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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Play trailer Poster for Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Released Jun 15, 1948 1h 23m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In the first of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's horror vehicles for Universal Pictures, the inimitable comic duo star as railway baggage handlers in northern Florida. When a pair of crates belonging to a house of horrors museum are mishandled by Wilbur (Lou Costello), the museum's director, Mr. MacDougal (Frank Ferguson), demands that they deliver them personally so that they can be inspected for insurance purposes, but Lou's friend Chick (Bud Abbott) has grave suspicions.
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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

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Critics Consensus

A zany horror spoof that plays up and then plays into the best of Universal horror cliches.

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Critics Reviews

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Kim Newman Empire Magazine A little bit of going through the motions with this horror spoof but fans will enjoy Rated: 3/5 Oct 16, 2007 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader This 1948 effort is probably the last of their watchable films, though it's a long way from their best. Oct 16, 2007 Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times The notion of having these two clowns run afoul of the famous screen monster is a good laugh in itself. But take this gentle warning: get the most out of that one laugh while you can, because the picture, at Loew's Criterion, does not contain many more. Rated: 2/5 Aug 8, 2006 Full Review Howard Waldstein CBR Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is not a straight-up horror, per se, but it indeed boasts all of the necessary elements to be considered as such. Jun 27, 2023 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Were it not for the goofy leads, this could very well be yet another chapter in the series of classic monster mashups, which had fizzled out of theaters a few years prior. Rated: 7/10 Dec 7, 2020 Full Review M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Even those of us who find Bud and Lou's antics more dated than those of, say, Laurel and Hardy or the Marx Brothers, can still enjoy this one, because the monsters are a hoot. Jan 6, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sue H. How fun it is to see these older movies on the big screen. The physical humor and the subtleties come through strongly. And while in some A&C movies, Abbott is really mean to Costello, here the monsters take up so much of the action that the boys are more of a team. This is a great one to see with the whole family. One of A&C's movies that holds up best. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/24/22 Full Review Andrew L The best and most famous of Abbott and Costello's movies. This has an all star cast as well. Featuring Glenn Strange as Frankenstein's Monster, Lon Chaney Jr. being The Wolf Man once more, and Bela Lugosi returning to the role of Count Dracula. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/29/24 Full Review Larry K Classic movie. The monsters are great. Loved this as a kid Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/16/24 Full Review Keith N This was the funniest horror movie I've seen. It definitely wasn't that scary, but it had a few tiny scary moments Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/30/23 Full Review Jeffrey M Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein is an amazing movie. I finished it just now so it is fresh in my head. Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein was a really funny movie, and guess what? I LOVE comedy!!! I think that this movie was one of the first crossover movies ever. Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein was also a really interesting movie. I just watched Dracula, and the same Dracula actor was in the movie. He looked much much older than he did in 1931. What a good movie. I give this a 74%. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/24 Full Review Logan L It was so bad that it was funny. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

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Cast & Crew

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Wolf Man Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Wolf Man 1:55 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Keep Your Shirt On Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Keep Your Shirt On 1:40 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Take the Mask Off Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Take the Mask Off 2:35 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Dracula Rises Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Dracula Rises 3:00 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Death of the Monster Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Death of the Monster 2:25 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Evading The Monsters Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Evading The Monsters 2:11 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Return of the Count Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Return of the Count 1:46 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Where Are They? Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Where Are They? 1:53 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Wolf Man Transforms Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Wolf Man Transforms 1:36 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Do You Believe Me Now? Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Do You Believe Me Now? 2:44 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis In the first of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's horror vehicles for Universal Pictures, the inimitable comic duo star as railway baggage handlers in northern Florida. When a pair of crates belonging to a house of horrors museum are mishandled by Wilbur (Lou Costello), the museum's director, Mr. MacDougal (Frank Ferguson), demands that they deliver them personally so that they can be inspected for insurance purposes, but Lou's friend Chick (Bud Abbott) has grave suspicions.
Director
Charles Barton
Producer
Robert Arthur
Screenwriter
Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Robert Lees, Frederic I. Rinaldo, John Grant
Distributor
MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Universal International Pictures, Universal Home Entertainment
Production Co
Universal International Pictures
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 15, 1948, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Runtime
1h 23m
Sound Mix
Mono
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