I grew up watching these films on T.V., back when AMC actually lives up to the C for classic in their name. In my opinion some of these movies would be perfect for someone just starting their adventures with A&C. Everything from Universal Monsters, literary characters, and even a comedy team were made between the late 40s and the late 50s. In the order in which they will be reviewed, we have Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd, Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops, Abbott and Costello Meet the Monster, Boris Karloff, and Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy.
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) (DVD)
Director: Charles Lamont
** Rating
This will likely be the lowest rated A&C film in my adventures through my collection. This film has been very hard to come by for a lot of years. This is likely because A&C made this while they were under contract at Universal, but Universal didn't make this film. A&C producted this through Bud's production company "Woodley Productions". They pushes Universal to make a color A&C film and because they didn't want to pay the extra money to do this, A&C made one of their first independent films.
Made during a slump in Charles Laughton, Captain Kidd in the film who was only paid $25,000, the plot follows Rocky Stonebridge (Bud Abbott) and Captain Oliver 'Puddin' head' Feathergill (Lou Costello) who work at Death's Head Tavern as servers. Captain Kidd and Captain Bonney (Hillary Brooks) meet in the tavern to discuss the theft of treasure by Kidd, from Bonney. Kidd has hidden the tresaure on Skull Island and has the only map, which is mistakenly swtich by Oliver for a love note. A love note, written by Lady Jane (Fran Warren), which he was suppose to give to Bruce Martingale (Bill Shirley) The tavern's singer. This mix up begins an adventure that will take the tavern servers to the high seas, but will they return...
It's very surprising that A&C had just made their Invisible Man film the previous year and would turn out something like this. A lot of the verbal elements that existed in A&C's comedies in the past have been replaced by unsophicated slapstick and people falling down or getting hit by things. The Three Stooges are famous for the falling down and getting hit and I'm a big fan of that, but A&C have always been smarter then that in my eyes. Add in the large number of musical numbers that dote this almost second-rate muscial and you're left with very little in the way of real comedy. They still do manage to squeeze out a laugh or two, but nothing like what they use to be. A highlight of the film would have to be the Handcuff scene, first used in Who Done It (1942), in which Captain Kidd explains how to put on handcuffs and locks himself in them in the process.
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) (DVD)
Director: Charles Lamont
***1/2 Rating
Some would say that this is A&C's last great movie. I would have to agree, although I wish it wasn't true. A&C would made this in their last few years at Universal and they were focusing more on physical comedy then verbal, as in past films. Both men are top notch in the slapstick department. This film is a part of "The Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello" Volume 4 and has aged well in my opinion.
The plot follows Slim (Bud Abbott) and Tubby (Lou Costello), American cops moonlighting as British Bobbies, who wind up losing there jobs after a fight in the park involving Women's Rights leaders and angry men. They decide to catch a murderer, Mr. Hyde, in order to get back on the Force. They're helped by a reporter Bruce Adams (Craig Stevens) who has fallen for Women's Rights leaders Vicky Edwards (Helen Westcott). She has also caught the eye of Dr. Jekyll (Boris Karloff) and in turn Mr. Hyde has made Bruce, and anyone who gets in his way, a target.
My biggest problem with this movie and the reason for the half star taken off is not the A&C team, but Mr. Karloff. For one thing, the tranformation from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was not a painful process. It didn't seem to effect Jekyll at all. He just sat down and turned quietly. Although I love Karloff's work, he is a pretty scary guy. In person and in films. I had a hard time seeing the difference in good and evil. March and Tracy, past Dr. Jekylls, played this to perfect. That being said, A&C are in full force in this movie with rooftop chases and fight scene that made me bust of laugh more than once. I especially love the ending and rank it as one of the top ones. Good for the young and young at heart.
Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) (DVD)
Director: Charles Barton
**** Rating
In the beginning...when A&C first started at Universal, they were paired with Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and The Wolf Man. This would be the hit that would bring A&C the fame they have always deserved and would see the end of the Universal Monster era. Many have called this film the swang song of the Big Three, but overlook the greatness of this film. In 2001, the United States Library of Congress deemed this film "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.
The plot follows Wilbur Gray (Lou Costello) and Chick Young (Bud Abbott) as baggage clerks who stumble upon boxes, marked for a house of horrors, but containing Dracula (Bela Lugois) and Frankenstein's monster (Glen Strange). Talbot/Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr.) tries to warn our boys that they are dangerous, but they are soon let out and plotting a big switch. Wilbur's brain will replace the brain Frankenstein's monster has in his head. With a controlable monsters, Dracula can rule.
This is my favorite A&C film and I have probably seen it more than a hundred times. Costello is at his best in this movie. From unloading boxes, to running from all three monster at least three times in the course of the story. We also see one of the first times they introduce Costello's animal magnetism. If there is a hot female in their films, she will likely be Lou's girlfriend, wife, or will fall for him by the end of the movie. Lou has two such women in this movie. A&C's final chase with the Big Three and A&C is a personal favorite of mine. A&C verbal comedy is at its best in this film. So many one liners.
Voice Cameo: Vincent Price as the Invisible Man.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951) (DVD)
Director: Charles Lamont
***1/2
This is the second Invisible Man that the boys have encountered. Vincent Price was the first in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. This reguarded as A&C's last box office smash, receiving only moderate returns for their later projects. The film is part of the "Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello" Volume 3.
