)
Carl Sklover	...	Man at costume party (uncredited)
Helen Spring	...	Woman at baggage counter (uncredited)
Paul Stader	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Clarence Straight	...	Man in armor (uncredited)
Joe Walls	...	Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Barton		(as Charles T. Barton)

Writing credits
Mary Shelley		(characters) uncredited &
Bram Stoker		(characters) uncredited
Robert Lees		(screenplay) &
Frederic I. Rinaldo		(screenplay) &
John Grant		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Arthur	....	producer

Original Music by
Frank Skinner

Cinematography by
Charles Van Enger

Film Editing by
Frank Gross

Art Direction by
Hilyard M. Brown		(as Hilyard Brown)
Bernard Herzbrun

Set Decoration by
Oliver Emert
Russell A. Gausman

Costume Design by
Grace Houston		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Carmen Dirigo	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist
Jack Kevan	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Henry Spitz	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph E. Kenney	....	assistant director (as Joseph E. Kenny)

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Robert Pritchard	....	sound

Special Effects by
Jerome Ash	....	special photography
David S. Horsley	....	special photography
Fred Knoth	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Helen Thurston	....	stunt double: Lenore Aubert (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Glen Adams	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Robert Pierce	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Walter Lantz	....	director: animation sequence (uncredited)

Music Department
David Tamkin	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Universal Film (1948) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Doperfilme (Portugal)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (USA) (alternative spelling)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (USA) (alternative title)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Ghosts (UK)
The Brain of Frankenstein (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

83 min | Argentina:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:TV-PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:(Banned) (1949) | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #13109)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Marks the first time Universal-International stopped using the effective but lengthy application time of make-up artist Jack P. Pierce for the monster make-up, using Bud Westmore and Jack Kevan's more cost-effective rubber appliances. The rubber head appliance that Glenn Strange wore to play the Frankenstein monster fitted him so tightly that, after a few hours under the hot lights, he could shake his head and hear the sweat rattling around inside it.

Goofs:

Continuity: The placard that Wilbur reads to learn about Dracula in the museum is pristine in long shot, but creased and dented in close-up. The close-up was apparently shot after Wilbur bashed the sign against Dracula's coffin in the long shot.

Quotes:

Chick Young: I know there's no such person as Dracula. You know there's no such person as Dracula.
Wilbur Grey: But does Dracula know it?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-04-29)" (2008)

Bud & Lou's Best!

A full moon is on the rise in foggy London when Lawrence Talbot places a panicked phone call to the States. He is the only one who knows that a great evil is on its way to America. Count Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster have been shipped to a wax museum, and when the sun sets, Dracula will rise and summon his superhuman servant. Talbot knows he must warn someone...anyone...but unfortunately, it's Lou Costello who answers the phone. The movie is then off and running. Dracula needs a new brain for his monster, a brain so simple and dumb that the monster will obey Dracula's every command. Dracula's lethal henchwoman, Doctor Sandra Mornay, soon finds the perfect subject. Guess who? Now it's up to Bud Abbott and Lon Chaney Jr. to save Lou and stop Dracula before Lou literally loses his mind!

This is my absolute favorite Abbott & Costello film, sweet and witty but also dark and spooky, with plenty of nice, Gothic sets filled with full moons, flapping bats, cobwebs and lab equipment. Lon Chaney Jr. as the lycanthropic Lawrence Talbot, Bela Lugosi in his final appearance as Dracula and Glenn Strange as the Monster all play their roles perfectly straight as Bud and Lou stumble around them. The dark and seductive Lenore Aubert makes her second appearance as a Bud and Lou Bad Girl, slinking her way through the entire movie like a black panther, trying to lead poor Lou astray. Best moments include a wax museum in a lightening storm, a costume ball on a moonlit night and an uncredited Vincent Price who shows up - sort of - at films end. Bud and Lou turn in flawless performances yet again; Bud the Straight Guy always ready with a stinging one- liner and Lou the Bumbling Fool, falling all over himself, yet both of them always uniting at the films climax to stop the Bad Guys.

Fans of Bud and Lou and fans of the Universal Creature Features should not miss this film. It is both a spoof and an homage to the legendary Monsters of film. 10 stars.