Evan Garcia and Kevin Schaeffer dive into the delightful chaos of the 1948 classic, "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein," where monster mayhem meets comedic genius. Right off the bat, they explore how this film uniquely mashes up iconic horror figures like Dracula and Frankenstein with the hilarity of the legendary duo. As they unravel the antics of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, they reflect on the film's legacy, the sharp wit in the dialogue, and the slapstick comedy that keeps audiences chuckling even decades later. The guys share their favorite moments and character interactions, all while basking in the nostalgic glow of this Halloween staple. So grab your popcorn, settle into your favorite drive-in chair, and join them for a spooky season ride that’s equal parts giggles and ghoulish fun!

Evan Garcia and Kevin Schaeffer dive into the delightful chaos of the classic 1948 film, "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." With a blend of slapstick comedy and horror, the duo navigates the mishaps of Abbott and Costello, the iconic comedic pair, as they unwittingly become entangled with some of cinema's most famous monsters. The film's premise revolves around the hapless baggage handlers who get caught up in a plot involving Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman, leading to a series of uproarious misunderstandings and classic one-liners that have stood the test of time.

Throughout their discussion, Evan and Kevin revel in the absurdity of the film's premise, pointing out how Abbott and Costello's comedic timing perfectly complements the horror elements, creating a unique cinematic experience. They dissect memorable scenes, including the iconic moment when Larry Talbot, aka the Wolfman, frantically tries to warn the duo of the impending monster mayhem. Their light-hearted banter highlights the film's ability to blend genres seamlessly, making it a must-watch for fans of both comedy and horror. As they reminisce about their own experiences with the film, they invite listeners to imagine the thrill of watching it in a crowded drive-in theater, where laughter and screams intertwine in a joyous celebration of Halloween.

Takeaways:

• Evan and Kevin dive into the delightful chaos of 'Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein', blending humor and horror seamlessly.
• The film showcases Abbott and Costello's comedic genius, with clever banter that keeps audiences laughing throughout.
• Listeners learn about the film's cultural significance, being preserved in the National Film Registry for its historic value.
• The duo emphasizes the importance of visual comedy, highlighting how physical humor enhances the film's charm and appeal.
• Evan shares a personal connection to the film, recalling childhood memories from a field trip that sparked his interest in classic monsters.
• The episode explores the film's legacy, comparing it to modern horror comedies and how it paved the way for future cinematic mashups.

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You can check out show merch, leave a donation, or become a member of Systematic Geekology on our website:

https://systematic-geekology-shop.fourthwall.com/

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Listen to all of our 2026 Halloween Drive-In:

https://player.captivate.fm/collection/ad0d15c1-0abc-490d-b33a-7330a301fbe0

.

Don't miss any of Evan's episode:

https://player.captivate.fm/collection/db75189a-04f3-4129-9a5d-ade41cf863b5

.

Check out other episodes with Kevin:

https://player.captivate.fm/collection/84fd7d06-cf1f-48e5-b358-09a01c5a6bc9

Mentioned in this episode:

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Our show focuses around our favorite fandoms that we discuss from a Christian perspective. We do not try to put Jesus into all our favorite stories, but rather we try to ask the questions the IPs are asking, then addressing those questions from our perspective. We are not all ordained, but we are the Priests to the Geeks, in the sense that we try to serve as mediators between the cultures around our favorite fandoms and our faith communities.

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SG on Fourthwall

What is so funny about Frankenstein and Dracula? This is systematic ecology. We are the priest of the geeks.

I am one of your geekologists, Kevin Schaefer. And I am here with my, one of my favorite geekologists around this spooky season, Evan Garcia. Evan, how are you today?

I am doing batastic today. Thanks, Kevin. Good to be here.

I love it. Yeah. You, you've been bitten by a vampire recently. Okay.

God, well, I'm, I'm, I'm glad you're here and you know, and you know, not, not sucking my blood right now. So that's. Yeah, that's always a plus. Yeah.

I haven't went out into the sun yet, so. So I'm not sure if I'm the kind of sparkles or not. So.