Bud Alexander (Bud Abbott) and Lou Francis (Lou Costello) are private detectives, fresh out of school, who team up with an invisible boxer. Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz) is charged with murdering his manager. He takes the formula, much to the dismay of Dr. Phillip Gray (Gavin Muir), in order to avoid arrest and solve the case. Lou goes undercover as a boxer to find the real killer, with Nelson as his invisible help.
My hat is off to the special effects created by Stanley Horsley. Given that this is the early 50s, they still are able to do amazing things. Another highlight of this film is the story itself. Originally written as a straight Invisible Man film in the series, the characters are well developed and the action and suspense left me wondering just what would happen in the end. The funniest scenes, in my opionion, are those with Costello and invisible Tommy. The scene in the restaurant is my favorite by far. My only complain is that they used a lot of scenes from The Invisible Man Returns (1940). A great film itself, but not what I wanted to see from A&C.
Fun Fact: Alexander and Francis, Bud and Lou's last names, are their real life middle names.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955) (DVD)
Director: Carles Lamont
*** Rating
For those who have never hear of the Keystone Kops, this is not a movie they should see first. Google Keystone Kops for any number of better examples of classic Kops. This entry in the Keystone library would be the 13th in a long line of crazy Kop antics. Three original Kops are figured in the film: Hank Mann, Heini Conklin, and Harold Goodwine. Universal almost changed the name of the film to Abbott and Costello in the Stunt Men, because they felt Keystone Kops weren't relevent anymore. They, however, gave in in 1954 and thank god for that.
The plot follows Harry Pierce (Bud Abbott) and Willie Piper (Lou Costello), who invest in a movie studio, but end up swindled by a Con Man (Fred Clark). A&C follow the Con Man and his lady (Lynn Bari), where he poses as European film director Sergei Toumanoff who hopes to director Bari in a big film. A&C find Toumanoff and are hired as stunt men. They must stop him, with the help of the Keystone Kops, before he undertakes a new plan. Stealing $75,000 from the studio.
First and foremost this movie is a cartoon. Not in the sense that is animated, but that you know no matter what happens to the boys, or anyone for that matter, no one will truly be hurt. Physical comedy is wide spread throughout this movie, as it should, given that the Keystone Kops are famous for this brand of slapstick. A highlight of the film is the real life stunt work throughout. Amazing stuff that can only be done by a special kind of actor. One could almost characterize this as more of an action film, then a comedy. A&C and the Keystone Kops are top notch in the film and the big chase at the end of the film is a must see. I found myself watching some of their stunts in slow motion because I could believe what they were actually doing.
Family Cameo: Carole Costello (Lou's Daughter)
Ticket Girl at Theater
Lou: You're cute.
Ticket Girl (Carole): You're silly.
Lou: Yeah, so is your old man.
Love that scene.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949) (DVD)
Director: Charles Barton
***Rating
Once again A&C are given a script originally written for another comedic personality and they end up turning it into gold. The source material "Easy Does It" was actually intended for Bob Hope, but because of the success of A&C Meet Frankenstein, Universal wanted another successful horror comedy from the boys. This is also their first pairing with Hollywood scary man Boris Karloff and it is a good one. This is a part of the "Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello" DVD series Volume 3.
The plot follows Freddie Phillips, bellboy (Lou Costello) discovers the body of a criminal attorney (Nicholas Joy) and everyone is sure he killed the attorney. The house detective Casy Edwards (Bud Abbott) must prove he's innocent and there's no shortage of suspects. Seven of his past clients are staying in the same hotel and join together to make sure Freddie goes down for the murder of their former attorney.
Much like Who Done It (1942) this is a mystery comedy and I really think I like this one better. First we have Karloff playing an evil, scary character. I've never wanted to type cast Karloff, but you do what works. Highlights of this film would have to be the scene where Karloff tries to hypnotize Lou and the scenes where Lou is a under house arrest at the hotel. The film's main focus is more on Lou this time, with less Bud then usual. Not a big favorite of mine, but worth a look none the less.
Fun Fact: In the script for "Easy Does It", Karloff's character was a woman.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) (DVD)
Director: Charles Lamont
****Rating
And so we come to the end of A&C's time at Universal. Though both men are beginning to show their age, this is still one of my favorites to this day. This marks the 28th film they made under the watchful eye of Universal and A&C would make an appearance in the Macy's Day Parade soon after film. Costello suffered from Rheumatic Fever before filmming, which accounts for his slightly sickly look in the film.
The plot follows Peter Patterson (Bud Abbott) and Freddie Franklin (Lou Costello), though both would refer to themselves as Abbott and Costello throughout the film. They are stranded in Egypt and overhear a conversation involving Dr. Zoomer (Kurt Katch), where he talks about a mummy named Klaris who is the guardian of a medallion that shows the location of the tomb and treasure of Princess Ara. He is soon killed for the mummy, but the murderers overlook the medallion and A&C find it. Because of the medallion, A&C are soon taken on a high stakes thrill ride through Cairo and into the desert where they must escape the followers of Klaris, treasure seekers, and even Klaris himself.
This film is a good bookend to a career at Universal that began with A&C Meet Frankenstein. The Mummy was always a personal favorite of mine when it comes to Universal Monsters and Eddie Parker's performance is on par with the original Mummy. A&C are great, regardless of age. My favorite scene beginning where A&C hide the medallion in a hamburger and kept trading it back and forth. You won't believe where it ends up. The trio of mummies scene is also laugh out loud funny. It was also fun to see the boys revisit the slipping a mickey scene they made famous in Naughty Nineties (1945). Not as funny as A&C Meet Frankenstein, but still a fun watch.
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