14 Best Horror Movies For Kids

Whenever the subject of horror/comedy crossovers arises, discussion of this 1948 movie is sure to follow. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein proved to be the swansong for Universal's original run of iconic monster movies, and while it would be easy to anticipate a lame-brained spoof that insults such classic characters as Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and the Wolf Man, it actually proved a very fitting end for the franchise, as well as being the perfect intro to the classic creatures for younger viewers.

Comedy double act Bud Abbott and Lou Costello star as Chick and Wilbur, a pair of train station baggage handlers who get mixed up in something way over their heads when they deliver some crates to a local wax museum. Rather than containing wax figures, the crates turn out to carry the actual bodies of Dracula and the Frankenstein monster; and as if those weren't enough, the Wolf Man soon shows up too.

The movie's real masterstroke was casting the existing Universal stars as the monsters, notably with Lon Chaney Jr taking on his signature role of The Wolf Man for the fifth time, and Bela Lugosi reprising Dracula for (believe it or not) the only time outside of the 1931 original. Crucially, the old horror icons continue to play their roles straight even as Abbott and Costello ham it up around them; the result is a surprisingly effective blend of broad comedy and old-fashioned horror, with more than a few moments of genuine dread.