And I don't know, I mean the, the sun's down, but I haven't turned into werewolf yet. So, you know, we'll see what happen. We'll see what happens in this episode. But. But yes.

So for listeners out there, we are doing an episode from our Drive in Halloween edition. So this is a series where we've done the Drive in series for different categories before.

And this is where we look at a specific movie as if we're in a drive in theater and we're just coming out of it and we just talk about the movie and our reactions to it. And since it's spooky season, my favorite time of the year, Halloween. Coming up, we are doing Halloween oriented movies.

And so today we have a very exciting pick.

And if you want to find out more about this series as a whole, you can click on the show notes in the description and that will give you a link to the whole series. So you check out more of these episodes and you can also check out our other drive ins from previous years and earlier this year as well.

So these ones are a lot of fun and I'm really excited to get to this one today. So.

So yeah, Evan, before we get into kind of details about the movie, you want to tell us a little bit because you actually just finished watching this, want to tell a little bit about what it, what it's about and kind of. And we'll get into Our reactions then.

And they had, like you said, the. Some of the classic monsters, and they included a lot of the original. Those actors that played them that we're all familiar with.

They are working for shipping company and they are shipping this. This valuable crates, several crates. And the. And the owner of these crates and the location that they're supposed to send them to is kind of sketchy.

And they send them to the house, they drop everything off, and then it turns out those crates held our favorite monsters. And then hilarity ensues from there.

I love it. And, well, and it's a. It's a really great intro too, because at the beginning, so, yeah, they're. They're baggage handlers. It's in Florida. Yeah. And.

But the.

The man that calls them, it calls the station where they work at at the very beginning, Larry Talbot, he's making a phone call warning them about the shipment that's coming in. And we found out he's actually the Wolfman. And so, like, Right. Eyes launches with just a great comedic intro.

And like you said, this was at the height of the Abbott of Costello fame. They were an iconic comedic duo.

You know, Bud Abbott being sort of the straight man, Lou Costello being the very goofy slapstick, you know, antithesis to Abbott's Persona. And so that's why they mash so well together.

And this movie, it was directed by Charles Barton, written by Robert Lees, Frederick Ronaldo and John Grant, produced by Robert Arthur, music by Frank Skinner. I loved the. The soundtrack, the. The score here he was at. Frank Skinner actually composed a lot of those monster movies as well. That's what.

You know, we'll get into this as far as the DNA of how it merges the Abbot of Castello comedy with the classic monster universe. And so in addition to starring A.B. costello, it stars Lon Chaney Jr. Bella Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenor Albert and Jane Randolph. So, yeah, it's.

That, I think, is what I like most about this movie is how it. And it was the first of these comedy horror films in the Abbot and Costello universe.

So they did other sequels to this after a fun fact too, is that the original title was the Brain of Frankenstein. And apparently both Abbott and Costello were very unhappy with the original script and they were quite unenthusiastic throughout this project.

It was, it was really interesting because like you said, they were, you know, so iconic at the time, had made some of those successful movies and know, had their duo was so synonymous, you know, with just mainstream entertainment. And, you know, it was really interesting that they were not a fan of this production. They said the director said they were hard to work with.

It was definitely in that month, but they have not been able, just different records have not been able to pin down the exact date that it had its theatrical premiere, which I find really interesting too.

But, yeah, but I, yeah, I think that was the really, the core aspect of this movie is the merging of that classic horror monster universe and putting them with Abbott Costello.

To me, it would be like if today Steve Martin and Martin short were put in a movie with Freddy Krueger and Jason and Michael Myers, which now that I say that I want to, I want to see that movie. Right? Yeah, but that's kind of how it started. And so many murders at camp. Yes, yes. Hey, I, I, I hope Hulu is listening right now.

Yeah, we need to make this happen. But yeah, I love it. So. Yeah, but Evan, where. What were some of your favorite parts of this movie? If you're, you're coming out of the drive in.

Yeah. Yeah. So if I'm coming out of the. I will first I need to go get a Slurpee first because I like Slurpee theft movies.

And then, and then, and then I would just. The Castello beats, man. His little. It's just so classic.

