Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

4 / 5 Oct '10
Tagline: It's a grand new Idea for FUN !
Directed by: Charles Barton
Written by: Robert Lees
Actors include: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Bela Lugosi
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Length: 83 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Now this is one heck of a Halloween movie, and a great introduction to Universal's monsters through comedy for youngsters and it's my introduction to the comedy team of Abbott & Costello. While I'm not enamored with them, they worked for this sort of slapstick. They primarily operate on the one sees a monster, the other doesn't believe it scenario which is cute even time after time after time. Abbott & Costello play delivery men delivering two crates containing Dracula (Bela Lugosi) and Frankenstein (not played by Karloff but still an excellent likeness). The Wolfman (played by Lon Chaney Jr.) is trying to incercept to prevent danger as he knows that Dracula & Frankenstein aren't exactly dead. In the castle they run into trouble as the monsters vanish, and although they don't really want to find them let's just say they pop up here and there. Nothing here to really frighten anyone though it does seem a tad darker than expected. It also really nails the whole atmospheric mood thing, very shadowy and cool. Anyone who loves the classic monsters should want to see this very fun outing, and it's very successful on every level.

Availability:  On DVD

The Raven (1935)

3.5 / 5 Mar '01
Tagline: While this mad surgical genius chanted "The Raven," horrible screams rose up from his torture chamber below!
Directed by: Lew Landers
Written by: David Boehm, Edgar Allan Poe
Actors include: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lester Matthews
Genre: Horror
Length: 61 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I think that calling this film "The Raven" was perhaps not the wisest choice as having read the poem I wasn't sure what they'd make a movie about. Having now seen the movie I know it has little to do with the poem aside from the fact that our lead character is obsessed with Poe and has a statue of a Raven. If anything it shares a lot more in common with The Pit and the Pendulum and various other mad scientist plots. At the time this really freaked out audiences because it does have a lot of disturbing material (if you aren't used to that sort of thing). The plot is about Dr. Vollin (Bela Lugosi) a brilliant yet sadistic scientist who loves Poe so very very much. After he's begged to help out a Dame who was in a car accident (silly women can't drive) and of course he ends up falling in love with her. She's got a fiancee and her Father disapproves of the idea of her being with Vollin. For some odd reason they (along with several others) accept an invitation to Vollin's house for a party sleepover. What they don't know is that Mr. Bateman (Boris Karloff) came to Vollin earlier to ask for a facial reconstruction (because he feels ugly) but instead to blackmail him into doing what he wants he disfigures him. Oh and did I mention that Dr. Vollin has a torture chamber and a house full of amazing technology? It's interesting, it definitely has some evil ideas and I like that, Bela is great as an evil madman and Karloff as the sympathetic monster (hmmm where have I seen that before?). The Women in this film are seriously annoying, I know the whole equality thing didn't come until much later but wowsa...dumb. Still worth watching but just don't expect much to do with The Raven. Oh and I should mention that the '50s film of the same name is completely unrelated to this film.

Availability:  On DVD as part of the Bela Lugosi Collection