Description

Includes the following movies, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Mexican Hayride Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man Comin' Round the Mountain Lost in Alaska ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Except for A&C Meet Frankenstein...these are bombs!
Universal has squished another 8 Abbott & Costello movies out on a 2 disc set that will obviously please the ardent fans, but these films (with one exception) are really AWFUL.

The only one worth any note here is A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN which actually has a good script, and a clever way of intergrating Universal's horror franchise with their then-hugely popular comedy team. It's the only A&C film I can sit through (except for their earliest).

SKIP THIS DUD!

The best of Abbott & Costello Vol. 1
I have waited so long and now to have them released is fantastic. These are true comedy and can now be shown to my grandkids to experience a good laugh without swearing. Kudos to Universal for releasing these gems and hopefully more soon.

This DVD collection is a must - for any A&C Fans
I remember growing up watching old Abbott and Costello movies on Sunday afternoons with my Dad (along with the classic monster movies and the old Blondie shows). Buying these DVD's is like reliving great memories from my youth. The picture quality on these DVD's is outstanding - they are very well done. This third volume in this series is going to be the best of them all - this DVD will have some of my all time favorite A&C movies. I have watched the first two volumes numerous times since purchasing them and look forward to this next volume with great anticipation.

Worthy of More Than 5 Stars...
I just can't get enough of Abbott and Costello!

I waited for quite a few years for ANY Abbott and Costello movies to hit DVD. There were very few in print. It was frustrating.

Well, the wait paid off big time. The first two sets were incredible. Universal has gone the extra mile and these sets are winners on so many levels.

Each set thus far includes 8 HIGH QUALITY films for under $20!

When I say HIGH QUALITY, I'm not just talking about the quality of the prints, which is very high, but the movies themselves are not lost turkeys. These are the truly all classics, and this set includes some of the great Universal Monster tie-ins, which were previously sold individually for more than the price of this set of 8!

Based upon the track record for classic movies going out of print, I suggest you buy them while they are still in this format.

keep em coming!
This is what offering a great value is all about! I've got vol. 1 & 2 already and this one on order. This will be one of my favs for sure! 8 movies, fantastic quality, all for under $20!!! Man, the CD music industry needs to stand up and take notice of what's happening in the DVD industry. This is one of many great collections that have/are coming out. The Universal Monsters, The Marx Brothers, Don Knotts and several other collections all reasonably priced. You can't even rent movies this cheap. Vol 1 & 2 of this series are stellar for quality and the packaging is top notch and very convenient, they take up very little space in a storage unit. I'm not sure how many movies are left to release after this but if there's enough to do another vol 4 please do so! Thanks a million Universal Studios! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great movie
very funny movie-lots of routines and laughs-if ya dont got it get it ... Read more

Amazon.com

After 15 years of hit movies for Universal Studios, Bud Abbott and LouCostello left the studio in the twilight of their partnership with the last oftheir monster comedies. Decked out in desert safari gear, the boys go lookingfor a job with an Egyptologist and wind up in the middle of a conspiracyconcerning the murdered professor, an ancient mummy, and a magical medallionthat, true to form, bumbling Costello manages to eat for dinner. Marie Windsor,the boss lady of a gang of treasure hunting crooks, dresses in a harem outfit tovamp for our chubby little hero, and the eternally stiff Richard Deaconhilariously plays the leader of an Egyptian mummy cult like a high schoolprincipal decked out for Halloween. Directed by longtime collaborator CharlesLamont, it's a typical Abbott and Costello farce with disappearing corpses,mistaken identities, and wacky word plays ("Take your pick" riffs on "Who's onfirst" with garden tools). While not as clever or spirited as their originalmonster mash Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, the vaudevilleveterans are still masters of the double take and fast-talk patter, and thepicture climaxes with a screwball chase that involves not one, not two, butthree mummies skittering through the phoniest looking pyramid this side ofcommunity theater. You were expecting realism? The boys appeared together oncemore on film, in Dance with Me, Henry, and then split up. --SeanAxmaker ... Read more

Reviews (13)

After All
Name any other mummy in any other mummy show who is that nimble and has loose bandages half coming undone, who takes your hand when you put it out to him. Or Marie Windsor in a harem suit at Dr. Zoomer's house chasing Lou around. Or Bud wondering if a lost tie clasp was showing up on the x-ray of Lou's stomach. Name a more pitiful hole ever dug in the history of movies.[about 2 feet deep to bury TWO mummies.] Or Bud just happening to find a bag of bandages so he could be a mummy too. Just watching Marie wheel her horse around [she was a champion rider who was able to run and mount a horse from behind like the Lone Ranger, the only actress able to do that.] is a pleasure. This may be the best movie ever made....just trashes Citizen Kane. I have it tied with 'Dr. Strangelove' and 'The Apostle' as the three best movies ever made. Pure Poetry, every minute.

Yikes! The comedy is kept under wraps here...
The Abbott and Costello films fit into one of two categories; really good or really bad. Sadly, this film sits in the later camp. I'm not sure what the screenwriters and Bud & Lou were thinking when they concocted this strange mishmash of bad comedy and bad horror. The Universal Mummy films were always the weakest of their horror films (the exception is the eerie but really slowwwwww first film with Boris Karloff. It's only alive in the very beginning).

I'd suggest sticking with the first and best of this bunch A&C Meet Frankenstein. All the later films (including Dr. Jekell & Mr. Hyde)are little more than pale imitations.

Any A&C film is only as good as their routines. This one, sadly, doesn't have very inspired ones. The best involving the tools is a pale imitation of the who's on first variety. They don't make them like this anymore (on second thought....what about all those Halloween and Friday The 13th sequels? They're not comedies? What?)

Best of the "meet the monsters" series
Fans of the original Mummy movie featuring Kharis the mummy, The Mummy's Hand (not to be confused with Boris Karloff's radically different and unrelated 1932 film titled "The Mummy") could have seen this movie coming. The original film that introduced Kharis is somewhat in the same vein as Abbott & Costello as far as story and characterization are concerned. In fact, the original duo cast in the Mummy's Hand are similar to and could have been better cast as Abbott & Costello.

In a sense, this movie brings Kharis full circle long after the demise of Ananka in his own movies, he finally meets his end here in a slightly more humorous picture than his first. However, the similarities between the two could almost make this the final instalment in the canon, other than out of continuity (like Abbott & Costello's other "meet the monster" movies).

My only complaint with this DVD is that it did not have a great commentary like Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein. But it's still a great DVD, and the sight of the two charicatures running madly accross the main menu is enough entertainment (yes, i can be simple-minded, but then again it is Abbott & Costello i'm talking about).