And just because so much of the times and to, and to mix that with the, with they're kind of a plot line of like trying to swap his brains and stuff.

Kind of reminded me of the part in Monsters Inc. Where they captured Mike Wazowski and they were going to take his laughter out or something like that. And then. Yeah, and then Mike was just being kind of silly and stuff.

But, but this was a fun time and, and this was a bucket list movie for me because I vividly remember going on my fifth grade field trip to Universal Studios and the makeup show had a big poster with Abbott and Costello and, and, and all the monsters from this film. And I was like, oh, I want to see that. I got to see that movie. And I finally saw it today.

So that's really interesting because I, you know, I like, this was also one I had not seen before. I mean, of course, I know Bad Apple, Costello, the costume. It's funny.

I had it too, because this movie in particular was a big influence on one of my absolute Halloween favorites, and that is the Monster Squad.

Oh, sure.

Oh yeah. Because that also, you know, it paired the classic monsters together. It was a horror comedy. I love that movie.

And, and you know, this again, references it a ton. It references this movie a ton. And it, it has that very much that aesthetic and that, you know, tone to it.

So it's funny that I had never seen it before, but I am so glad I did because it was a blast of time and, and I think this is a, like, talk about a perfect drive in theater movie. If I was coming out of a drive in and seeing this for the first time, I think I, I would just have a blast doing it, you know, I mean, this was.

It's just that it's got that old school campy aesthetic. I love, you know, black and white movies that, and like this that combine several genres together.

But it would just be so much fun to see, you know, with a crowd. And I think if I had a snack with me, you know, this is gonna be, I think, some classic candy here.

So, you know, some M M's and, and a Coke and some popcorn. All the, you know, all. All. Exactly. Oh yes, exactly.

All the classics here because it, this just kind of takes you back and it, it is relentlessly delightful.

The, the transfer on, to be clear.

Yeah.

I was impressed because, because I'm used to seeing these films in their, like, in their grainy state. But this was very nice, very clear.

It really does. It looks great whether you're watching out there. You ran it on prime or whatever. No, I, I also got really good quality, so that was great.

And yeah, I. So I wrote down some of my favorite exchanges here. So first one is like Chick and Larry and Wilbur talking.

Chick and Wil Wilbur are Abbott and A. Castella's characters, respectively. So Chick says, what's the matter? And Larry says, I know you'll think I'm crazy, but in a half an hour the moon will rise and I'll turn into a wolf.

And Wilbur Sundays, you and 20 million other guys.

There were so many great little one.

Liners, man, there were there another one. Wil from Wilbur Is okay, you could have Sandra, but make sure to get you. You get plenty of bandages. And then.

And then also this one, granted, a little outdated.

I'm not gonna, like, say that this isn't sexist, and I did, but this exchange here, I also, you know, I was just like, you know, part of it is the delivery here, but. But this is another exchange between chicken. Wilbur and Chick says, you know the old saying, everything comes in threes.

Now, suppose a third girl should fall in love with you. What's her name? We'll say her name is Mary. Is she pretty? Beautiful? Naturally, she'd have to be.

Now, you have Mary, you have Joan, and you have Sandra. So to prove it to you that I'm your pal, your buzzing friend, I'll take one of the girls off your hands. Chick. What? You're what? I call you a real pal.

You take Mary.

All right.

And it's just. I can't do the delivery like they do, but it is just that perfect, like, synchronization of their styles and, you know, in with the dialogue.

So there plenty of moments like that. And also, I think, you know, the action and the horror elements, you know, it is really funny. But there are some great, you know, sequences too.

You know, I. I think one of my favorites is when they first encounter Dracula coming out of, you know, of the case. Of the case and, like. And Abbott doesn't believe he's there because he keeps himself. Every time Abbott comes out, it's.

That was so good.

This is, you know, one of my things that I love about Edgar Wright so much is his attention to detail when it comes to visual comedy. Because I think a lot of comedies today, and, you know, in.

I'd say, you know, a lot of American ones and in 21st century, they're so focused on just writing good jokes and stuff, and that is certainly important. But when you're making a comedy that is a movie, it has to be visual. And this is something that gets that very much. It has the slapstick there.

