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What else can be said about this classic that hasn't already been said? 1974's Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks' dead solid perfect parody of the Frankenstein films, Bride of Frankenstein in particular, in which we meet Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder)who is the grandson of the Frankenstein of folklore, who inherits his grandfather's castle and eventually becomes obsessed with his grandfather's dream of re-animating dead tissue.
Everything works here, partly because I think Brooks chose to stay behind the camera this time. I have found his work where he stays behind the camera is better. Brooks has assembled a perfect cast: Wilder is brilliant as the deranged doctor, Marty Feldman creates one of the great comic characters in cinema history with Igor ("It's pronounced "Eye-gore"), Peter Boyle makes a charming creature and Cloris Leachman brilliantly channels Judith Anderson in her Frau Blucher. Teri Garr is a lovely Inga and Madeline Kahn is memorable as Frederick's fiancée Elizabeth.
It's one gag after another here and almost all of them work. Personally, I think Kenneth Mars' Inspector Kemp is a bit over the top, but why carp? But above all, you have the classic Brooks/Wilder screenplay, which has become part of pop-culture folklore...I'm pretty sure anyone who has ever seen this film can quote at least two or three lines from it. A comedy classic that just gets better with age...like fine wine.
What else can be said about this classic that hasn't already been said? 1974's Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks' dead solid perfect parody of the Frankenstein films, Bride of Frankenstein in particular, in which we meet Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder)who is the grandson of the Frankenstein of folklore, who inherits his grandfather's castle and eventually becomes obsessed with his grandfather's dream of re-animating dead tissue.
Everything works here, partly because I think Brooks chose to stay behind the camera this time. I have found his work where he stays behind the camera is better. Brooks has assembled a perfect cast: Wilder is brilliant as the deranged doctor, Marty Feldman creates one of the great comic characters in cinema history with Igor ("It's pronounced "Eye-gore"), Peter Boyle makes a charming creature and Cloris Leachman brilliantly channels Judith Anderson in her Frau Blucher. Teri Garr is a lovely Inga and Madeline Kahn is memorable as Frederick's fiancée Elizabeth.
It's one gag after another here and almost all of them work. Personally, I think Kenneth Mars' Inspector Kemp is a bit over the top, but why carp? But above all, you have the classic Brooks/Wilder screenplay, which has become part of pop-culture folklore...I'm pretty sure anyone who has ever seen this film can quote at least two or three lines from it. A comedy classic that just gets better with age...like fine wine.