ALL SCI-FI Forum Index ALL SCI-FI
The place to “find your people”.
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    ALL SCI-FI Forum Index -> Sci-Fi Movies and Serials from 1900 to 1949
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)


Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17016
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I understand, but I didn't want to lose the "Dracula" look by making him too hairy. And the face in the painting is so well done I just couldn't paint over it with a bunch of hair! Sad

So, I decided to go with a kind of "Werewolf of London" look, rather than a Lon Chaney "Wolf Man" look. (I've always preferred to the former to the latter, anyway.






_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gord Green
Galactic Ambassador


Joined: 06 Oct 2014
Posts: 2940
Location: Buffalo, NY

PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OH, I think you did a great job! The "widows peak" hairline really helped, but I think he needs a bit of facial hair. Not too much....Just a SUGGESTION!
_________________
There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)


Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17016
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I tired doing that yesterday, but it just made his face look dirty. And I tried thickening the eyebrows to resemble the Henry Hull werewolf, but I wasn't happy with the results, so I left them alone.

However, I did add a significant amount of facial hair and eyebrows to the Invisible Werewolf/Vampire.

What do you think of the results? Did I overdo it! Shocked



_______
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gord Green
Galactic Ambassador


Joined: 06 Oct 2014
Posts: 2940
Location: Buffalo, NY

PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think you did a FANTASTIC job Bud!

My comment was not to critisize, just to make a suggestion for another possible image.

The "Invisable Were-vampire" image was spot on!

_________________
There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)


Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17016
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Much obliged, sir. I really did try to add facial hair after you suggested it, but it just didn't look right, so I abandoned the effort.

By the way, I hope you'll join the Wednesday chat tomorrow. We had a record crowd on Saturday — with YOU the only regular member missing! Sad

_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Krel
Guest





PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I watched this tonight, and I found it interesting that the island and castle were done as models,and not as a matte painting.

Something I never thought of before. I wonder if McDougal is now a werewolf after being attacked and bitten by Talbot. On full moons he could be his own star attraction.

David.
Back to top
Pow
Galactic Ambassador


Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3400
Location: New York

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Other comedy/horror movies with scary castles: The wonderful Ghost Breakers with Bob Hope & Paulette Goddard.

Scared Stiff with Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, which is a remake of Ghost Breakers. I believe that Paramount Studios retained the same awesome looking castle interior sets from Ghost Breakers.
Not a fan of Martin & Lewis, so I rarely catch this one.

Francis in the Haunted House. Last Francis the Talking Mule movie. The Francis films had all starred Donald O'Connor up until this fun spooky finale where Mickey Rooney took over.
I think the talented Mr. O'Connor was happy not to do this last Francis movie as he felt he was being upstaged by the talking mule gimmick.

I don't blame him, he really was a gifted performer who deserved better than this. Mickey took the role as his once huge career was floundering as he grew older. Again, a shame as Rooney really was an immense talent.

The title for this Francis movie is a misnomer because it is a haunted castle and not a haunted house.

The castle exterior here was one that Universal Studios had on their back lot for years. Pops up in a number of their films. The Black Shield of Falworth with Tony Curtis shows a lot of the castle set throughout that movie if you want to get a good gander of it.

No idea if it is still standing there on the studio back lot. Rather doubt it as few period piece movies involving castles are produced anymore. Probably fell to the same fate as all those back lot western town replicas at the various Hollywood studios.

Once the westerns fell out of popularity (but never with me) a number of those studios sadly razed their western streets.

Universal still retains theirs. They can transform it into either a western town or a small modern day town when needed.

I believe that Disney's Golden Oaks acreage property outside of L.A. also retains a permanent western town.

I think Paramount might have had a western town replica out in country away from L.A. too. Used in various westerns like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Women for many seasons.

Last I knew it was being extensively utilized for the West World TV sci-fi series but it was a victim of those tragic California wildfires.

Can't recall if the movie Munsters, Go Home! had the monstrous family inherit a haunted mansion or castle?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)


Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17016
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Holy Humphrey Bogart and all his little gangsters! What a wealth of fascinatin' info. Shocked

As always, I stand in awe of your expertise on all things cinematic. Your comment is yet another example of how you often present me with the answer to questions I hadn't even thought of yet! Very Happy

What I mean is, it never occurred to me to wonder about the Hollywood history of haunted houses (yes, I love alliteration . . . ), nor the answer to the question, "Where have all the Western towns gone?" Confused

And yet those subjects are definitely interesting to me, and I'm grateful for both the research you did and the presentation of your results.

Look for Featured Threads by you all next week! Wink

_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sun Oct 24, 2021 1:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pow
Galactic Ambassador


Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3400
Location: New York

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 10:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So glad you enjoy the trivia, Bud, and I hope the other members as well. Always fun for me to post it for all of you.

And yes, after checking good ole' Youtube last night, Munsters Go Home does have Herman inheriting a castle.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)


Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17016
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
So glad you enjoy the trivia, Bud, and I hope the other members as well.

We do indeed, sir! In fact, I consider All Sci-Fi's members to be students at The Pow Institute of Hollywood History.

It's an online remote learning program dedicated to raising awareness in the field of cinematic art!

Perhaps we'll have a virtual graduation ceremony in a few months, and use these in place of caps and gowns. Cool




_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pow
Galactic Ambassador


Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3400
Location: New York

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love it!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)


Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17016
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Great! Because I spent a few hours this afternoon crafting the posts for next week's Featured Threads, and I couldn't be more pleased with the results!