And I really love Bela Lugosi's performance here because, like, all of the actors that played the classic monsters that were in this movie, they could have easily come in and do a pay.

Done a paycheck performance, but they really commit themselves and they understand the tone of the movie and the physicality it requires and the physical and visual comedy. So I love that scene, you know, the way he keeps dodging Abbott, but he's there, you know, moving the candle and freaking out Wilbur.

All of those nuances in the way that's played out just from a choreography.

Standpoint, the one that got me. And I was like, why am I laughing? But it was so perfect when. When I think when. When. So Wilbur Cubs, Frankenstein's monster, Junior.

So when Junior is coming over, Wilbur puts his hand on his face to. To. To block his face from seeing him. But then there's a little beat where he squishes his little pinky in to make sure that he.

That he will cover his entire face. And I just thought that was hilarious. It just a little. Little tiny little beat. It was perfect.

It was great. It's just those little moments like that. That you are. Because sometimes. Yeah. You're watching, you know, like, okay, this is a comedy from the 40s.

Is it going to be as funny today as now? And there are some moments that are just laugh out loud and it. And again. And I think that's what made A.B.

castello so iconic and why they're still referenced today, you know, is because, like I said, it was the straight man and the, you know, goofy juxtaposition that made them work so well together. And you see that in other comedic duos today. And you see it in car.

I mean, I was, you know, I'm watching Peacemaker and watching the podcast that James Gunn hosts. You know, he talks about the characters in that show, which one's an Abbott and which one's a Castello, when they enter the scene together.

So, like, is the Abbot, and then, you know, sometimes Edo Bio is the Castello.

Yeah.

And it's great. And that's, you know, they. That's where they're, you know, the foundation of their comedy. It has such a lasting legacy, and it's very apparent here.

So I love all that. I love. Yeah. I'm think. Do you have any other favorite moments? I. I had to. Oh, one of my other favorite moments, I. It's. Why.

Because you were finishing the movie right before we started recording. And I was like, yes, stay till the end. Because one of my favorite moments.

Perfect.

Yes. They. So they do a cameo at the very end with the Invisible man. And. Yeah. And.

And it just sets it up because it's delivered also in a very comedic tone. But it's like this.

You know, I think one of the most fascinating things about this era of the whole monster movies here is they were building their own cinematic universe long before that was. Right. Right. Like, they had. I mean, they had this. You know, these were very popular characters in mainstream horror movies. And. Yeah.

And to. To. To elaborate on that point, the special Effects, they were impressive for the time. Like the whole lightning and that and that effect of the.

A floating, the. The off floating cigarette from the like invisible man.

Yeah, I was impressed because you, you could tell that they took the time to do the mats and stuff like that.

Yes, yeah, absolutely. Because I have seen plenty of cheesy sci fi and horror movies from like 40s and 50s. I love them, but they're.

I mean, it's laughable watching some of them because you can see the strings like on people when they're. You're supposed to be flying and you know, all these effects that look absolutely terrible. Yeah, absolutely.

This one is really quite good and it holds up and you know, even like. Yeah, it sells it. You know, there's some good action sequences.

There's just the aesthetic of the castle here, the costumes, like all of those, like you said, it's really dedication and it holds up well, you know, decades later. I love it. And it. Well, out of the monsters in this movie specifically, do you have a favorite?

Because obviously we love all Abbott and Costello, but, but out of Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, do you have a favorite or Sandra too, like any of the other characters, do you have a favorite from this film? Yeah.

Okay. I would say Dracula because he had, he was the most. He, he was like, he, he was one of the characters. He was a part of the cast also.

So, so he led the most. Him and what was her name? Sandra.

Sandra, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

That whole thing that he's had with her.

Yeah, no, absolutely. Dracula will always be my favorite. But I really love the Wolfman in this movie and it like it had to end.

This is another, you know, looking at movies that this certainly had an influence on years later. One of my all time favorites, all time Halloween favorites I watched every year, all time favorite horror comedies is An American Werewolf in London.

