Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Bud and Lou as two delivery men with an oblong package for Frankenstein’s castle. As burlesque and later radio comics, Abbott and Costello found their metier in bizarre patter routines; they never got the hang of the kiddie slapstick Universal assigned to them, and their physical comedy is low, heavy, and graceless. This 1948 effort is probably the last of their watchable films, though it’s a long way from their best. Critics used to complain that their films weren’t plotted; these days, they look like Dickens. With Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., and Glenn Strange. Charles Barton directed. 83 min. (DK) Screening as part of a double feature with Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (see separate listing). a Sun 10/28, 3:30 PM, Portage.
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RHalloween John Carpenter’s 1978 tour de force, perhaps the most widely imitated film of the 70s. As a homicidal maniac stalks the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, Carpenter displays an almost perfect understanding of the mechanics of classical suspense; his style draws equally (and intelligently) from both Howard Hawks and Alfred Hitchcock. Though the film seems conscious of no significance beyond its own stylistic dexterity, its buried themes of sexual transgression and punishment appear to have touched something deep in the soul of the American teenager. The film, in its duplicitous way, makes a powerful plea for the comfort and security of puritanism. With Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, and P.J. Soles. 93 min. (DK) a Wed 10/31, 8 PM, Portage.
The Haunting Robert Wise’s 1963 black-and-white ‘Scope translation of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House was pretty effective when it came out; it may be a little stiff in the joints by now, but it’s still a much better scare show than the stinker remake, and clearly aided by Wise’s skill as an editor. With Richard Johnson, Claire Bloom, Russ Tamblyn, and Julie Harris. 112 min. (JR) DVD projection. a Wed 10/31, 7 PM, Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington, Evanston, 847-866-0300. F
RA Nightmare on Elm Street Horror master Wes Craven first broke away from the pack with this nifty 1984 slasher about a quartet of high school kids menaced in their dreams by a barbecued bogeyman in a slouch hat and ratty pullover (Robert Englund). It spawned countless sequels and a TV series, though here the idea of sleep as the ultimate threat is still fresh and marvelously insidious, and Craven vitalizes the nightmare sequences with assorted surrealist novelties (carpeted stairs that behave like quicksand, a victim sucked into a sinkhole in his mattress). With Heather Langenkamp, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, and Johnny Depp in his screen debut. 92 min. (JJ) a Sat 10/27, 8 PM, Portage.
RYoung Frankenstein More about the myth of Karloff than the monster, this Mel Brooks pastiche (1974) is probably his best early film: within limits, it has unity, pace, and even a dramatic interest of sorts. Its satisfying look, which Brooks has yet to equal, is probably due to Dale Hennesy’s production design and Gerald Hirschfeld’s polished black-and-white cinematography. With Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman, and Kenneth Mars. PG, 104 min. (DD) Screening by DVD projection as part of the Beverly Arts Center’s “Halloween Bash,” which includes a costume contest and live music. a Wed 10/31, 7:30 PM, Beverly Arts Center.
