Self-Parody: the Final Nail in the Coffin
(originally posted on IMDb 23 August 2018)

Universal's series of classic monster movies, which had begun with the 1931 "Dracula," finally ended with their entry here into the self-parody world of comic-duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. While I wouldn't call it an ignoble surrender, it's a far cry from the studio's peak of the 1930s in the horror genre with such films as "Frankenstein" (1931), "The Invisible Man" (1933), "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935) and "Son of Frankenstein" (1939). It's not a bad deviation from their 1940s monster rallies, though, of which this is the last one.

The humor is largely dated--relying a lot on Bud and Lou being extremely lacking in sight, hearing or any sense of spatial awareness to the point of them not noticing for several moments when monsters are beside them and also on extended scenes where the straight man leaves the stupid-fat one alone to lose his cool, then comes back and doesn't believe what he tells him. All of that gets rather old fast, although it does anticipate the film's final and best gag involving a cameo by the Invisible Man (as voiced by Vincent Price, who began his illustrious career in horror pictures in that role in Universal's "The Invisible Man Returns" (1940)). Although, it's too bad that, despite the rowing, that boat obviously isn't moving.

Some of the quips and barbs traded between the two are humorous enough, as well. A mirror joke (Bud: "Go look at yourself in the mirror sometime." Lou: "Why should I hurt my own feelings?") works far better than the actual pictorial use of mirrors here. In one scene, with the mirror prominently placed, Dracula clearly casts a reflection. A few Dracula movies have made this error, but this instance probably bothers me more than any other because the filmmakers were obviously aware of the mirror in the scene, so it can't be written off merely as a mistake as in other films, such as "Son of Dracula" (1943), and it's worse than the reflections in water seen in some other vampire fare. Plus, Universal's 1931 "Dracula," starring the same Bela Lugosi as in this picture, was the first Dracula adaptation to be faithful to Bram Stoker's novel in the particular of vampires not casting reflections ("Nosferatu" (1922) didn't abide by this rule.)

Otherwise, "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" was a solid template for further scary spoofs, including the duo's own subsequent series. Regardless of its humorous effect, I think this is mainly because it follows a traditional horror plot and one similar to those in Universal's other monster rallies. In it, Dracula schemes to transplant the pliable brain of the simpleton played by Costello into that of the Frankenstein monster, thus replacing his still criminal brain--whether you're going by the mishap in the 1931 "Frankenstein" or the subsequent brain transplant of the mind of Ygor (who was also played by Lugosi, so it's no wonder Dracula finds the creature's fiendish intellect able to oppose him, since it's his own). Similar brain transference business was part of the storylines of "The Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942) and "House of Frankenstein" (1944). Additionally, Lon Chaney Jr.'s Larry Talbot, the Wolf Man, tries to stop Dracula's plans, but he must also contend with his turning into a werewolf during full moons, so he employs the reluctant aid of Abbott and Costello. (Both Lugosi and Chaney had played the Frankenstein monster in prior films, so not only are they battling each other here, but themselves in the role now occupied by Glenn Strange.)

In addition to the house of horrors, referencing the monsters by then legendary status, there's also a masquerade ball where characters dress up in costumes, including those of the cast of monsters here, and which also references the fact that some of the characters are masquerading as others (the women, Dracula and, reluctantly, Larry). Animation effects are also used for Dracula's bat transformations and for the electrical effects of the usual gizmos of the Frankenstein-esque laboratory. And the final clash of the monsters is fun.

(Included on my list of 60--and counting--Dracula movies, my list of 50--and counting--Frankenstein films, and my list of Invisible Man movies.)