Oh, sure, yeah, absolutely. And, and I can see a lot of the DNA of that movie here, you know, and, and particularly with the wolfman story and the comedic element.

But again, I just love how it opens with him calling and that's when he transforms into like, you know, he's trying to send the warning about the package going. And then you find, oh, this is the wolf man. And you know, he's like, I'm, you know, and what they. Yes.

Can you stop growling over the phone?

Oh, that was awesome. That was just like. It was.

And I love too when you have this, all this absurdity going on, but the actors take it so seriously and their characters are. And that's what makes it even funnier?

So in all of those interactions between Costello and the Wolfman and you know, there's this self seriousness that makes it even more charming and hilarious. Yeah, so I love all that. Like, do you have any other. Either favorite scenes, favorite moments?

Yeah, yeah, the, the. I forgot what part, but he calls they. They split up to finding a way out to find the way out to the castle and, and, and a Wilbur. He, he. He finds a.

They dock towards the water and then he just calls it a broom closet.

Yes. Yes. Oh, that was great.

Just that, like a cold timey like. Oh no.

And then they, and then they keep going through the room and they, and then they, and then they come across one of those, those turntable walls and then they play with. They play with Frankenstein and Dracula chasing them and they, they are spinning around kind of like carousel. They are just missing each other.

So classic fun times. That, that, that, that, that I could see was like super funny back then. Like.

Oh, yes, I'm sure they were loving that part, but, but to me was like, oh, that's just classic.

And that was the thing about watching this movie. It was like, oh, I really wanted to go back into a theater in the 40s and just see the live audience reaction here.

Right.

Because it just put, you know, the slapstick was so iconic and you know, and the chase sequence here at the end and you know, and like we mentioned all those one liners. It would, it would have just been. Because like you said, you know, we were laughing just watching this at home.

But I would love to be in a crowd of people who, especially at that time when Abra Costello were the biggest stars in comedy and, you know, had such a massive following that I would have loved to see, you know, fans, mainstream audiences just, you know, have a great time and you know, react to all the gags and you know, and, but, but yeah, it's just, it's a really fun time. You know, I, I don't know that there are a ton of themes necessarily we can get into this movie. It is not right. It's not the deepest one.

This is a very much a popcorn entertainment one, which. There's nothing wrong with that.

But I will say, you know, one thing I wanted to ask you, like, I, I mentioned, you know, other horror comedies here, like Evan, because we haven't talked.

I don't think you and I have talked as much about horror and stuff before, but like, all right, like when it comes to Halloween season and you know, some people do not like, you know, like Horror movies, but they'll like, you know, some of the more like spooky kind of lighthearted ones or horror comedies. What's kind of your preference? Do you like this time of year?

Do you like the horror movies or do you know what's kind of your brand of entertainment around this time?

So. So to be honest, I'm just. Now I'm just not coming around to watching horror movies because I grew up kind of not being allowed to watch them.

Yeah.

And so I just never did. But everyone would be talking about them. So. So a perfect example of how delayed I am is that last year.

And we are, we are going to watch it this year. We watched all the Scream films.

Nice.

And yeah, I really like them. I thought they were great. I don't think I've watched any horror comedies that I can think of.

The one that I was the one with Chris Hemsworth in the Cabin and turned out to be like this big.

Cabin in the woods.

Cabin in the woods. Okay. Yeah, Yep. I remember that I really stuck out to me and I really like that because it turned into something that I wasn't expecting.

So, yeah, I'm excited to watch a lot of these classic films like. Like stuff like this and these stuff from when I was a kid and. And things that have inspired a lot of what I like.

Absolutely. And, well, similar to you, I also didn't really watch horror growing up because. Yeah. I mean, yeah, like.

Well, I wasn't necessarily strictly Forbidden, but my parents weren't really horror and I wasn't exposed to it as much. And so I didn't get into it until college. And then I fell in love.

So with, you know, with the more, you know, terrifying horror movies with the horror comedies with like, just the genre as a whole, I would say Shaun of the Dead like, changed my life. That was just, you know, the foundational movie for me. Yeah. That's very nice. So I love Shaun of the Dead, Evil Dead.

