5 Abbott And Costello Films To Enjoy on Halloween (or just for laughs/chills)
I started watching every Sunday at about age 9. We had 2 stations that broadcast an Abbott and Costello film every Sunday after cartoons. One was Channel 17 in Philadelphia and a half hour later a different Abbott and Costello film would run one on Channel 11 out of NYC. Abbott and Costello films still make me feel like I’m 11…there’s school tomorrow and mom and dad could solve every problem in the world.
For the films I did not include like Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy…I apologize because I know millions of fans love those films. I picked these 5 because they have aspects of the horror genre, they work as comedies and quite frankly the intrinsic plots and acting performances are quite brilliant. I hope to hear feedback from other true Abbott and Costello fans like myself.
Anyway here’s my list of the best Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Films to watch for Halloween.
5. The Time Of The Lives
Bud and Lou had almost completely broken up as a team when this was released and they barely share the screen at all. This would have worked as a Lou Costello solo film. Not very scary but one of my favorite ghost stories. While it may not scare you…it will hit you with other complex emotions and laugher.
One of my favorite films all time and displays creatively smart story telling.
FYI: The séance scene is …well...watch the film.
4. Abbott and Costello Meet The Invisible
Until the recent 2020 Invisible Man film …this was my favorite take on the aspect of The Invisible Man. Again a pretty smart film with quite a bit of comedy.
3. Hold That Ghost
This film has everything chills, laughs and The Andrew Sisters performing Aurora. Worth the watching just for “The Baseball Story.” (Not to be confused with “Who’s On First”) Warning: It drags in some places and never gets out of its own way.
2. Who Done It?
MURDER AT MIDNIGHT. Who killed Colonel Andrews?
I could and maybe one day write an entire article of why this is a wonderful film.
This film is so great it took The Wolfman, Dracula and FRANKENSTEIN to knock this film out of the top spot on this list.
As a comedy you don’t stop laughing, as a thriller you never stop being on edge (and wondering who will die next) and as a mystery you never stop guessing WHO DONE IT …AND THERE’S A LOVE STORY. This may be my favorite film about radio.
1. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
This was the official/unofficial last film for “The Universal” Monsters.
Personally, I have been very inspired by this film. The laughs come so fast that you almost forget the danger is real…don’t worry Bela Lugosi as Dracula brings you back to reality. This is a film that I have seen more than 20 times and it thrills but never scares me…and while I was never sincere enough to meet The Great Pumpkin…Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein continues to make my Halloween Shiny and Bright.
Raymond Tyler produces and hosts The Arts and Media Think Tank radio show, Friday Evenings at 6pm on FM 106.5 WPPM. Every Monday at 8pm he hosts a zoom meeting for sci-fi die nerds called The Secret Society of Fiction and Science. You can also find his group by that name on Facebook.