Abbott & Costello, sadly, did not go on to make any more pictures after this one, but this is still some of their greatest material. So in two ways, this movie has a sense of finality: the last Kharis movie, and the last Abbott & Costello movie. It should also be a must-have in the collection of any fan of either.

My favorite A&C movie.
Saw these and liked them as a kid in the 1950's. My kinds don't care for them. This is the one i liked the best.

Who Cares About Behind-The-Scenes Grumbling?
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY was one of the funniest of their screwball antics. The tale of the two cleverest yucksters chasing a medallion to an ancient Egyptian crypt where they encounter -- as the title promises -- the Mummy is one classic set of laughs after another. All of the trades touched on the bitterness the two men felt for one another during the filming process of this outing, but, with all the magic of their performances still on the silver screen, you sure wouldn't know it. A great transfer for a classic addition to any DVD library, this is one for the ages. ... Read more

Description

By popular demand, the legendary Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are back in eight brand-new-to-DVD comedy classics!Still one of the greatest comedy teams in the history of show business, their films continue to generate new legions of fans around the world.

Now some of their greatest gags and most stellar skits, including the complete version of their signature routine "Who's on First?", are available in this side-splitting collection.It's the boys at their very best and illustrates why Bud and Lou rightly deserve their place among the brightest stars of the silver screen!

Hit the Ice (1943)
Bud and Lou hit the slopes at the Sun Valley Resort after getting mixed up with gangsters.

In Society (1944)
The boys find themselves in hot water after a plumbing job goes wrong at a high society bash.

Here Come the Co-Eds (1945)
Bud and Lou head to campus and attempt to save Bixby College from closing down.

The Naughty Nineties (1945)
Set aboard the River Queen showboat, Bud and Lou perform their legendary "Who's on First?" routine.

Little Giant (1946)
Lou plays a little man with big dreams...and ends up selling vacuum cleaners!

The Time of Their Lives (1946)
Mistaken as a traitor, Lou's ghost is trapped in Danbury Mansion until his innocence is proven.

Buck Privates Come Home (1947)
Bud and Lou return to civilian life and get involved in midget car racing in the sequel to Buck Privates!

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947)
Accused of murder, Lou is forced to take care of a widow and her children on a farm. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

INCONSISTANT IMAGE QUALITY - STILL FUNNY!
The Best Of Abbott & Costello: The Franchise Collection: Vol 2" effectively gathers together another bumper crop of films that made up the middle of Bud and Lou's tenure at Universal Studios. Highlights on this two disc edition include the whimsical "The Time Of Their Lives" (1946), a film not well received in its time, but one which has proven to be an enduring classic in the A&C canon. Bud plays the dual role of Cuspert Greenway/Dr. Greenway, a footman in servitude to master Tom Danbury during the 1800s and his psychiatrist ancestor set in 1946. Cuspert's treachery against Horatio (Lou Costello) results in his death and that of Tom's finance, Mistress Melody (Marjorie Reynolds). From here on the story leaps forward to present day. Horatio and Melody, having been cursed upon their murders as traitors to America's independence, remain bound to Danbury Acres until crack of doom. But when they begin to haunt Dr. Greenway and his guests living at the refurbished historical landmark, a ray of hope develops that might finally set their spirits free. In "Here Come The Co-Eds" (1945) Bud and Lou are a couple of caretakers, hiding out from the police at Bixby College, an all girl's school. The film features The Hour Of Enchantment, all girl's orchestra and choir and a riotous basketball game in which Lou, after being hit on the head, believes that he is Daisy Dimple; the world's greatest female basketball player. In "Hit The Ice" (1943) - the boys take off to Sun Valley for skiing, a prospect that falls apart when a mob boss decides to hide out at the same resort. This collection also features a handful of awful films. "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap" (1947) is a genuinely boring film in which Lou attempts to win the heart of a crotchety widow (Marjorie Maine) in order to secure her wealthy fortune, but whose adult children have other ideas. Lou generally gets abused by everyone in the cast and there's a genuine strain on the relationship between A&C by this time. In "The Naughty Nineties" (1945) Bud and Lou are performers on a riverboat, but the only salvation from this film is an extended version of the now legendary 'Who's On First' skit. (*Footnote: 'Who's on First' is performed in a truncated version in "One Night In The Tropics" also. That film is available on "The Best Of...Vol. One".) The bad lot of apples reaches its rotten core with "Little Giant" (1946), a really boring hodge-podge in which Lou is a vacuum cleaner salesman working for Bud. This collection is rounded out by a couple of mediocre productions; "In Society" (1944), a trifle in which the boys crash a society party to help a chorus girl fall in love with a rich playboy, and "Buck Privates Come Home" (1947), a rehash of skits from previous films with the tack on of having Bud and Lou smuggle a little French girl back to America after the war.
Over all, the transfers in this collection are a mixed bag in image quality. While some films like "The Time of Their Lives" exhibit little to no age related artifacts, others like "The Wistful Widow..." have not worn well at all. At its worst you will get a transfer riddled in age related artifacts, minor edge enhancement, mis-registration and considerable film grain. At its best, the picture quality is outstanding - leading me to think that some of these transfers were blessed with a meticulous digital restoration, while others got shafted. The audio for all the films is MONO but very nicely presented.

Hopefully as good as Volume One
Five stars for long overdue and hoping it's as great a job as Universal did with "Best of Abbott & Costello Volume 1". The transfers and packaging are great for Volume 1!!!

One thing, though. According to the manufacturer's website there is no mention of this Volume 2 set including "Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld". Where did this bit of information originate?

It makes more sense to possibly include that in a later volume along with "The World of Abbott & Costello". But I guess we'll see. And will the planned Volume 3 possibly include "A & C Meet Frankenstein"? That's already available on it's own as a single DVD with lots of extras? As is "A & C Meet the Mummy" but without as many extras.

At any rate; just keep them coming Universal!!!

HHHHHeeeyyyyyyy Abbbbboooootttttt
I like Abbott and Costello and they have many funny scenes in all their movies. "In Society" (1944) has many good gags including their "Go Ahead and Blow The Horn" routine with Bud and Lou and their encounter with a policeman. Their plumber"s routine in trying to fix the bathroom leak and the damage Lou inflicts on the bathroom is very funny. One of the movies in the set which is often overlooked as one of their best is the "Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap" (1947). It takes place back in the days of the wild west. This film is very humorous in the fact that Lou inherits the "taking care" of a widow and her numerous children(around 7 or 8 kids) and the farm. The tough guys don't want to kill or harm Lou Costello for fear of inheriting the widow (who is obviously not attractive and has a mouth/and call that could be heard for miles) and her herd of children which is the burden that Lou must carry. This gives Costello the edge in order to act tough and not have to worry about the consequences.

