Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy (1955)

Starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marie Windsor, Michael Ansara, Dan Seymour
Directed by Charles Lamont
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Bud and Lou finds themselves caught in ancient Egypt between a gang eager to loot a mummy's tomb for treasure, and the followers of the mummy, not to mention the ancient living mummy itself.

The last of the "Abbott and Costello Meet The Monsters" series doesn't have much of a connection to Universal's Mummy films of the past, changing the name of the mummy from Kharis to Klaris, and costuming him in a fairly routine outfit, played by a growling stuntman.  That's too bad in many respects, but the film is still quite enjoyable and entertaining, with some clever gags concocted out of the Egyptian setting, and it showcases one of the comedy duo's best routines, in which the two try to hide a cursed medallion in the hamburgers they are eating.  The music selections are atmospheric, and the supporting cast good- Windsor as the leader of the gang is enjoyable, and Richard Deacon, playing it straight as Klaris' cult leader, cuts a different figure than we're used to from his appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show, where he was invariably the butt of the joke.  Despite the fun and merriment, one wishes for more of the trappings of the earlier Mummy films, but it had to be clear by the time they made this that the classic monsters days at Universal were long since past.

Abbott And Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1953)

Starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff, Craig Stevens, Helen Westcott
Directed by Charles Lamont
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A pair of bumbling policemen in 19th century London are kicked off the force, and try to get their jobs back by catching the murdering monster on the loose, actually Dr. Jekyll's gruesome alter ego.

This entry in the "Abbott & Costello Meet The Monsters" series of films pulls its villain not from the Universal horror library, but the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story of good and evil, although there's not much of Stevenson's tale that makes it to the screen.  Karloff is welcome as Jekyll, but isn't given the opportunity to give a layered performance to Hyde as well, with a stuntman (Eddie Parker, according to IMDB) in a grotesque mask, playing all the Hyde scenes as a mute brute in topcoat and hat.  Most of the gags and routines for Abbott & Costello are ones we've seen before, and none really elicit any laughter on my part today, but the film is lively paced and the sets and costumes convincing of the period.  I still had fun with it, even if it's not one of the better A & C monster outings.

Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Meet The Invisible Man (1951)

Starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Nancy Guild, Arthur Franz, Adele Jergens
Directed by Charles Lamont
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A prizefighter on the run from a murder charge is able to inject himself with an invisibility formula, and recruits Bud & Lou, fresh out of detective school, to help prove his innocence.

The final film in the long run of "Invisible Man" pictures from Universal, and it makes sense that Universal would bring funnymen Abbott & Costello to this property as there were plenty of comic possibilities in the previous films.  It's also one of the duo's better pictures in the 1950s, in my opinion, and really the last to directly connect to past Universal horror films.  Plenty of physical humor accompanies the jokes, and although some routines seem a little old hat, there are still some great moments, particularly when Costello is forced to fight another boxer in the ring, with some invisible help.  Most of all it's a fun picture, and although John P. Fulton's not involved this time, the special effects are excellent, with some good acting from Bud & Lou and those that unknowingly come in contact with the invisible man.  Franz, playing that invisible man this time around, doesn't give a great vocal characterization, but it's good enough for the film, and there's plenty of old pros in the supporting cast, including Sheldon Leonard's gangster, William Frawley's flustered police detective, and Gavin Muir's distinguished scientist.

A Shot In The Dark (1935)

Starring Charles Starrett, Robert Warwick, Edward Van Sloan, Marion Shilling, Helen Jerome Eddy
Directed by Charles Lamont
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A college student is found hanged, but when evidence points to murder, the father of his roommate, an amateur criminologist, takes charge of the investigation.

Despite its low-budget trappings, this is a well-done mystery with a clever script and some interesting twists and turns that keep you guessing.  It would have been enhanced by a music score and better production values, but still entertains.  Van Sloan is the biggest name in the cast, known for his supporting roles in Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy, but the entire ensemble of actors comes off well.