Podcasts
The History of the Universal Monsters: ‘Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein’ Gets the Last Laugh [Halloweenies Podcast]
In 2025, the Halloweenies are celebrating the storied legacy of the Universal Monsters. Dracula, Wolf Man, Frankenstein, his Bride, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Invisible Man… all will be covered. In fact, each monster is getting their own month, giving the Halloweenies plenty of time to dig deep into their respective origins and chart their influence over the past century and some change.
In June, the gang cooled off by wading in the waters of the Amazon in search of 1954’s Creature from the Black Lagoon. Now, they’re tickling their funny bones with this 1948 Universal Monster comedy classic: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.
Topics include: how the film respects the source material, comedy-horror vs horror-comedy, comedy in the 1940s, the film’s place amongst the other “monster mash” movies, why the film works where so many other horror-comedies (including A & C ones) failed, and much, much more!
Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies ? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, Chucky, and Alien! This year it’s all Universal, all Monsters.
Which creature is next? You’ll never guess.
You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for irreverent commentaries (eg The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , Gremlins , Jaws ), one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals (eg Killer Klowns from Outer Space , Invasion of the Body Snatchers), and even spinoffs like their recent run Fortune & Glory: An Indiana Jones Podcast .
Here at Halloweenies, we love practical effects—there’s a reason why one of our categories is called “Great Graphics.” Well, consider this a full-length “Great Graphics” episode, where we talk to the effects team behind the titular puppet of Pinocchio Unstrung, in theaters this Friday. As the latest installment in the Twisted Childhood Universe, Pinocchio ups the franchise’s game by featuring a villain that’s entirely practical, created with a stunning mix of animatronics and, of course, puppetry.
So, take a seat at the workbench for a spirited interview between Halloweenie co-host Dan Caffrey and MASTERS FX President and Founder (and special effects legend in his own right) Todd Masters, Pinnochio Lead artist and Designer Kiana Larson, and Lead Animatronics Joshua Raymond. Learn how they pulled off such a dazzling and terrifying puppet, where they think the effects industry is headed, the movies that made them want to be FX artists, a few tidbits of Nightmare On Elm Street history, and more.
Pinocchio himself might even pop by for an appearance.
Stream the episode below and get tickets now for Pinocchio Unstrung. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, Chucky, Alien, and Universal Monsters. This year? Hellraiser AND The Omen.
You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries (e.g. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Gremlins, Child’s Play) and one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals (e.g. Saw, 28 Days Later, Manhunter, Near Dark). Each month promises something new and unexpected from the wildest corners of the genre.
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