Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

1948,

1h 23m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

89%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

28 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. McDougal (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.

Critics Consensus

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

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Oct 16, 2007

3/5

A little bit of going through the motions with this horror spoof but fans will enjoy

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Oct 16, 2007

This 1948 effort is probably the last of their watchable films, though it's a long way from their best.

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Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Aug 8, 2006

2/5

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.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 29, 2025

3.5/4

None of the A&C efforts have endured quite like this horror-comedy classic.

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Howard Waldstein

CBR

Jun 27, 2023

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.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Dec 7, 2020

7/10

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.

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Hagrid W

Mar 3, 2019

This is the Best Abbott and Costello movie. What makes it so good is that the monsters are all played straight. Great cast. As good now as when i first saw it years ago!

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Jan 26, 2019

The best comedy movie ever made!

Ron R

Jan 23, 2019

By House of Dracula, critics weren't liking the monsters anymore, so Universal brought comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in. Thsi is a great comedy bringing four monsters in the mix. Frankenstein's monster, Dracula and the Wolf Man are the main monsters, with the invisible man at the end. Abbott and Costello are at their beat in the movie.

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Leia S

Aug 24, 2018

Though the scares take a back seat to the humor, this is a great swan song to the classic Universal Monster movie. Lugosi reminds us why he will always be THE Dracula and Chaney Jr. Continues to imbue the Wolfman with more heart and soul than should be humanly possible. Mix it all up with great comedic performances and you've got gold.

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Kylo W

Aug 5, 2018

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is a fun comedy that has aged greatly, shame that Boris Karloff wasn't the monster, while Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney play their roles again. Besides that, it is definitely the greatest Universal Monster film since 1941 with the Wolf Man.

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Theodore P

Feb 15, 2018

Wow. I thought it may be silly, and it was, but it was also epic for any fan of Universal movies. Genuinely funny, hilarious situations, a resurrection of the classic actors, and the final minute of the flick cemented it with a surprise twist.

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Charles Barton

Director

Bud Abbott

Chick Young

Lou Costello

Wilbur Grey

Bela Lugosi

Count Dracula

Lenore Aubert

Dr. Sandra Mornay

Jane Randolph

Joan Raymond

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Wolf Man

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Keep Your Shirt On

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Take the Mask Off

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Dracula Rises

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Death of the Monster

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Evading The Monsters

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Return of the Count

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Where Are They?

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - The Wolf Man Transforms

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Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Official Clip - Do You Believe Me Now?

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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. McDougal (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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