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 | Island

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:

The scene in which Wilbur (Lou Costello) is unknowingly sitting on the Frankenstein Monster's (Glenn Strange) lap required multiple takes. The scene allowed Costello to improvise wildly, which caused Strange to constantly break up laughing during the takes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dracula first appears, he sticks his hand out of the coffin twice.

Quotes:

Chick Young: People pay McDougal cash to come in here and get scared.
Wilbur: I'm cheatin' him. I'm gettin' scared for nothin'.

Movie Connections:

Features Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)

essential monster comedy

Top ten. Desert Island Disc. Universal's best-ever monster rally. Bud and Lou are at the top of their game, even Mrs Costello Snr said so. You get Bela Lugosi as Dracula for only the second and final time in his career. Lugosi is a joy; he plays Dracula as more suave, more sinister, and more disarmingly fatherly, than his continental goof-ball 1931 interpretation. Lon Chaney Jr on the other hand plays Larry Talbot as a TOTAL goof-ball, finally gone around the bend from the stress of his monstrous double-life; muttering dire warnings about imminent moon-rises that he then totally fails to heed; making anonymous life-or-death demands of clueless Lou via transatlantic phone call; fronting up to his nemesis Dracula at last, after pursuing him across continents, only to wilt shamefacedly before the Count's minor-league mind-games. Glen Strange looks great in the new streamlined makeup (alas for Jack Pierce, however) and has a thousand per cent more to do as the Frankenstein Monster, than in both his earlier 'cameo' appearances in the 'HOUSE OF' movies put together. The score is marvelous and director Barton keeps things moving at a cracking good pace. And what a straight man is Bud Abbott! He even gets to play a few lines with genuine drama here, once he realises Lou really isn't delusional. Highly recommended for Universal Monster fans, A&C fans, and movie fans in general.