Hillary Brooke hires department store workers Bud Abbott and Lou Costello as guides for her jungle expedition. They run afoul of headhunters and men in gorilla suits.  This average entry in the team’s filmography features two of the Three Stooges (Shemp Howard and Joe Besser) and the boxing brothers Max and Buddy Baer.  Brooke and Besser later co-starred in Abbott and Costello’s TV show.

This was the last film the team did for Universal.  After they were fired, they did one more film (Dance With Me Henry) and then split up.  Bud Abbott and Lou Costello find a cursed medallion that leads to a treasure hidden inside a pyramid.  Unfortunately, it’s guarded by Klaris the Mummy (Eddie Parker).  The bit where the medallion is hidden in a hamburger roll is priceless and is the comedic highlight.  The mummy costume is pretty shoddy, but the laughs are there.  With Marie Windsor.

Second in Abbott and Costello’s Meet the… series takes a while to get going but is loaded with laughs.  Bud Abbott tries to solve a murder in a hotel where Lou Costello is the prime suspect.  Karloff is a swami who tries to hypnotize Lou into committing suicide, but can’t because Lou is too dumb (just like in Meet Frankenstein).  The scene where Bud and Lou try to dispose of an incriminating dead body is the black comedy highlight.  The film was originally titled Easy Does It, but it was changed due to the success of Meet Frankenstein.  As in Abbott and Costello Go To Mars, the title is all wrong because Boris is NOT the Killer! 

This typically silly later Abbott and Costello comedy has the duo traveling cross country to find a crooked movie producer in Hollywood during the silent era of cinema.  Because of the surroundings, the team almost solely relies on slapstick and not on their patented wordplay.  Fans of the Keystone Kops will also be disappointed as they only show up during the last ten minutes for an extended comic chase.  On the other hand, if you’re an indiscriminate fan of Abbott and Costello (like me) you’ll probably enjoy it.  Producer Mack Sennett cameos (as himself) as does Costello’s daughter (as a ticket taker).

This is the best of the team’s later Meet the… series and is one of their funniest.  The special effects are top notch.  The boxing sequences, (especially the scenes with the punching bag), spaghetti eating, and the last scene where Lou Costello becomes invisible are among the highlights.  The plot involves boxer Tommy Nelson who becomes invisible to clear his name of murder.  Abbott and Costello play bumbling detectives who try to help.  The scene where the Invisible Man helps Lou in the boxing ring is hilarious and the effects hold up even to today’s standards.  Even though Vincent Price did the voice of the Invisible Man in Meet Frankenstein, he is played by Arthur (Monster on the Campus) Franz in this movie.  Also with William Frawley, from I Love Lucy.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello play London bobbies trying to solve a series of murders.  Could it be Dr. Jekyll (Boris Karloff)?  Or his alter ego Mr. Hyde (stunt man Eddie Parker)?  Or both?  The comedy this time relies more on slapstick rather than the team’s patented play on words routines.  The best gag is Bud saying “Follow me!” and then pushing Lou in front of him. Karloff plays a rather wimpy Dr. Jekyll in his only portrayal of the role. The special effects and transformations are good, but not up to par with Meet Frankenstein and Meet the Invisible Man’s excellent work.  Also with Craig Stevens, who played Peter Gunn.

Many critics say this is the team’s worst film, but it’s fun if you’re an indiscriminate fan of the team (like me)  Like Meet the Killer, the title is all wrong since Abbott and Costello actually go to Venus and NOT Mars.  Venus, if you didn’t know is populated entirely of beauty pageant winners (including Anita Ekberg).  I wonder why NASA hasn’t looked into this…