source: Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer

Moviecut—Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer

Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff

Costello plays a bellhop who gets himself caught up in a murder and soon becomes the number one suspect. His only alibi is that the police think he's too stupid to have done it. Over the next few days, more murders pop up, and Costello may be the only one who can crack the case. I have to admit that this was my first Abbott and Costello film. Outside of "Who's on First", I didn't really know who they were. But this was a fine introduction, as it was funny, and a pretty good mystery. Even after it was solved, I'm still not completely sure I understand it. But that's just more reason to watch it again. Anyone who is going to watch this one should be made aware of one thing: the title, as written sometimes, is misleading. Boris Karloff is not the killer. In fact Boris Karloff isn't even in the movie. He does play a character in the film, but that character is not himself. (Exactly what role he plays in the film is hard to say... his motives are quite odd.)

Despite the title of the movie, Boris Karloff isn't in it much. He's fun when he is, though. He was the one thing missing in Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, so it's nice that the boys could finally do a movie with him. The story here finds the duo working at a hotel. Abbott's the hotel detective and Costello's a bellboy who keeps getting into trouble. Suddenly dead bodies are popping up all over the hotel and all clues point to poor dumb Lou. Very funny comedy murder mystery. Lou seems to be having a great time in this one. Nice support from Alan Mowbray, James Flavin, Roland Winters, and Lenore Aubert. More Karloff would've been nice but the movie succeeds anyway.

This is another awesome bud Abbott and Lou Costello film and because of all the same reasons it has great comedy in it the acting is good in it the actors are good in it it has a good story line to it. Boris Karloff does a great villain in this bud Abbott and Lou Costello film everything is good about this movie. so i'm sure you will not be disappointed with bud Abbott and Lou Costello meet the killer. so make sure that you rent or buy bud Abbott and Lou Costello meet the killer because it is an awesome bud Abbott and Lou Costello film. and i'm sure that you will have a good time watching this movie and you will watch it over and over again. overall score ********* out of ********** **** out of *****

This is on of my favorite films with the comic duo right next to "The Times of thier Lives". This has a great script, great actors, and a good plot. Also stars Boris Karloff who sided out playing the Frankinstien monster in Abbott and Costello meet Frankinstein10/10, highly recomended.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello star in this classic "who done it" movie. The team provides their usual funny pratfalls and mix-ups but along the way they manage to provide a classic theme to this movie. With Abbott and Costello, Karloff managing his way into the picture as the grueling possibility of the killer. This may be Abbott and Costello's best attempt to provide some new material into their excellent routines. Costello's character, Phillips is mainly accused of murdering a well known lawyer after they have a public disagreement. Phillips arrives at the lawyers hotel rooms to apologize but he finds that the lawyer has been murdered. Abbott goes far and above the the call of friendship to prove his friends innocents but who really did do it? Watch and see.

I'm a big A&C fan and have been since I was ten. I saw this A&C film many times in the 1980s (I recorded it once and watched it over and over again). It turns out that this film is included in Volume 3 of the Best of Abbott and Costello DVD set. After purchasing the set, I had a chance to watch it again recently. There are some genuinely outstanding gags here. Of all the movies made after A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN (the duo's high point), this is one of the best. The chase scene through the caverns is actually very well made and has withstood the test of time. It remains one of the best climaxes from an A&C movie. Unfortunately, Boris Karloff isn't put to very good use in the film. This is a surprisingly atmospheric film, though, and at times it even contains elements of noir. It reminds me of a cross between WHO DONE IT and HOLD THAT GHOST, although it's not as good as either of those films. Still, unlike A&C GO TO MARS or Africa SCREAMS, it's certainly not a blemish on their filmography.

Bud & Lou find themselves at the center of a murder mystery, the chief suspect? Why Lou Costello of course. As a comedy, Meet The Killer offers nothing fresh to what we haven't seen before from the boys prior to this 1949 offering, not that the comedy doesn't deliver, because it does, very much so. Be it Freddie (Costello) being too stupid to be hypnotised by the shifty Swami (Boris Karloff), or a wonderful sequence of events down in the creepy caverns, it's fun and very diverting. However, the strength in "Meet The Killer" is that it works very well as a whodunit mystery, a ream of characters, all acting oddly, come and go to keep the viewer guessing right through to the cheery pay off. It's entertaining on two fronts and has a cast clearly having fun into the bargain. Super shadowy photography by Charles Van Enger as well. Enjoy! Now, about that Tortoise? 7/10