But then I love, you know, the, you know, the, the classics like Nightmare, Elm street and then. And the Shining. That's another thing is like, my dad's not a horror fan, but he loves the Shining, so we did. He didn't do that.

You know, I think around sometime in high school and I read the book and everything got very into Stephen King, you know, all of that. So I became a big horror fan now to the point where I even write some of my own horror short stories. And, you know, I'm very into the genre. So I.

But I. I love a good horror comedy. That is not scary at all, but is like.

Or.

But it's hilarious. And it's kind of a, you know, spoof of the genre, but done really well.

And this movie very much fits into that realm because, I mean, there are plenty of bad horror comedies, but the, you know, but this one, it is, you know, I think it really holds up in terms of its humor.

And, you know, I think that what the cool thing about this one too is you don't even have to really have a reference point if you haven't seen the Dracula and Frankenstein movies before this.

True.

You can still jump in on this one and enjoy it as a standalone. You don't even have to really be familiar with Abbott Costello.

You can watch this one, you know, independently and understand their brand of humor, their, you know, why they work so to. Together in sync with each other. You know, the opposite of their personalities. All of that is very apparent here. So it's.

I think a movie like this is very delightful for fans of both Apostello and the monster universe. But even if you're coming in totally fresh, you can have a good time with this one.

Right on. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And it's like, I was just comparing it to like when I took my.

I took my in laws to watch the first Avengers movie and they had never seen the other MCU films and they freaking loved it. So, yeah, yeah, it's a power of a good story.

It really is.

I mean, you can have stories exist in a big universe and, you know, it'd be great for the fans, but if it can stand on its own, that's the mark of a good, you know, when you really succeeded. And also, just a few fun facts I got. All right, shout out to.

Well, I don't know if this is still current, but at least I'm number 56 on the list of the American Film Institute's 100 Funniest American Movies. It's always changing, but I believe it's still on there. And then also this was.

The really fun fact is that Jerry Carcia of the Grateful Dead acknowledged the movie as one that changed his life and was an inspiration for his art and music. Next time you're listening to Grateful Dead, you can think of this movie. But yeah.

Whoa.

I love it.

That's why I do love about going down these Rabbit holes and exploring all the behind the scenes stuff with, you know, any particular movie, learning stuff like that. It's great, but awesome. Well, Evan, anything else you want to say about this movie or just the experience here?

Imagining if we were coming out of the drive in theater?

I probably, probably I'll have to turn on the car because I didn't leave it on and now I got to put the AC on or something like that. But. No, but this was great. This kind of does make me want to go to a, to a real drive in theater though.

Right. Right. It. I mean, it's been a while. Even in the, in the Monster Squad, there's a scene where they're at a drive in too.

I love the, I mean it's just the aesthetic of a drive in is just so, you know, delightful. And yeah, I mean I, I go to my Alamo Drafthouse all the time. But yeah, I, I love a good drive in when I, when I get to go.

It's just, it's such a unique atmosphere and this is the perfect movie to show on the big screen there. Awesome.

Well, if you have not seen Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, it is free on Tubi right now or you can rent it on prime or you can go get the Blu Ray. I do highly recommend checking this one out.

It is a ton of fun and, and you know, and it a perfect, you know, a movie for the Halloween spooky season. I'll be watching plenty this season. I look forward to sharing that on our what we're geeking out on sessions on the podcast.

So yeah, Evan, this has been a blast. I appreciate you joining me today.

Same. Same. Glad to be on, man.

Absolutely. And also for our listeners, you can like rate and review and subscribe and subscribe. We've got some new Merc you can check out.

We'll have links in the description. But. But yeah, check out the rest of the Drive in series. We would love for you to join us on those. So and, and feel free to suggest ones for.

With for us to check out. We are always looking for recommendations and things to talk about on the show.

So yeah, tag us on social media.

Yep.

Find us on Facebook, group, Instagram.

Yeah, do all the things. Awesome. Well, thank you everyone for listening and happy Halloween season and we will see you next time.