Though some maintain that Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's entrance into Universal horror was a blasphemous turn, most revere the crossovers. Writers/researchers, Nige Burton and Jamie Jones, fall into that appreciative camp, and from their allegiance comes the studious, multi-movie analysis, Abbott and Costello Meet the Classic Monsters (along with a couple, creepy yet comedic submissions beyond the prime queue).
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) gets the widest spotlight, assisted by its powerhouse co-cast of Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Glenn Strange and a vocal cameo by Vincent Price. However, Hold That Ghost (1941), bolstered by Richard Carlson and Norma Lind, was an invaluable warmup, which Burton and Jones are right to include.
After covering the Frankenstein groundbreaker, the authors proceed with A&B Meet the Invisible Man (1951), featuring Arthur Franz and William Frawley; A&B Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953), with Boris Karloff and Eddie Parker; and A&B Meet the Mummy (1955), with Marie Windsor and Parker. For a marginal insert, the Scooby-Doo-ish whodunit, A&B Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949), guest-starring the Andrew Sisters, is shoehorned in for menacing measure.
The authors also acknowledge Abbott and Costello's cinematic impact, through Night in the Tropics, Buck Privates and In the Navy. Without these box-office successes, it's unlikely the duo would have encountered The Frankenstein Monster, Dracula and The Wolfman, even if their star power had lulled a smidgeon prior to the historic rally.
As far as Classic Monsters of the Movies releases go, Burton and Jones' Abbott and Costello contribution is one of their best. For those who enjoy scares sprinkled with laughs, this special edition is a front-to-back pleaser.
Order at
https://www.classic-monsters.com/shop/product/abbott-and-costello-meet-the-classic-monsters-magazine/
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