Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

 

It's a cold, rainy night in October and I'm watching one of my favorites. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. And... the Wolfman. And the vampire lord Dracula. I loved this as a kid and this is still perfect for Halloween viewing. This is a livewatch and I'll be sharing my thoughts as I go. 

I love how atmospheric this is. We start in foggy London with Larry Talbot, the Wolfman, trying to reach Wilbur and Chick (played by Abbott and Costello) who work as baggage handlers. They're in Florida though. He gets through to them only to start changing into his wolfman form. Why did he want them to delay delivery of two crates? Crates containing the remains of a certain vampire and also a monster. 

I'm also a little suspicious of Sandra, the girlfriend

So... there's, like, an island with a castle. I thought this was in Florida? 

Anyway there's a lab there, and Drac leads the Monster there. I just love, by the way, how Drac transforms from bat form or vice versa. 

Well, I guess I was right to be suspicious of Sandra. She's working with the vampire. They're trying to restore the Monster. And... they want to use Wilbur's brain to make him cooperative. 

Larry Talbot arrives but he has Wilbur lock him in, because when the moon rises he'll be... a wolfman. 

An investigator from an insurance company is using Wilbur to get the lowdown on what's happening with the missing crates... or the contents of the crates, rather. And the next morning they find Talbot all messed up and his room trashed, since he went all werewolf. 

Talbot tells them that the Monster and Dracula must be slain. 

So... Wilbur's got two dates, Sandra and the insurance lady. They're going to a party at the castle... imagine that! 

So they start searching and find secret passages. Oh-oh, Wilbur finds the Monster. And the chase begins. 

Meanwhile the ladies are prepping for a party but our insurance woman discovers the notes of Frankenstein, and at the same time Sandra's discovered that the insurance investigator is an investigator. Dracula is not pleased when Sandra advises caution, and takes a bite out of her. 

Meanwhile at the party all the players come together. Talbot confronts Dracula and we find that Sandra is now a vampiress, and almost snares her man Wilbur. The full moon gives us more werewolf, and Chick finally believes Wilbur when he sees for himself. 

Oh, and insurance woman is now zombified. 

The last twenty or so minutes of this are a riot. The werewolf vs Dracula, Frankenstein's monster stalking the castle, poor Sandra's being thrown out a window... it's all here. 

Oh thank goodness our insurance lady is alright. And the end... ha.