I think you will be too. Very Happy

_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pow
Galactic Ambassador


Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3400
Location: New York

PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A review from the website Scared Silly: Classic Hollywood Horror-Comedies which gives this movie 4 stars out of 4.

SS: The movies' status as both the ultimate horror-comedy and a classic comedy in general is both deserved and set in stone.

SS: Lou Costello being scared silly in any of the legendary comedy duo's movies has always garnered big belly laughs for an audience.

SS: The old term of catching lightning in a bottle can easily be applied to this film.

SS: The screenplay is one of the best conceived ever. The construction is iron-clad---everything happens for a reason, time passes in a believable manner, and any exposition used to convey information is appropriate.

SS: The supporting cast are all excellent. Lon Chaney Jr., returning as Larry Talbot AKA the Wolfman for the fifth time in a movie gave the film a definite shot of legitimacy within the Universal Studios Horror-Monsters world.

SS: It is Talbot that manages to bring in heart and pathos for the tragic Talbot to play off of the laughs and thrills.

SS: Bud Abbott is also a key factor to be admired. His acerbic nature and dismissive agitation make Lou's fear all the more funny.
Abbott is the special sauce that elevates the film from savory snack to exquisite entree.

Sidebar: A rousing review that I mostly agree with here. I would disagree that the screenplay is "iron-clad" as the Scared Silly site claims.
Here, on All Sci~Fi, a number of us have posted inconsistencies within the interior logic of the script. None of them really derail or detract from the overall fun of this film though.

Sidebar: I would also have to add that Scared Silly really should have praised the marvelous production values throughout this movie. From the astounding makeups for Count Dracula, the Wolfman, and the Frankenstein Monster; to the lavish looking island castle sets, and awesome animation scenes, this film looks first class all the way. And credit, lots of credit, has to go to the crew for all this considering that the film was the second least budgeted movie by Universal that year.
The crew made a gala fourth of July fireworks show out of being handed sparklers.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pow
Galactic Ambassador


Joined: 27 Sep 2014
Posts: 3400
Location: New York

PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Universal Studios MONSTERS: A Legacy in Horror by Michael Mallory.

For most of the 1940s, Hollywood's biggest attractions were not virile, toothy leading men, nor glamorous leading ladies, nor even monsters.

The Kings of Hollywood for wartime audiences were a fast-talking slicker named Bud Abbott and a baby-faced clown named Lou Costello.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were already experienced burlesque performers in 1936 when they decided to team up.

They quickly moved out of burlesque and into nightclubs and radio, and even onto the Broadway stage, conquering all these mediums.

Arriving at Universal City in 1940, Abbott and Costello rapidly became a hit when they starred in supporting roles in their very first film, a romantic comedy, One Night in the Tropics. They were the leads in their very next film, Buck Privates (1941), a blockbuster at the time.

Universal started churning out Abbott and Costello movies on an assembly line with the comedic duo making three films a year at times. A joke in the film capitol said, "It's slow in Hollywood...Abbott and Costello haven't made a picture all day."

As bright as their stars shone, by the war's end they were in danger of burning out through overexposure and changing public tastes. Then in 1948 Universal-International hit on the idea of teaming the pair with its classic monsters, who had themselves been on hiatus for years, and everything changed.

Directed by Charles T. Barton and shot by Charles Van Enger, who had filmed the original The Phantom of the Opera, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein revitalized the careers of the comedy team, and reminded audiences that the classic monsters were still viable.

By the time Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, and Glenn Strange reported back for duty in Universal's makeup room, the legendary Jack P. Pierce was gone, having been replaced by Hamilton "Bud" Westmore, a scion of the movie capitol's first family of makeup. From the 1930s through the 1950s, just about every major studio had a Westmore brother on staff.

Bud Westmore and his assistant Jack Kevan instituted more modern techniques using foam rubber appliances, which saved hours in makeup preparation.

The success of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein convinced Universal that it was onto something, so they looked around for more potential meetings with monsters.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Phantom
Solar Explorer


Joined: 06 Sep 2015
Posts: 67

PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Abbott and Costello movies in the forties were slickly produced, mildly amusing b-films with forgettable musical numbers by the romantic leads stuffed between the comedy routines.

As mentioned, Costello detested the script, only warming up to it after the picture became Universal's biggest hit of the year. For the next eight years, the studio milked the combination of laughs and chills until there were no more laughs and chills in the bag, ending the series with A&C Meet the Mummy (a notch below Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, mostly because of the presence of Boris Karlof).

Today, Meet Frankenstein is the go-to favorite of their fans and their only genuine classic movie.

There are two filmed versions on YouTube of their signature comedy sketch, "Who's on First" (the greatest comedy routine of all time), one from The Naughty Nineties (1945) and the longer (definitive) version from their 1950's television show.

Harvey Korman and Buddy Hackett portrayed the boys in a terrible 1978 tv movie, Bud and Lou. Hackett would seem to have been a great choice as Costello, but he was defeated by the script and b-level production. Korman was totally miscast. Their rendition of "Who's on First" is dreadful and shows how lucky we are that the original was committed to film.

_________________
What Is Essential Is Invisible
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    ALL SCI-FI Forum Index -> Sci-Fi Movies and Serials from 1900 to 1949 All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
Page 5 of 6

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group