What's up with the FRANKENSTEIN MEETS ABBOTT & COSTELLO DVD ?

[Mikey]

A friend of mine just loaned me Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein DVD and I noticed something weird .....

Universal did not make this DVD.

It's some kind of junkie company.

It has basically no extra's -- unless you count a lousy chapters section as an extra :)

The Universal titles are still in the movie credits ....

I just can't believe Universal would have another company release such a popular movie.

Did Universal let this movie slip into public domain ?

[cjefferys]

Hmmm, a few A&C films are PD, like "Africa Screams" and "A&C Meet Jack and the Beanstalk", but I've never heard of "..Meet Frankenstein" being public domain. What you've seen might just be an unauthorized release, it does happen, especially with older films.

[kryptosmaster]

Still a great movie though!
Rich

[kingdom warrior]

You sure it's not a bootleg? because Universal in Oct of 2008 did release the dvd as part of a box set The complete Universal films of Abbott and Costello

[MIB41]

You've definitely got a bootleg. Universal has complete rights to that film. Always will. Especially with product coming out in 2009 with the release of the Wolfman remake, Universal is more protective than ever of it's Universal Monster's copyrights.:yes:

[ThatBatmanGuy]

Nothing weird about it. It's a bootleg.

[Mikey]

I just checked out the DVD again.

It's a silver disc (not burned)

It has an FBI warning and it's made by Westlake Entertainment

They have a site --- but this title is not listed on it.

Westlake Entertainment - Celebrating Independent Films (http://www.westlakeent.com/)

m

[ThatBatmanGuy]

If it's anything by Westlake Entertainment, there is no doubt. It's a bootleg. They think every movie is in PD.


I just checked out the DVD again.

It's a silver disc (not burned)

It has an FBI warning and it's made by Westlake Entertainment

They have a site --- but this title is not listed on it.

Westlake Entertainment - Celebrating Independent Films (http://www.westlakeent.com/)

m

[Meule]

So how do they get away with this then? You would think Universal would have their lawyers all over this, no?

[kryptosmaster]

So how do they get away with this then? You would think Universal would have their lawyers all over this, no?

I would guess "Made in China".
The Chinese have no respect for anyone's properties and how hard do you think it would be for anyone to prosecute someone in that country when the government is probably involved or condoning it anyway?
Rich

[ThatBatmanGuy]

^^Well Westlake Entertainment had a buttload of their horror dvds pulled from the cheap Dollar Tree stores ago years ago during Halloween.

[cjefferys]

I just checked out the DVD again.

It's a silver disc (not burned)

It has an FBI warning and it's made by Westlake Entertainment

They have a site --- but this title is not listed on it.

Westlake Entertainment - Celebrating Independent Films (http://www.westlakeent.com/)

m


A lot of disc pressing plants in Asia do some "special order" pressings during their idle hours, so boots can be pressed discs as well as burned ones. And yeah, Westlake is well known for dubious releases. Gotta love them having FBI warnings for their unauthorized discs. :smiley1:

[Werewolf]

It's a bootleg.

Universal did officially release Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein on DVD under their Comedy Legends brand. Nice bonus features on the disc too.

It's also still in print.

Amazon.com: Abbott TV (http://www.amazon.com/Abbott-Costello-Meet-Frankenstein-Bud/dp/0783233582/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1238097784&sr=8-1)

[mego73]

It's a bootleg.

Universal did officially release Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein on DVD under their Comedy Legends brand. Nice bonus features on the disc too.

It's also still in print.

Amazon.com: Abbott TV (http://www.amazon.com/Abbott-Costello-Meet-Frankenstein-Bud/dp/0783233582/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1238097784&sr=8-1)

Universal has both a stand alone release for A and C Meet Frankenstein and also has it in a set of Abbott and Costello movies. Some A and C movies have slipped to the public domain but I don't think Frankenstein is one of them.

Still the PD company might think that they can slip this under the door or somehow believe that Universal can't legally assert exclusive copyright on it.

