Must-Own Halloween Blu-Rays In 2012 – Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection + 1

A Halloween Blu-ray Collection needs a +1

The second big release we want to address in this article is perhaps the zenith of the Universal horror cycle: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. It gets a Blu-ray release this very week. Why Universal decided to separate it from The Essential Collection I’ll never know, but we should be counting our lucky stars that the film is getting such similar treatment. Unlike the other films on this list, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein needs no weighing of the holiday scales. It is the perfect Halloween movie. It’s funny, it’s scary, and it’s just scary enough for the whole family, especially as a way to introduce the young and impressionable to the classic monsters.

For strict Universal Monster fans, it’s basically just a House of… mash-up done right, bringing us a plot that brings the monsters together in a fun and semi-believable way. Best of all, the film never once parodies or makes fun of the monsters. Unlike most horror-comedies, the rogue’s gallery of creatures are just as much of a threat as they were in previous films, they just happen to be threatening a pair of comedic greats like Bud and Lou. The film’s formula would act as a blueprint for many A&C films that followed, as well as a catalyst for more contemporary horror-comedies like Ghostbusters and The Monster Squad.

Reviews on the Blu-ray, released August 28th, are incredibly enthusiastic, noting a handsome transfer and very clear sound. While there are no new extras, the old ones are being ported over from the former DVD special edition. Basically, if you’re going all out for the Essential Collection, there’s no reason not to throw down for Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein on Blu-ray.