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:

Glenn Strange was playing the Frankenstein monster, but during shooting one day he tripped over a camera cable and broke his ankle. Lon Chaney Jr. (playing the Wolf Man) wasn't working that day, so he put on the Frankenstein makeup/outfit and filled in for Strange in one scene where Dr. Mornay gets thrown through the window. So Chaney wound up playing two monsters in this movie.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When McDougal and his friend confront Wilbur and Chick on the pier towards the end of the film, Wilbur and Chick both say, "McDougal!" but neither Chick's or Wilbur's lips moves.

Quotes:

Dr. Lejos/Dracula: Miss Raymond, would you honor me with a dance?
Larry Talbot: No, I warn you, he is Count Dracula.
Joan Raymond: How interesting. Tell me more.
Dr. Lejos/Dracula: Let "me" tell you, while we dance. Pardon me, Mr. Talbot.

Movie Connections:

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

Agree With The Critics On This One

Stupid? Yes. Corny? Yes. Hokey? Yes. Entertaining? Definitely. Lots of good laughs? You said it!

To be honest, I am not a big fan of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello but this is a funny movie, considered their best by most critics and, for once, I agree with them. I mean, where else can you see The Wolf Man, Frankenstein and Dracula all together in the same film? Not only that, we get two of the original actors who actually played those roles: Lon Chaney (wolf man) and Bela Lugosi (Dracula).

The special-effects are terrible but, hey, the film is close to 60 years old. If you are going to see only one A-C film, this is the one you want to get.