All the movies in this set were transferred flawlessly and the pictures are sharp. Good amount of movies for the price.Good humor and laughs for family viewing.

More Comedy! More Fun!
This new A&C DVD is the best! From the Revolution, to the west, to modern days, this volume will always hold some Abbott and Costello favorites.
The Time of Their Lives and The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap are two movies I had never seen before. Both were awesome!!!! Can't wait to get Volume 3!

COSTELLO'S THE MAN
Another blockbuster when it comes to great movies in bulks like costello. Costello will be a "BIG HIT" with every Volume. The Distributors will hit mega bucks making all these movies available for diehard Costello fans. They picked the right time to do this. Costello is awsome. I can't wait for more future Volumes to come out. I would pay even $50.00 for these sets of 8 movies per box. Way to go. Get them, because once they stop producing them it will be rare and hard to find. ... Read more

Description

One of the greatest comedy teams of all time keeps one step ahead of the law and the criminals in this wild and wacky farce. Abbott and Costello, together for the last time, prove they're still on first with rapid-fire timing and gags galore! All Lou Henry (Costello) wants is a happy life with his two adopted children and to run Kiddyland, the local amusement park. But the local welfare board thinks he's an unfit father, and is determined to take the children away! To make things worse, his friend Bud (Abbott), always up to his eyes in gambling debt, has now run afoul of the mob and needs Lou's help. Can Bud and Lou get back on the merry-go-round, or will they end up in a real shooting gallery? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Sad Swan Song
The last Abbott and Costello picture together is a sad, unfunny vehicle that is difficult to watch. When this film was made the team was off the screen for over one year and this outing was supposed to be their comeback film. Next to Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Cops, this is the team's worst film and finds its way into film collections solely because it is the team's last film together.

ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S LAST FILM TOGETHER
Charles Barton does fine job directing the team's swan song to the big screen. The boys play the owners of an amusement park, who get mixed up with notorious gangsters. The film teams the duo up once again with MaryWickes - who co-starred with the team in their classic film - "WHODONE IT". Look closely, and you'll notice actor Robert Shayne. Bestknown for his role of "INSPECTOR HENDERSON" in the 1950s TVseries - "ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" - which starred George Reeves.

ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S LAST FILM TOGETHER
Charles Barton does fine job directing the team's swan song to the big screen. The boys play the owners of an amusement park, who get mixed up with notorious gangsters. The film teams the duo up once again with MaryWickes, who co-starred with them in their classic film "WHO DONE IT?" . Look close and you'll notice actor Robert Shayne. Best knownfor his role of "INSPECTOR HENDERSON" in the "ADVENTURES OFSUPERMAN" TV series. ... Read more

Description

Get ready for big laughs with Abbott and Costello, undeniably the most popular comedy team of all time!Now, the classic films of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are available on DVD in this hilarious collection.

The wildly popular comic duo has entertained audiences since 1931, conquering vaudeville, radio and the silver screen in nearly 40 films.Enjoy these side-splitting hits like Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost in this collection of eight full-length features.The Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello: Volume 1 will have you laughing out loud again and again!

One Night in the Tropics (1940)
Bud and Lou get mixed up in a "Love Insurance" scheme.

Buck Privates (1941)
The duo accidentally enlists in the U.S. Army to avoid getting arrested!

In the Navy (1941)
Bud and Lou are sailors bound for duty on the high seas in this musical comedy.

Hold that Ghost (1941)
The boys inherit a haunted house formerly owned by a mobster.

Keep ‘Em Flying (1941)
Bud and Lou enlist in the Army Air Corps and get caught up in a love triangle.

Ride ‘Em Cowboy (1942)
The duo head to the Lazy S ranch to hide after Lou accidentally proposes to an Indian girl.

Pardon My Sarong (1942)
Bud and Lou travel to the South Seas where Lou is mistaken for a legendary god!

Who Done It? (1942)
The boys are suspected of murder while being targeted by the actual killer.
... Read more

Reviews (54)

At last!!! A&C on DVD from Universal.
Finally Universal (MCA) is giving us some more Abbott & Costello on DVD. The info here on Amazon.com is somewhat limited but...gives more detailed info. To check it out go to...and search for "Best of Abbott and Costello Volume I" under DVDs.

The upcoming release is described as a 2 disc set and most of the movies include theatrical trailers and production notes. As well as being subtitled in Spanish and French. The description also includes the running times for each movie. Let's hope the DVD transfer quality is good. You can't beat the price!!

And let's hope to see more DVD volumes in the future. A&C fans I'm sure want more than just "A & C Meet Frankenstein", "A & C Meet the Mummy" and the few, now out-of- print DVDs, put out by Universal/Image Entertainment quite a few years back.

A penny a laugh!
MCA/Universal is giving comedy fans a tremendous comedy package of eight early Abbott & Costello films for less than 25 bucks -- I work that out to about a penny a laugh, a great bargain in this day and age!

It's probable that today's younger crowd doesn't appreciate how enormously popular Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were in their day, simply the kings of comedy on radio, the stage, movies, and TV. They were the #1 box office draw in America at one time, and the highest paid entertainers in show business. The best of their films rank with near the top of any list of movies for sheer belly-laugh quotient!

ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940) is the team's film debut, a slight romance with Allan Jones, Bob Cummings, and Nancy Kelly. A&C provide supporting comedy relief and do some of their best bits, including an abbreviated version of "Who's on First?"

BUCK PRIVATES (1941) is considered by fans to be their "real" film debut, and it's arguably the funniest movie they ever made. Caught in the draft, A&C were in top form. Lotsa laughs and good music, too, including the Andrews Sisters doing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". The film made a mint for Universal.

IN THE NAVY (1941) is a pretty good follow-up. Dick Powell is the romantic lead, and the Andrews Sisters and Shemp Howard are back from the previous film. The ending had to be rewritten to suit the U.S. Navy!

HOLD THAT GHOST (1941) is another gem; lots of classic haunted house routines, including the famous "moving candle" gag. The Andrews Sisters are back, joining Richard Carlson and Evelyn Ankers.

KEEP 'EM FLYING (1941) was the team's fifth film in only a year. After stints in the Army and the Navy, it was sure that the Air Corps would be next. Martha Raye plays twin waitresses in a very funny scene.

RIDE 'EM COWBOY (1942) puts the boys out west, and features cowboy star Johnny Mack Brown (and occasional cowboy star Dick Foran). Ella Fitzgerald is in this one.

PARDON MY SARONG (1942) could well have been called THE ROAD TO MONTEZUMA, as it seems to have been influenced by the Hope/Crosby pictures. This time, music is provided by the Ink Spots.