[Evel KMego]

Great movie. I have the box set.

[Earth 2 Chris]

My wife brought this home from the local library where she works. The boy and I watched it tonight. What a fun movie. And it really doesn't make the monsters look too bad. It's actually one of the better sequels, in my opinion.

This one was definitely Universal's copy as well.

CHris

[madmarva]

Love the movie. It's only the second time Lugosi played Dracula. He had a couple of other vampire roles after Dracula that were essentially the same, but A&C meet Frankie is his only official follow-up to the film that made him famous.

The mixture of the monsters and the comedy was just right.

It would have been great if they could have gotten Karloff in the film. He was in a couple of other "A&C meet" movies.

I thought the monsters actually fared better in this film than several of the sequels in the mid 1940s.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Love the movie. It's only the second time Lugosi played Dracula. He had a couple of other vampire roles after Dracula that were essentially the same, but A&C meet Frankie is his only official follow-up to the film that made him famous.

The mixture of the monsters and the comedy was just right.

It would have been great if they could have gotten Karloff in the film. He was in a couple of other "A&C meet" movies.

I thought the monsters actually fared better in this film than several of the sequels in the mid 1940s.

Yep. Agree all around. Lugosi did play Dracula on stage off and on for years, and was the original Dracula on Broadway years before the film. But it seems odd that he only officially played Drac twice. Why not get him instead of John Carradine?

Chris

[JPkempo]

I have the official universal DVD it has a few nice extras.
Lugosi was Drac and in one seen he was Frankenstein. The actor who was Frank whacked his head and knocked him self out so Lugosi said he would do it.

If you watch the Mummy you'll see Abbott and Costello keep screwing up and use their real names as well as there scripted names.

[AAAAA]

I have the official universal DVD it has a few nice extras.
Lugosi was Drac and in one seen he was Frankenstein. The actor who was Frank whacked his head and knocked him self out so Lugosi said he would do it.

If you watch the Mummy you'll see Abbott and Costello keep screwing up and use their real names as well as there scripted names.
I have a mag that explains the story, STRANGE who played Frank, Broke his leg, when he threw the female doctor at the sky light she Bounced off it and Strange try to catch her & trip on some cables on the floor and Broke his leg.
( you can see the cables on the floor in some sences) Lon chaney Jr. got in the make up and Did some shots. ,Strange came back for the end sences, On the pier you can see the cast painted Black on his leg.
Bella was more than happy to do a comedy, said his son who was on the set.Bella was also heavey drinking at this time.
He pretty much used up his clout at Unverisal & because of his thick Hungarian accsent roles became fewer and fewer.
the Sence where frank Punches threw the door ,Actuclly HIT lou in the face , But the professional that Lou was he rolled with the punches. the movie also boast the First on screen Man to bat tranformation using animation inbetween.and Vincent Price as uncredit Invisiable man was great.
its a great movie and only Lou & and Bud could pull it off.

[mego73]

I have a mag that explains the story, STRANGE who played Frank, Broke his leg, when he threw the female doctor at the sky light she Bounced off it and Strange try to catch her & trip on some cables on the floor and Broke his leg.
( you can see the cables on the floor in some sences) Lon chaney Jr. got in the make up and Did some shots. ,Strange came back for the end sences, On the pier you can see the cast painted Black on his leg.
Bella was more than happy to do a comedy, said his son who was on the set.Bella was also heavey drinking at this time.
He pretty much used up his clout at Unverisal & because of his thick Hungarian accsent roles became fewer and fewer.
the Sence where frank Punches threw the door ,Actuclly HIT lou in the face , But the professional that Lou was he rolled with the punches. the movie also boast the First on screen Man to bat tranformation using animation inbetween.and Vincent Price as uncredit Invisiable man was great.
its a great movie and only Lou & and Bud could pull it off.

Yeah, except I thought it was Lon Chaney who stood in for Strange as Frankenstein in that one scene.

