Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943)

Graverobbers open the grave of the Wolfman (Lon Chaney, Jr.) and awake him. He doesn't like the idea of being immortal and killing people when the moon is full, so he tries to find Dr. Frankenstein, to kill him, but Frankenstein is dead and only his Monster (Bela Lugosi) is alive and this one wants to live, not to die like the Wolfman.

Trivia: The Frankenstein Monster, played by Bela Lugosi, is mute in this film, even though Boris Karloff's monster spoke in the earlier Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Interestingly, Lugosi had refused the role in the original Frankenstein (1931) because he would have had no lines. Several photos exist showing the deleted scenes (the fireside chat between the Monster and Talbot beneath the icy catacombs of the castle for instance; where Talbot & the audience learn that the Monster is still blind). This has been confirmed by several sources, including screen writer Curt Siodmak. In the mid-'80s a search was made through the Universal Studio vaults for a print or negative of the uncut prerelease version. As of this date, it has not yet been found. When The Monster's dialogue was deleted (see Alternate Versions), also removed were any references to The Monster being blind - a side-effect of Ygor's brain being implanted into The Monster at the end of The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942). As a result, Lugosi's sleepwalker-like lumbering gait with arms outstretched is not explained and became the subject of ridicule. It also established the Frankenstein Monster-walk stereotype. Stuntman Eddie Parker doubled for Bela Lugosi in the action scenes, as well as the scene of the Monster being released from the ice, but in the climactic fight scene, he doubled Lon Chaney as the Wolfman, while stuntman Gil Perkins took over as the Monster.

This movie should really be named The Zombie Wolf Man Meets Frankenstein's Monster, but does that really matter? The story is about the Wolf Man, aka Larry Talbot, who is dead, well, at least he was for four years until the graverobbers opened his tomb during a full moon (bad idea when you are dealing with a werewolf, so being a member of the undead, he is a zombie. While on the otherside, Frankenstein is dead, for good, and only the Monster is left. So The Zombie Wolf Man Meets Frankenstein makes a lot more sense, doesn't it? Lon Chaney, Jr. again was great as Larry Talbot, but Bela Lugosi was a strange choice for the Monster, he is obviously shorter then Talbot.