WHO DONE IT? (1942) is another comedy/mystery, with a patriotic twist, as the boys uncover a Nazi plot to take over a radio station.

Eight films, including some of their best. Universal has slapped a "Vol. 1" on the box, so hopefully future volumes are on the horizon. And even more hopefully, Universal will follow through with some W.C. Fields pictures!

Abbott and Costello Vol 1 and Vol 2
I grew up watching Abbot @ Costello and enjoyed very much all of there movies and there antics.
It was with disbelief, when I first saw what was available in that there was 8 quality movies on each Vol set.
It is a great bargin!
Best part is I have two daughters 5 and 9 that are now enjoying
these movies and we share non stop laughter.
My girls and myself look forward to Vol 3 being released.
Great entertainment for whole family

Finally!!!!
I used to watch A&C every Sunday morning when I was a child. Made me laugh every time, no matter how many times I watched it. Now I get to do it again...at the age of 42! This DVD is great. I also got Volume 2 and I can't wait for volume 3. They did an excellent job on the picture quality I must say. I give 4 stars only because I would rather have 4 dvd's instead of 2. They use both sides of the disk. But that's just my taste.

A great Collection
This set is just a treasure. There are hardly better value-for-the-dollar dvd releases around: 8 movies, all looking very crisp and clean (considering their age), on two discs. Most of the films have their theatrical trailer included, and all have brief but informative production notes.

Other reviewers have written about technical problems with these discs, but I watched every second of all 8 movies and experienced not one single glitch.

As for the movies themselves, sure they vary in quality somewhat. Abbott and Costello were cranking out movies at such a fast pace, you can't expect every one to be a classic. "A Night in the Tropics" is interesting, because it is their first big-screen movie. It's not hard to see why these guys shot to mega-stardom, as they easily steal the movie. Of the "service" pictures, I personally like "In the Navy" the best, though "Buck Privates" is of course a classic and "Keep 'Em Flying" includes many classic scenes.

My favorite of the 8 included is "Hold That Ghost", which has held up extremely well and remains a hilarious movie after all these decades.

The requisite musical numbers included in all but one of these 8 are, for the most part, dispensable. Not all of them are snooze-inducing: several of the Andrews Sisters numbers are very good (especially Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy) and Ella Fitzgerald has a couple good numbers in "Ride 'em Cowboy". One nice thing about "Hold that Ghost" that contributes to it being my favorite: the musical numbers are reserved only for the very beginning and the very end, nothing to interrupt the hijinks! Also notable, "Who Done It?"- a very funny, if very convoluted, murder mystery- is the only picture on this set that is free of musical numbers.

I grew up watching these movies, often with my dad, in the '80s. As old as they were even then, the comedic brilliance of A&C still worked like a charm. 20 years later, it's great that so many of their films are being anthologized by Universal. I'm looking forward to Vol. 2 and 3. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

AN ALL-TIME CLASSIC!
This was the film that had me eagerly watching The Abbott & Costello Movie each week as a kid...praying that this would be the one aired. What a classic that works on so many levels. It's funny! It's scary! It's nostalgic! And most importantly it treats all of the Universal Monsters seriously! The movie does not make Dracula, Frankenstein, or the Wolf-Man cartoons an buffoons...Bud and Lou rightfully handle that aspect.

The DVD is overall a nice presentation complete with trailers, production notes and photos, a "Making of..." featurette, and an outstanding audio-commentary by film historian Gregory Mank. I loved this commentary because it includes a little bit of everything: how much did each actor make on the film, what were the actors like to work with, where did they go after making this film, where are they today, and how were aspects of this film made. You can tell that Mank did plenty of research before recording this commentary.

If you want to laugh, then check out Abbott and Costello and the monsters in one of the all-time classics from Universal. If you're a real fan of the Lon Chaney Wolf-Man character you may want to read the incredibly fun book by Jeff Rovin, The Return of the Wolf-Man which picks up right where this movie concludes.

Dracula, Frank, and Wolfman scare Bud Abbott & Lou Costello
Lon Chaney becomes "The Werewolf", Bela Logosi as "Dracula" and Glenn Strange as "Monster" (well we all know its Frankenstein). This film was a neat idea to get some of the well known liked actors who are known for their famous roles they have played before together again. Lon Chaney played "The Werewolf" in THE WOLF MAN (1941) and FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1943). Bela Lugosi played "Dracula" in DRACULA (1931). Glenn Strange played the Frankenstein monster in HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944). If you've seen this film before, I would recommend turning on the Audio Commentary of Film Historian, Gregory W. Mank. This commentary played throughout the film is very detailed and precise. It's wonderful to have a commentary that you can learn so much from. Bonus materials are: a 33-minute featurette, "Abbott & Costello Meet The Monsters". Very entertaining behind-the-scenes info and interesting tidbits. The host is David J. Skal. Also 109 Production Photographs, Theatrical Trailer, Production Notes and Cast & Filmmakers' film info.

Richard Lees thanks for your incite
I just acquired this A&C DVD so I checked into amazon to see what the other customers thought and I enjoyed Richard Lees' comments and I'd like to invite him and all Abbott & Costello fans to www.abbottandcostello.net (the official site) especially the message boards where fans can meet and exchange stories and info. There is a lot to talk about these days with many of the movies and TV shows finally being released on DVD.

And now my first impressions about this DVD:

I tend to agree with other reviewers that say that a less than pristine film print was used to transfer to DVD when compared to the print for "Hit The Ice" on The Best of Abbott & Costello Vol.2, for example. There are the film "artifacts" and less than sharp image with harsh contrasts and not the subtle gray tones you see in some of the movies on the "Best of" packages. When the boys first turn on the lights in McDougall's House of Horrors the picture quality is particularly bad. Oh well, I bought "...Meet Frankenstein" for the special features that likely will not be included when The Best of Abbott and Costello Vol.3 comes out in August. I hope Universal has remastered the film for that edition, it will be the third time I have purchased "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein". Yes, the film is that good. So I give 4 stars for the movie itself and the extras and not give it a full 5 stars because of defects in the print and/or transfering to DVD. Also, this DVD was a little pricey. For example, it cost twice as much (where I live) as "Once Upon a Time In The West" which just came out in a 2 DVD special edition with all the bells and whistles.

Bud and Lou's Fairst and and great scary comedy
I have just recieved Abbott and Costello meets Frankenstein and it is better watching it on DVD than on video, this is because of better sound and picture quality and to see a couple of very rare outtakes and the cometary was very interesting and informative about the actors and actress of it and of course the director. the interviews with daughter of Lou was also very interesting as well as the other people in the documentary.

I would highly recommend this DVD if you are an Abbott and Costello fan.

