Abbott and Costello’s Horror-Comedy Films in Stunning 4K!

Kino Lorber Studio Classics has just announced a brand-new Abbott & Costello Horror Collection (1941-1955) 4K Ultra HD box set that’s coming soon! This stunning collection is set to include some of their most beloved horror-comedy crossovers, like Hold That Ghost (1941), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer Boris Karloff (1949), Abbott and Costello Meet The Invisible Man (1951), Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953), and Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy (1955). Can you imagine experiencing these classics in glorious 4K? It’s a dream come true for any fan of their work!

I’ve always had an absolute soft spot for Abbott and Costello—there’s just something about their timeless humor and chemistry that captivates me! To me, they’ve always felt like a sharper, more refined version of Laurel and Hardy, blending wit with slapstick in a way that feels both clever and endlessly entertaining. And let’s not forget their films—oh, their films! I’ve always thought they outshone the Universal monster movies of their era, bringing a unique charm and hilarity that still holds up today. While the Marx Brothers were undeniably cool, their work sometimes feels a bit more dated compared to the fresh, enduring appeal of Abbott and Costello’s cinematic gems.

The legacy of Abbott and Costello is nothing short of extraordinary! Their movies have been celebrated and re-released in countless box sets over the years, each incarnation introducing their brilliance to new generations. But their influence doesn’t stop there—they’ve left an indelible mark on modern comedy, too! Did you know that Jerry Seinfeld himself has credited The Abbott and Costello Show as a major inspiration for his iconic sitcom, Seinfeld? He admired how their comedy focused purely on funny situations rather than moral lessons, a philosophy that shaped his groundbreaking series. How cool is that?

Abbott and Costello’s genius continues to resonate, and this new box set is proof that their magic is as alive as ever. I can’t wait to dive into these films again and relive the laughter they’ve brought to so many of us over the decades. What a time to be a fan!

Hold That Ghost (1941)

Two bumbling service station attendants (Bud Abbott, and Lou Costello) are left as the sole beneficiaries in a bumped-off gangster’s will. Their trip to claim their fortune is sidetracked when they are stranded in a haunted house along with several other strangers.

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

In the first of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello’s horror vehicles for Universal Pictures, the inimitable comic duo star as railway baggage handlers in northern Florida. When a pair of crates belonging to a House of Horrors museum are mishandled by Wilbur (Lou Costello), the museum’s director, Mr. MacDougal (Frank Ferguson), demands that they deliver them personally so that they can be inspected for insurance purposes, but Lou’s friend Chick (Bud Abbott) has grave suspicions.

Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer Boris Karloff (1949)

This funny and suspenseful outing for Bud and Lou casts them as a pair of hotel employees detective Casey Edwards and bumbling bellboy Freddie Phillips-who are determined to discover why corpses keep popping up around the Lost Caverns Resort Hotel. Is supposed swami Karloff really the killer… or is it someone else? Also starring Alan Mowbray, Lenore Aubert, and Donna Martell.

Abbott and Costello Meet The Invisible Man (1951)

Comedy legends Bud Abbott and Lou Costello encounter one of Universal’s most unforgettable monsters in Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man. Recent detective school graduates Bud and Lou are minding their new business when accused killer Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz) bursts into their office. Proclaiming his innocence, he convinces the two to get him to his beautiful fiancée Helen (Nancy Guild). Just as the police arrive to investigate, Tommy injects himself with an invisibility serum developed by Helen’s uncle. Tommy convinces Lou to go undercover as a boxer to help expose the real killer. With Tommy’s unseen assistance, Lou reluctantly goes into the ring as “Lou the Looper” for one of the most hilarious fight sequences ever filmed.

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

Bud Abbott is Slim and Lou Costello is Tubby, two American cops sent to London who find soon themselves in the throes of terror when they become mixed up with an equal rights leader (Helen Wescott), her reporter boyfriend (Craig Stevens), and the menacing Dr. Jekyll (Boris Karloff)-and his even more menacing alter ego, Mr. Hyde (Eddie Parker). Also stars Reginal Denny.

Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy (1955)

Comedy meets horror when Bud Abbott and Lou Costello encounter Universal’s classic monsters in the frightfully funny Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy. Pete and Freddie (Abbott and Costello) overhear a Cairo archaeologist’s chatter about discovering a legendary mummy and decide to apply as chaperones for the corpse’s journey to America. When they arrive at the archaeologists’ home, they discover that he has been murdered; the mummy seems to have disappeared and to top it all off, the boys become owners of a sacred medallion that holds the key to the location of an ancient buried treasure that many would kill for! Now it’s up to the bumbling Americans to preserve the legend of the mummy and keep the treasure from falling into the wrong hands.

Bonus: Filmmaking legend Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) has revealed, with a sense of awe, how Abbott and Costello’s brilliant fusion of horror and comedy left an indelible mark on his creative vision. He credits their masterful blending of genres as a major influence on his signature style of mixing and matching disparate elements to create something unique and groundbreaking. Tarantino’s admiration for their work underscores just how timeless and transformative Abbott and Costello’s artistry truly is, proving that their genius continues to inspire even the most iconic filmmakers of our time.