Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) dir. Charles Barton, Universal Pictures
This is it, both the last Universal film of the year and the last official film to feature Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the Wolf Man; also the first to feature Abbot and Costello teaming up with monsters.
Chick Young (Bud Abbot) and Wilbur Gray (Lou Costello) are baggage clerks in Florida. Wilbur gets a call from a man claiming to be Mr. McDougal (Lon Chaney, Jr.) who begs him about some crates that were to be shipped to a House of Horrors. Sadly this isn't the real McDougal (Frank Ferguson) who arrives in a foul mood and wants his crates unloaded now.
The fake McDougal begs Wilbur to listen to him, but sadly it's a full moon and the stranger is actually Lawrence Talbot...
Some slapstick and Wilbur; after being comforted by his girlfriend Dr. Sandra Mornay (Lenore Aubert), and Chick are tasked to unload the crates at the House of Horrors that night. Sandra is concerned, although her concern seems to be more about Wilbur's head that anything else.
The crates are unloaded and what a find! McDougal found the corpse of none other than Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi) and the remains of the Frankenstein Monster (Glen Strange). Wilbur freaks out and wants to leave; and since the two in the crates are very much alive and moving he's not wrong, where as Chick only sees some sideshow hokum.
When Chick, McDougal, and insurance agent Joan Raymond (Jane Randolph) arrive, the crates are empty and soon both boys are spending the night in the slammer. They get bailed out, but by Joan rather than Sandra. Joan does so as she thinks she can get the boys to lead her to the exhibits. She also pretends to fall for Wilbur, an act that Chick has a hard time believing. Wilbur invites her to a masked ball being held that night too.
Larry Talbot arrives as well, informing the boys he's been hunting Dracula for a while. When Chick and Wilbur arrive at Sandra's castle, Chick gets the idea to go hunting for the missing monsters. He doesn't believe Wilbur or Talbot, however but rather to prove to Wilbur that monsters are make-believe.
At the ball they meet an elegant fellow from the Continent, Dr. Lejos, i.e. Dracula. Talbot arrives at the ball, but since the moon is full he doesn't get much of a chance to help the boys.
Soon three monsters are running amuck. Can Wilbur and Chick survive the night? And what about Wilbur's brain?
Not the worst way to end a series; after House of Dracula I suppose anything would have been a step up. Talbot's back to being a werewolf but here all three monsters get a send off in one way or another. Monsters would continue at Universal's house of horror but after this it would sporadic at best.
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