A Little family gratitude for all your kind reviews
Hello All
I was just wandering through amazon and came upon this section and was just delighted to find "A&C meet Frankenstein" getting such nice compliments.
I would like to let you all know that my father Robert Lees and his writing partner and an old family friend, Freddy Rinaldo, wrote this film.
Freddy is no longer with us but my father is still, all of 92 years old, and is thrilled that after all these years you all like the film.
A little addenda:
You all must remember that A&C were essentially radio comedians,
and it was from his training in radio that Costello had the bad habit of coming unglued if he didn't consistantly get laughs from the crew for each gag each take, no matter how many takes were involved in getting a scene right.. For him the crew was a live audience, so if he didn't take the house down, he would put in another piece of business and reinvent the scene on the spot until he did - and he was very inventive! I don't know how successfull they were, but they tried to take him aside and explain how important it was to actually follow the script!! Dad said that Lugosi enjoyed this aspect of Costello very much although I'm not so sure whether the director did, or the writers either for that matter.
Both Dad and Fred respected the "horror/terror" genre in literature very much noting to me when I was younger how complex and interesting the form had become in the hands of writers like Dunsynane Tolstoy Lovecraft Saki,or Poe to name a few.
Tolstoy wrote some strange and luminous things in this old form, once a short story about a Vampyre.
But in those days and by the time Universal Studios got through exploiting it all, "The Wolfman meets Dracula, meets Frankenstein,meets the Mummy, meets the Andrews Sisters" well, lets just say that the bloom was well off the rose.....
And so the object for them was not to parody the genre (at least the serious part) but to parody what Universal Studios had by this time done to the genre....
One of my favorite parts in the film is that sublimely dysfunctional chase scene at the end.
And its true, they had a blast writing the movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are one of the funniest comedy teams of all time. And this disc, featuring four episodes of The Abbot and Costello Show from the 1952-53 season is certainly proof of that. Most of the episodes begin with Bud and Lou onstage in front of an audience, providing an introduction to each story. The episodes themselves are stand-alone classics, but the plot lines frame famous Abbot and Costello sketches. The disc is formatted with menus so that you can play each episode or skip to the routines.

The four episodes featured in this volume, "Duck Dinner," "Hillary's Birthday," "Million Dollar Refund," and "Actor's Home," are heavy on physical comedy and rely on familiar supporting characters such as Mike the Cop, Bacciagalupe, and Mr. Fields to propel the stories. In the final episode, "Actor's Home," we are treated with a cameo appearance from comedian Joe Besser (previous to his joining the Three Stooges) as well as a brilliant performance of "Who's on First."

The fact that Abbot and Costello always appear to be in on the gags with their audience (breaking the "fourth wall" with humorous "see what I've gotten myself into now" looks and comments) only adds to the performances. It's also interesting to note that the low-grade special effects and highbrow comedy, which so encompassed the age when these shows were originally filmed, can still entertain audiences all these years later, proving that this pair of comedians, and their style of comedy, is timeless. --Zachary Lively ... Read more

Reviews (2)

ONLY a 4 show-DVD---like the identical 13 tapes(* * * * )?
The 52 Abbott & Costello TV episodes are a rarity. Must be: with only 4 of them to a DVD that'd easily hold six or seven. These are lovingly-transfered from the original 35mm masters owned by Lou's daughter-- Chris Costello, authoress of the excellent book "LOU'S ON FIRST!". In the "olden days" [before VHS], Bud and Lou insisted upon owning the "home-theatrical rights" of their 36 movies, and 52 TV shows on ACTUAL film. MOST television programs from the 1950s no longer even exist beause filming broadcasts was quite expensive...I LOVE LUCY comes to mind as another survivor (who knew the reruns would build Desi & Lucy-- DesiLu-- their own studios with the first TV program to use multiple cameras? In the early 1940s, when the Abbott & Costello COULD've owned Univeral Studios, outright-- and DID save them from bankruptsy-- one of the biggies in their contracts was "home movie rights". Bud and Lou were competative, and enjoyed watching 16mm films, at liesure, IN their own home-screening rooms at a time when watching movies at home wasn't possible to the average "Joe" who probably didn't even own a television yet...or a horse, a pool, restaurants, a nice car. The comedy team, even in their advancing years, really WERE "the boys!" Everyone knows that "Boys like toys." Good enough reason that ALL of these programs-- like Bud and Lou-- STILL survive. In many cases, these, almost plot-less excuses for repeating "old chestnuts" are the ONLY surviving representations of famous vaudeville skits honed and sharpened by A & C-- also my favorite VITAMINS. (My review COULD have rated a "5" if there were five episodes on this DVD-- a "6" if there were six.) => YOU do the math. <= 13 DVDs or 13 VHS tapes!? The only way I'd replace my VHS tapes is if there were LESS "little-video-boxes" to fall off my fairly-full video shelves. The covers on the DVD and VHS tape of "#1 of 13" are identical, and I doubt the DVD-transfer is more pristine than the EXCELLENT tapes in the series. ATTENTION: I do NOT own the DVD-- this review is based on the VHS copy of the same program material. Buy it. WHICH version is up to your wallet-- and shelf!

The routines are still as fresh as ever in great DVD quality
Watching this DVD video is like sitting in front of your television in the 50s. No difference. The routines are as fresh as ever and the DVD quality gives it that first run appearance.

I can't wait to buy volume two of this series. This series is a must have for any Abbott and Costello fan and DVD enthusiast. What a great combination! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Abbott & Costello Show Vol. 6
Video and sound are very good. it's silly, hilarious, zany slapstick comedy. There are four 30 minute shows. #1 Wrestling Match"; A classic, whatch lou as he gets bounced around the ring. #2"In Society"; a society matron named Olga Van Goo hires the boys to impersonate British noblemen. #3"Lou's Marriage"; Lou gets knocked out cold and when he awakes, he believes he has been married to a girl he met in a column. #4"Beauty Contest"; the boys judge the Miss Mud Turtle contest. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

4* for the print! Goodtimes version is the best yet on video
Abbott & Costello made only two color movies and most circulating copies have variable color quality (sometimes so bad that the video is released in black-and-white instead). But this version of "Jack and the Beanstalk" is the best I've seen, and Goodtimes Home Video deserves a round of applause for issuing it on DVD. The original "Super Cinecolor" (less expensive and impressive than Technicolor) is generally very good indeed; I noticed a few instances of Costello's green costume shifting to blue-green, probably owing to different surviving film elements. Goodtimes did a fine job restoring this, and this DVD offers excellent value for the budget price.

The movie itself is a pleasant children's story with music. After a "modern" prologue in monochrome, Bud and Lou adapt their usual sharpie-and-patsy roles to colorful fairytale settings, and Buddy Baer is an excellent foil as the fearsome giant. (Listen for cartoon-voice Mel Blanc playing several roles in the "I Fear Nothing" song.) Makes a nice kiddie matinee, best for small children but older A & C fans will enjoy it, too.

