Retro DVD Pick: "Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff" (1949)

Bud and Lou and Boris. Who could ask for anything more in a movie? Of course, the title is not exactly accurate and Karloff's role is rather diminished, but he shares a classic scene with Lou Costello when his character, Swami Talpur, tries to hypnotize Freddie Phelps, played by Costello. Who knew that it could be so difficult to hypnotize someone as simple minded as Freddie? Swami Talpur is driven to distraction at his failed attempts to have Freddie kill himself, but others want to get rid of Freddie as well because he has evidence that can solve a murder case, so they may have more success.

Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff finds Bud and Lou, as Casey Edwards and the aforementioned Freddie Phelps, respectively, working at a remote resort hotel. Casey is the hotel detective, while Freddie is a bellhop, at least until he insults and injures a guest, Amos Strickland (Nicholas Joy). Freddie threatens Amos after he is fired and when he later goes to apologize to him, Freddie finds that Strickland has been murdered and he, of course, is the chief suspect. With Casey's help, Freddie tries to clear his name, but when additional murders are committed and the bodies find their way into Freddie's hotel room, it looks like he is the culprit. However, the resourceful Freddie is determined to clear his name and works with Casey to hide the bodies and even dresses up as a maid to aid his cause (Costello is always a hoot when cross dressing). But, he has an uphill battle to fight because Strickland had many enemies and they all conspire to frame poor Freddie.

I realized it had been about a decade since I last watched Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff and I have seen the film many times over the years. While I recall the film as being one of the weaker entries in the Abbott and Costello film catalog, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up and how the majority of the film is well constructed. My only real problem with the film is the silly special effects that are utilized when Freddie goes to meet the killer in the Lost Caverns. However, the film rebounds with an amusing final act. While not necessarily a horror film, Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff has enough elements to make it (sort of) qualify, thanks to Karloff, a series of murders, and the foreboding soundtrack.