MovieChat Forums > Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) Discussion > If Karloff Had Played The Monster . . .

If Karloff Had Played The Monster . . .

posted 16 years ago by webfix
15 replies | jump to latest

If Boris Karloff had played The Frankenstein Monster in this film, that would have been the icing on the cake, alongside the two orignal actors who playe The Wolfman and Dracula.

Karloff is my all time favourite Frankenstein Monster - I particularly liked the great sense of pathos he gave to the role - and so it would have been nice to have seen him return to this role. I do wonder, however, that with this being partly a COMEDY movie, would the directors have watered down some of the pathos that Karloff originally brought to the role?

Having said that, though, I do think Glenn Strange was the a good replacement for Karloff.

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[–] fritzfassbender 16 years ago

If Boris Karloff had played The Frankenstein Monster in this film, that would have been the icing on the cake, alongside the two orignal actors who playe The Wolfman and Dracula.

Well, it sounds nice, but Karloff was 60 years old when that movie was made. Even if his name had been on the contract, most of the work would have been done by the stuntman (like when 60-year old Bela Lugosi was cast in 'Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman').

Also, Karloff took the role too seriously to treat it as just a prop, which it certainly was in that film and since it's a comedy there's little reason it shouldn't have been, so I just don't think his casting would have worked. The film is perfect as is.

[–] webfix 16 years ago

Yeah, you've made some good points there.

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[–] JosephQCat (706) 2 years ago

Karloff was done playing the monster after Son of Frankenstein. My understanding is that it took some convincing for him to appear in that.

I don't see Karloff getting along with Lou Costello. Karloff liked having input such as he had with James Whale in the first two Frankenstein pictures. Lou Costello was a driver in A & C meet F and had his notions and objectives in getting the movie done. I doubt that Lou would have indulged Karloff with any problems that he had.

Yes, Karloff was up there in age but a way would have been found to get it done if that was the only stumbling block. Closeup shots of Karloff but stand-ins to do everything else.

Karloff never had the intimidating physical presence to do a non-cerebral take on the monster. Glenn Strange at 6'6" and craggly face was perfect for the job. He even cast a smile that could be considered as sinister as a bonus.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7817) 2 years ago

I'll never get why the later 2 sequels ignored Bride of Franknstein. It would have been more epic if the Bride was in them too and got more development. I like Ghost better than Son but both films acting like Bride never happened is a little disappointing.

[–] PaladinNJ (21626) 7 months ago

Karloff worked with Abbott & Costello in Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde so I don't think he would have had issue working with them again. I just think he didn't want to play the monster anymore.

[–] CaldoTheKid (389) 6 months ago

While that is true, he wasn't playing The Monster in those films and so had less reason to cause potential problems.

[–] liscarkat (19031) 3 months ago

I'm seventy and I'd have no problem with the demands of the costume, makeup, and physical activity. Unless Karloff had some kind of adverse medical condition at sixty, he could have done it, and the makeup would have hidden his facial aging.

Anyway, Strange did a great job in the role.

[–] millsey72 (10666) 2 years ago

I think Fred Gywnne played the best Monster

[–] PaladinNJ (21626) a year ago

Glenn got the role of the Monster as a kind of joke. I think he was on a movie set and someone commented how much he looked like Boris Karloff as Frankenstein. They made him up just to see and realized it was accurate. He was later offered the role in House of Frankenstein and a legend was born.

[–] Underdog_73 (770) a year ago

More likely it's because he already, and most recently, played the monster multiple times. House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula came out years before this movie.

[–] PaladinNJ (21626) a year ago

I’m talking about House of Frankenstein. Set him up as Karloff sucessor

[–] JosephQCat (706) a year ago

That "someone" was Jack Pierce who was responsible for Karloff's makeup and prosthetic(s) in the original 1931 Frankenstein. Pierce knew Karloff was done with the role and being ready with a replacement is good for job security.

[–] DoctorThirteen (14658) 7 months ago

It would have been nice, but as you say, Glenn Strange was a very good replacement.

[–] JoWilli (20949) 7 months ago

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[–] DoctorThirteen (14658) 7 months ago

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