Bud and Lou in the classic fairy tale
Perhaps I'm a bit biased here, but this film was my first exposure to Abbott and Costello, and I've loved them every since. My parents bought the VHS tape of this when I was very young and I was instantly mesmerised -- those guys were the funniest team of comedians I'd ever seen. They still are, really.

In retrospect, this may not be one of their greatest films (it's not on par with Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, for instance), but it's a fun retelling of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk story, casting Lou as Jack and Bud as the crooked butcher who swaps him magic beans for a cow. Transplanting the boys into the fanciful setting works, and although some of the stuntwork and sets seemed pretty threadbare at times the story and the comedy still click well. This is also one of the few films the boys ever made that could be classified as a musical.

For completists who love Abbott and Costello and are still impatiently waiting for the rest of their films to come out on DVD, this is a must-have. Also recommended for folks with kids -- it's a wonderful movie for the young.

Horrible video and audio transfer!
This was a gift. I knew enough to stay away from Madacy products. The quality of the print is just awful with lines, missing frames, terrible contrast, fuzzy focus, washed out color, and the worst sound I 've ever heard on a DVD. I wish I could recommend a good copy of this movie but I don't know where to get one since it's public domain.

Kids enjoy the show, but it's a poor transfer.
You know the story... the film is a faithful retelling. Costello dreams himself (as Jack) and fellow movie characters into the story. The narrative device recalls Dorothy's dream in The Wizard of OZ; it plausibly lands Lou and Bud in character. Be advised that in addition to annoying film artifacts, my Madacy disc was defective (a series of small depressed circles in a ring concentric with the spindle hole) and in the Passport edition, the video is worse still and then is poorly synched with the audio! Stay away from both if you can find better transfers.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK A CLASSIC
I REMEMBER SEEING THIS MOVIE BACK WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG. IT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES AT TIME. AND VERY RECENT I SAW THE LAST 10 MINS OF THIS CLASSIC MOVIES AND I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. I THINK THIS MOVIE IS GREAT FOR KIDS AND ADULTS I JUST WANTED TO WRITE A GOOD REVIEW AND RECOMMEND IT TO ALL MOVIE LOVERS OUT THERE. YOU WON'T BE DISSAPPIONTED WITH THIS FILM IS HAS GREAT HUMOR AND SONGS ANY GENERATION WILL LOVE. THANKS FOR LETTING ME EXPRESS MY OPINION WITH ALL OF YOU. ! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Syd Fields romp!
This dvd contains what may be the funniest apiosde of this or any series- Lou's Birthday. Syd Fields proves his versatility and steals the show! His verbal joust with Lou over whether or not he is invited to the party (or if he even wants to be invited) is a comedic gem. Then, when he arrives, his outfit is a must see! Then, watch his obvious pride at his gift to Lou- a picture of himself in the tub! (Please, watch and see for yourself.) With appearances by Joe Besser as Stinky (a 60 year-old man playing an eight year-old) this is a can't miss!

DVD is great, especially with classics
I used to own these on VHS, but the DVD really brings back a quality that I have never seen before with these classics. I hope they release all 13 volumes on DVD soon. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excelent 35mm transfers
These shows have never looked better! When first shown on television most stations ran 16mm prints. Now we can enjoy these from their pristine 35mm masters! Since the first season was way better than the second, both seaseons are being included on all DVDs (fewer people would buy the second season). The first season boasts some of the only filmed copies of their vaudeville routines, the story was only an excuse for the boys to go somewhere for the routines to happen. The second season was more story driven (they had used up their routines).
The only negative thing about these DVDs is the cost! Some shows sell entire seasons for the price of four Abbott & Costello shows.
This meager offering is:
#1 "Lou Falls for Ruby" (aka The Pigeon) from the second season, Lou falls for a gangster's girlfriend.
#2 "Hillary's Father" (aka The Music Lovers) from the first season, Lou tries to learn to sing to impress Hillary's Father.
#3 "Uncle Ruppert" (aka Uncle from New Jersey) from the second season, Lou fakes a rich uncle to avoid being evicted.
#4 "Bingo's Troubles" (aka Bingo) from the first season, Lou needs to get their pet chimp a license, but Lou geta s marriage liscense. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Classic comedy episodes to enjoy!!!!
In volume #4 of The Abbott & Costello Show where Bud and Lou are down and out actors who live at the Fields Rooming House located at 214 Brookline Avenue along with their beautiful neighbor Hillary Brooke and are always joined with their regular cast of charactors, Mike the cop, Mr. Bacciagalupe, Mr. Fields and Stinky (Joe Besser of The Three Stooges)find themselves again in more very funny situations.
(The Drugstore) starts the show with the boys on stage doing the Jonah and the whale routine and then begins showing them taking a job at Mr Fields brothers drugstore. Lou is driven crazy by kids and turns ill by Stinky and then starts a crazy ice cream fight. (Square Meal) The boys travel to Mr Bacciagalupe's lunch counter where Lou's allergy to meatballs turns the owner completly into a basketcase and then find themselves in a cafeteria where there is a case of mistaken identity with two waitresse. The oyster stew is pure classic! ($1000 Prize) is my personal favorite on this volume where Bud and Lou go to Mr Fields apartment to fix his tv set and wind up answering his phone when he's away and winning the big prize, but only if they can get rid of Mr Fields when the prize is delivered. They also have to contend with ducking Mike the cop! (Wife Wanted) begins with Bud and Mr Fields taking advantage of poor Lou in a poker game but Lou's fate has a turnaround for the better when he will inherit $10,000 if he can find a wife to marry before his rich grandfather visits. Lou's old girlfriend Agnes may be the answer, but what about her jealous wrestler boyfriend?

