The Ghost of Frankenstein
The Ghost of Frankenstein is a 1942 horror film by Erle C. Kenton, the fourth film in Universal's Frankenstein franchise. Frankenstein's Monster is played by Lon Chaney Jr. (son of Lon Chaney), while Bela Lugosi steals the show as the hunchbacked sidekick Ygor.
Rip Rense recalled that Zappa loved the unintentional hilarity of some of the scenes: "In one of the cheesiest of the old Universal 'Frankenstein' movie sequels, 'Ghost of Frankenstein,' Ygor, the crazed shepherd played by Béla Lugosi, plots to have his brain implanted in the monster's head. Dr. Bohmer (Lionel Atwill), aids in the plot. The monster eventually revives from surgery---with Ygor's brain---then rampages through the house, which, like all Frankenstein houses, is surrounded by angry villagers. Ygor/Frankenstein opts to lure the villagers into the house, which is outfitted with gas jets, and do away with them en masse. And this is what he yells." I hit the tape. Out came the gravelly voice of the great Lugosi, screaming, "Bohmer! Turn on the gas!" I played it repeatedly. Zappa literally doubled over with deep laughter, his face crinkled, tears in his eyes. On the AAAFNRAA scale, it was apparently a ten. I played the tape again and again, and he laughed on and on, as did I, until at last he became collected enough to bid me goodnight. We shook hands, for what turned out to be the last time, and as I rose leave, I heard the final words I ever heard Frank Zappa speak---quintessentially sardonic, ironic, somewhat bitter, painfully blunt, and hilarious: "Turn on the gas!"".
The words "Turn on the gas" appeared in the song Stuff Up The Cracks.