[AAAAA]

Yeah, except I thought it was Lon Chaney who stood in for Strange as Frankenstein in that one scene.
Which scene?
, part of the pier? some of it was Chaney some of it was Strange.

[kingdom warrior]

The movie also boast the First on screen Man to bat tranformation using animation in between Walter Lantz of Woody Woodpecker fame did that animation....I love this movie and never ever get tired of watching it.....

[Earth 2 Chris]

That animation actually worked pretty well. Seems like Hollywood was really toying with using animation for optical FX at the time. This worked far better than Kirk Alyn turning into a cartoon Superman every time he flew!

I didn't know about Chaney playing Frankie in this. Did he play the monster in another movie? I seem to recall he did, but I can't seem to place it. I know he played Son of Dracula and the Mummy at one point.

Speaking of which, in "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", did anyone fill in for Lugosi as the Monster? In a couple of scenes (particularly when Chaney finds him on ice) it looks like someone else in the makeup. Maybe Strange?

Chris

[The Toyroom]

I didn't know about Chaney playing Frankie in this. Did he play the monster in another movie? I seem to recall he did, but I can't seem to place it. I know he played Son of Dracula and the Mummy at one point.


Chaney was the Monster in "Ghost of Frankenstein". His co-star was Evelyn Ankers, who also starred with him in "The Wolfman" and "Son of Dracula".

[The Toyroom]

Speaking of which, in "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", did anyone fill in for Lugosi as the Monster? In a couple of scenes (particularly when Chaney finds him on ice) it looks like someone else in the makeup. Maybe Strange?

Yup....Lugosi wasn't in that great of shape at that point so a stuntman filled in for the Monster's opening scene in the block of ice. And several stuntmen worked as The Monster in portions of the big fight between him and the Wolfman.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Thanks Anthony!

So did everyone at Universal play the monster at some point, or what?

One tidbit about Frankenstein actors I'm sure most of you know, but I often forget: Glenn Strange played Butch Cavendish in the early episodes of the classic Clayton Moore Lone Ranger series!


Chris

[The Toyroom]

So did everyone at Universal play the monster at some point, or what?

I find it interesting that the Monster went through several players, as did Dracula and the Mummy. The only one that had a consistent actor was the Larry Talbot version of The Wolfman (Lon Chaney Jr.)

[shellhead]

Lugosi's stunt double in Frankie meets Wolfie was a big guy named Gil Perkins.
Lugosi mostly did the close-up scenes.

[knight errant00]

One tidbit about Frankenstein actors I'm sure most of you know, but I often forget: Glenn Strange played Butch Cavendish in the early episodes of the classic Clayton Moore Lone Ranger series!

I just watched this one with my daughter and noticed that . . . going one step further, I also noticed in those first episodes that the LR's brother Dan is played by Tristram Coffin, who was Rocket Man in the "King of the Rocket Men" serial!

[Earth 2 Chris]

I watched this again last night, and my son noticed how different the Wolfman looked in this one. He didn't like it as well as the classic Jack Pierce makeup, but I thought he actually looked more threatening in this one. I know Bud Westmore took over here, using foam rubber latex instead of the old build-up process Pierece used.

I'm dressing as Dracula tonight, so I'll be sure to talk like Lugosi all night and drive my family nuts.

Chris

[Meule]

I'm dressing as Dracula tonight, so I'll be sure to talk like Lugosi all night and drive my family nuts.

Chris

Be sure to take pics :wink_y:

[Earth 2 Chris]

Will do, but my Dracula is going to be more a thrown-together affair. The real star is my son Andrew, who has already been the Wolfman twice now, for a party and for school. We ripped up some old clothes and put some tufts of fur coming out of the knees, elbows, etc, and used the standard Wal-Mart makeup kit, but he looks really good if I say so myself. And all of those Universal movies he's watched have taught him how to act the part. Lon Chaney Jr. would be proud!

Chris