Why 4 stars and not 5 stars? Because just like the Abbott & Costello fan club says... That's not even the best ones! It's great to see the Abbott & Costello Show going to DVD. I hope all (13) volumes will be released soon! Than maybe the cartoon series which features Bud Abbotts voice. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Universal Studios hit box-office gold when they drafted vaudeville comedians and radio stars Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and turned them into one of the most successful screen teams of the 1940s and 1950s. After a tryout as supporting characters in the musical One Night in the Tropics, they starred in Buck Privates as con artists who accidentally enlist while hiding out from New York street cop Nat Pendleton. Naturally he winds up their drill sergeant and comic foil as they wreak havoc on the armed forces. It's vaudeville in fatigues, with the bare bones of a story provided by spoiled millionaire playboy Lee Bowman, his strapping All-American former chauffeur Alan Curtis, and the girl-next-door they both pursue, Jane Frazee. The lackluster subplot is directed with little verve by Arthur Lubin, and the film's energy comes completely from the snappy by-play of the comedians and Costello's flustered double takes and jumpy physical comedy (including a hilarious rifle drill in which the out-of-step soldier marches to the direction of a different compass). The Andrews Sisters sing "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr.&nbsp;Smith" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," among others, and future Stooge Shemp Howard shows where the "mess" in mess hall comes from as a cook on the receiving end of Costello's KP tomfoolery. This modest comedy became a smash hit and made Abbott and Costello Universal's most valuable commodity, prompting a quick follow-up with another peacetime armed forces comedy, In the Navy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The first army thought of comic relief.
When my adopted son went off to boot camp and later Korea, these movies were a must to beef-up moral: ABBOTT and COSTELLO in BUCK PRIVATES, BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME; and BILL MURRAY in STRIPES. All display a humorous perspective on army life and an after-army attitude that can survive drill sargeants. Laughs R Lou and Bub Personally, I also love the song and dance routines of THE ANDREW SISTERS, too. Many try but none can compare to their jazzy- swing combination of harmonized tunes.

Buck Up
In order to avoid arrest, A&C enlist in the army and get tangled in a romantic subplot involving a millionaire, his former valet, and a camp hostess. Silly fun takes place on the eve of World War II, with Abbott and Costello scoring laughs and the Andrews Sisters singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Apple Blossom Time." Funny, despite the silly romance.

Running and Pushing??
It is my own reflections that you cannot judge the A and C Films in a singular way. If you watch just one of their best it looses its impact,rather, I suggest that you catch three at a time in this way you can fall into their brand of absurd comedy.

I was hooked as a kid and guess what , their films have more legs than most of the comedy giants of the past..for sure..

Jane Frazee is here ,along with the likes of Lee Bowman and even Shemp Howard..> The Andrews Sisters provie a bit of pace without slowing it all down too much..and these DVD transfers are fine..all proving once again that there has never been a better "straight " man than the peerless Bud Abbott..
CP

Not so funny
This guys maybe were funny in 1950 but today... Tons of cliches of old times comedy and nothing original. Better buy Stan and Laurel!

One of the beat
You will love this movie.There is plenty of funny scenes with costello and the sergent.Buy this.Its their first full film apperanece(besides One Night in the tropics). This is a classic. ... Read more

Product Description

One of Abbott & Costello's funniest comedies. The bumbling pair are hired as guides by gangsters who are in search of a secret treasure. They embark on a journey that leads them on a wild safari of outlandish fun. Abbott & Costello will keep you laughing as they encounter hungry cannibals, growing lions and brooding apes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One act that doen't stand test of time
I rented this mainly for my 5- and 3-year olds, who were predictably amused, though they volunteered that Abbott & Costello aren't as good as the Marx Brothers. That's putting it mildly.

I also wanted to see if they were as entertaining as I remembered them from my childhood: They aren't. I can only suppose they were an innovative act in their heyday in the '40s, when they were the biggest grossing movie comedians, but -- what can I say? -- they fail the proverbial test of time. They were fated to Trotsky's ash heap of history -- or, in this case, comedic history -- along with Eddie Cantor, Ma & Pa Kettle, Martin & Lewis, and, hopefully before long, Adam Sandler.

There's a saving grace or two, though, in this movie: One of the Three Stooges, Shemp Howard, has the best bit as a Mr. Magoo-like big game hunter, while a future Stooge, Joe Besser, who, eerily, would one day replace the deceased Howard, does his usual turn as a ludicrous sissy. If only this Abbott & Costello feature had a tenth of the classic qualities of those Three Stooges shorts that contemporaneously got so little respect!

Classic Abbott & Costello!
Being born in Paterson NJ, I guess maybe I'm a little privy to the whole Abbott & Costello thing. I remember when channel 11 was WPIX..now it's WB11....but every Sunday morning; at 11:30AM, they'd run an Abbott & Costello film(they did this for years)and Africa Screams was one of our favorites.

Why? Well, it was classic Bud & Lou all the way. Picture Lou finding a trail of diamonds.....calling on Bud to help him carry ALL HIS MONEY! I'M GOING TO BUY POLO PONIES...OFFICE BUILDINGS!!!

I forget the name of the guy who plays Gunner, but you'll recognize him instantly as well........YOU GOTTA BUY THIS!!!!!!

Would you trade Lou Costello for a bunch of diamonds?
Diane Emerson (Hillary Brooke) is looking for a copy of the book "Dark Safari" by the famous explorer Cuddleford in the book department of Klopper's Department store. When Buzz Johnson (Abbott) hears Diane will pay $2,500 for a map that is in the book, he passes off Stanley Livingston (Costello) as a great explorer, who had accompanied Cuddleford to Africa. Stanley says he can reproduce the map, but when Buzz overhears Diane offer Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to Africa, he knows there is much more money to be made. So the boys take Diane and her henchmen to Africa, where they set out to locate the Ubangi tribe, which has a fortune in uncut diamonds. Eventually the group stumbles on the Ubangi and find out the cannibals are willing to trade the diamonds for Stanley.

The best comedy routines in "Africa Screams" involves Costello and animals, whether it is Abbott dressed up in a lion skin so "Stanley" can prove what a great hunter he is or being rescued by a gorilla. But my favorite scene is when Buzz thinks Stanley is dead and does not notice that his "dead" friend is commiserating with him over his regrets for having treated Stanley so badly. "Africa Screams" is one of the funnier Abbott & Costello films from this period, playing to Costello's strength in pantomime. This 1949 film was directed by Charles T. Barton and features not only the famous hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck, but Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges as Gunner, the near-sighted gunman employed by Diane, and former World Heavyweight Champion Max Baer and his "little" brother Buddy as Grappler McCoy and Boots Wilson, her two goons.

ONE OF ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S BEST FEATURES
A classic A & C film. The boys play two employees of a NY department store. Lou's claim that he can draw a map from a famous big game hunter's book, gets them involved with an unscrupoulous gang of fortune hunters who are organizing a safari to Africa, to hunt for diamonds. Two of the film's BEST highlights are the team's encounters with then famous big game hunters Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck. The film also teams them with Hillary Brook (who co-starred with them in the film "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD", and later co-starred with them in the first season of their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW"), and Joe Besser and Shemp Howard ( of "THE THREE STOOGES". Howard co-starred with the team in their films "BUCK PRIVATES", "IN THE NAVY", and "IT AIN'T HAY". Besser co-starred with them in their TV series "THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW" playing the part of 'STINKY'). ... Read more

Description

By the late Forties, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were superstars. And sprinkled among their usual pictures for Universal were wildly original independent films that gave them more control and showed off the influence of their vaudville roots.Africa Screams and Jack and the Beanstalk offer perfect examples of these classics made outside the studio system.This DVD features pristine prints of both films in a package that will certainly entertain as it sparks nostalgia. In Africa Screams (1949), Bud & Lou find themselves on an African safari. And in one of their funniest films. Over the course of the picture, they encounter lions, a giant ape, uncut diamonds, a crocodile, crooks, cannibals and a great cast that includes Hillary Brooke and Joe Besser, who'd both end up in the Abbott & Costello TV show; lion-tamer Clyde Beatty; famed explorer Frank Buck; boxers Max and Buddy Baer; and Shemp Howard, who took time off from The Three Stooges to play a very near-sighted big game hunter. Jack And The Beanstalk (1952) gave Fifties audiences their first look at the boys in color. Managing to work Bud & Lou into a faithful musical adaptation of the fairy tale, the script places less emphasis on the team's burlesque origins and focuses more on their appeal to children. As Jack, Costello gets to show off his pantomime skills. And, naturally, Abbott is the butcher that cons Jack out of the cow. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Go Ape or go Giant!!!
Ok, here it is. I am a huge fan of Abbott and Costello movies. Africa Screams is a decent one and has many funny moments but its not their best. Jack and The Beanstalk is ok but thats about it. You won't go wrong watching these movies though. So, on this DVD double feature i went Ape and Not Giant if you get my drift. Ape for Africa Screams and throw out the magic beans for Jack and the Beanstalk. 3 stars is all i could give!

Abbot and Costello - Reallyu Had A Thing Going!
Abbot and Costello were a comedy team for a long times until the fought more then they acted. As a result of the on-screen chemistry - many memorable moments in film history were created. (Who could forget Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein? A classic.)

This very cheep DVD features two of their funniest films and great for kids too. Africa Screams and Jack And The Beanstalk. Africa Screams is hysterical. It puts all the stereotypical impressions of the African Culture and mixes them with Abbot and Costello. What could be funnier?

Jack And The Beanstalk was cleverly written and involves music, magic harps and a lot of character performances all mixed in with the humor that is only Costello's brand. He plays Jack and boy do you realize what a mess the fantasy world would be in if he was actually there!

The quality of the transfer is not the best I have seen, but the movies speak for themselves. And, it's a great price!

Entertaining for the youth
Jack & The Beanstalk...an amusing film for an adult but really good for young children. Basically it's the story of an old woman who lived in a shoe, little boe peep and jack and the beanstalk. All of the kids fairy tales in this amusing movie. Africa Screams here would be the better picture for adults however. Africa Screams which features 2 of the Stooges third stooge(Joe Besser and Shemp Howard)Shemp's character is rather unamusing and Joe Besser's character is ok. But the stars that shine here as always are Bud Abbott & Lou Costello. Very funny picture and this 2 dvd combo is definitly a worthwhile purchase.

If you like quality transfers Don't buy this
I have just received my copy of Africa Screams/Jack and the Beanstalk and I'm seriously considering returning it. In this day of computer enhancements and digital restorations why does this transfer look like it was done by a blind, deft Saint Bernard. I have over three hundred DVD's to date in my collection and I have never seen a transfer this bad. It appears to have been copied from a third generation VHS tape originally recorded at SLP speed. The scratches, dropouts' lack of contrast and poor sound quality makes this DVD a waste of money. The color in Jack in the Beanstalk continually shifts and bleeds through each scene and the black and white sequences also shift from B&W to blue at scene changes. Add to that the same scratches and lack of picture quality as Africa Screams gives you two inexcusably bad copies for the price of one. I for one, will not purchase any more transfers from MADACY in Canada

You can't get much better than this!
In this amazing Abbott and Costello package you get two great movies: Jack and the Beanstalk and Africa Screams. Jack and the Beanstalk is a portrayal of the childrens tale but done to a much funnier extent. Costello takes the part of a peasant boy and Abbott as the town butcher, both of whom climb the beanstalk in pursuit of saving the princess and slaying the giant.

Africa Screams is the story of when Abbott and Costello make up a story that they are big game hunters. It is then when a women is looking for a big game hunter that knows the map of a trail that leads to a Orangutang Gargantuan and takes Abbott and Costello along for the adventure.

This dvd should not be passed up if you are interested in a laugh or just want to see some good old classic movies. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BIG booooo for amazon.com
Due to the lack of description I thought this DVD might contain some of their TV work or something like that, oh boy was I wrong.

What is it ? - "Jack and the Beanstalk" & "African screams" Neither of these movies compare favourably to some of thier classics like "Hold that Ghost" or "A&C meet Frankenstien", especially Jack and the Beanstalk. ... Read more

Description

This highly engaging two-part documentary series profiles some of America's greatest generals of the 20th century. Each program features vintage motion pictures and seldom seen still photographs culled from family files, museums, the military, newsreels and narrated by the likes of Ronald Regan, Walter Cronkite, Mike Wallace, Lorne Greene and Walter Matthau. Volume #1 profiles: Douglas MacArthur - Profile of the colorful, combative, tumultuous 5 star general and his military exploits who lived his two credos, "I Shall Return" and "Duty, Honor, Country." Dwight D. Eisenhower - Soldier, statesman, president, beloved hero of D-Day, the Invasion of Normandy and the defeater of Germany at the Battle of the Bulge. Omar N. Bradley - Considered himself a failure during WWI when he was kept stateside, but during WWII he commanded a division, a corps, an army, and finally a group of armies! His last command, the 12th U.S. Army Group, was the largest body of American soldiers ever to serve under one field commander. Joseph J. Pershing - John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, General of the Armies, was the most accomplished and celebrated American soldier of the early 20th century. He fought Pancho Villa and commanded the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in Europe during World War I. Includes 7 WWII shorts (over 100 min.): "Movies at War" (1944) - Entertaining the troops around the world. "Autobiography of a Jeep" (1943) - A lighthearted look at America's four-wheeled wartime hero. "In the Wake of the Armies" (1946) - Dramatic propaganda film with confidential added footage showing how to persuade the public to support the UNRAA. "Conquer by the Clock" (1942) - One slip up on the Home Front assembly line can mean disaster on the battlefield! "Gracias Amigos" (c1944) - Contributions to the War effort by our Latin American neighbors. "Air Raid Warnings" (c1942) - Helmeted heroes of the Home Front--"Turn out that light!" "Our Job in Japan" (1946) - Produced by Frank Capra, directed by Theodore Geisel ("Dr. Seuss"), the Japanese are portrayed as victims of cynical leaders in this post-war G.I. indoctrination short. ... Read more