"For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius!"
After "Blazing Saddles" had become his first hit, he set out to make another. And he succeeded. He cast Gene Wilder, who'd he'd made famous with "the Producers" and "Blazing Saddles", Madeline Kahn who'd gotten an academy award nomination for her Marlene Deitrich send-up in "Blazing Saddles", the hilarious Marty Feldman, who'd earlier worked with John Cleese, Kenneth Mars, who'd he'd cast earlier in "the Producers", Cloris Leachman, who went on to star in many of Brooks' films, and the beautiful Terri Garr in this crazy comedy. "Young Frankenstein" was Mel's Tribute to the Monster Movies of Early Hollywood. He lovingly recreated the atmosphere with his spectacular black and white camera work and outdated film ratios, not to mention the castle right out of the old "Frankenstein" movies and the all the props within.
"It's Alive......It's Alive.....IT'S ALIVE"
It's probably not the most famous of Mel's works, but it's commonly regarded as his best. The fact that this movie is more homage than spoof buts it on a different level than the rest of Mel's work. Even though it's just as hilarious, if not more than the rest it can't be technically categorized as a spoof. It takes the characters from the Original Frankenstein (without change their names around, like in "Spaceballs" or "Robin Hood") and gives them an outrageous story to act out. Though it pokes fun at movies, it never comes out and hammers them, which, I think, makes it a better movie. It's well-acted, well-scripted, and well, the best. Nominated for "Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted from Other Material" and "Best Sound" at the Academy Awards, nominated for "Best Motion Picture Actress- Musical/Comedy (Cloris Leachman)" and "Best Supporting Actress- Motion Picture (Madeline Kahn)"at the Golden Globes, and Won the Hugo Award for "Best Dramatic Presentation".
"Yes! It's in your blood - it's in the blood of ALL Frankensteins!"
The Story: Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder), a young neurosurgeon, has been living his life hiding the fact that his Great-Grandfather was the notorious Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein, who's experiments into the reanimation of dead tissue left the science world horrified. He's gone to great lengths to hide the fact, going so far as to change the pronounciation of his name to "Fronkensteen". One Day a mysterious messenger arrives with the will of his late grandfather and Fredrick takes a leave of abscense from his lectures to visit his grandfather's castle and set his estate in order, since he is the only living heir. His fiancee, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) is upset at his sudden departure, but seems to forget about it as soon as the topic of her dinner party comes up.
Once at the castle he mets the rather odd Igor (Marty Feldman) who boldly states "My grandfather used to work for your grandfather". Also, he's introduced to his new lovely lab assistant, Inga (Terri Garr), and the castle's cryptic housekeeper Frau Bleucher (Cloris Leachman). In the night he hears strange music that slowly leads him down into the depth of the castle, where he discovers his Grandfather's Laboratory and private library. Once horrified by his work, Fredrick becomes intrigued and sets about to follow his Grandsire's recipe for making the dead live once again. Along the way hilarity ensues when he accidentally puts an abnormal brain in his creation (Peter Boyle) things take a turn for the worst. Now the local law official, Inspector Kemp (Kenneth Mars), is out to stop the monster at all costs and, to top things off, Fredrick's Fiancee drops in for a suprise visit.
"Taffeta, Darling....Taffeta, Sweetheart...."
Although "Young Frankenstein" takes the appearance of a mad-cap horror movie, on many levels I think it was intended as a parody on soap operas. Don't believe me? Here's the Proof.
This Movie Spoofs:
Frankenstein (1931) Dr. Frankenstein creates a simple creature from various body parts. The creature turns into a monster when Dr. Frankenstein rejects him. Sticking close to the original novel, we are guided through the store of Frankensteins quest for knowledge, and his creates search for his 'father'. How: Many of the characters are from this movie: Dr. Frankenstein, Elizabeth, Igor (called Fritz in "Frankenstein"), and, of course, the monster (which in "Young Frankenstein" has a zipper in his neck). The basic story line is the same also: The Doctor goes gravedigging, the hunchbacked assistant is sent to retrieve a brain and takes the abnormal one, the monster is created and then goes on a rampage...villagers get mad...monster kidsnaps fiancee....yadda yadda.... Not to Mention, "Young Frankenstein" uses the original lab equipment from the film and parts of the film can be heard when Fredrick first enters the laboratory. Also, The scene with the Little Girl throwing flowers into the well is almost identical to a scene in the original Frankenstein where the monster and little girl are throwing flowers and when they run out of flowers the monster throws in the little girl. Horrible in "Frankenstein", Horribly Funny in "Young Frankenstein".
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Dr. Frankenstein and his monster both turn out to be alive, not killed as previously believed. Dr. Frankenstein wants to get out of the evil experiment business, but when a mad scientist, Dr. Pretorius, kidnaps his wife, Dr. Frankenstein agrees to help him create a new creature, a woman, to be the companion of the monster. How: In "Bride of Frankenstein", the monster visits the hut of a blind hermit and is taught how to speak, in "Young Frankenstein" this is parodied when he visits the hut of a blind hermit only with more hilarious results. "Bride" is credited as being the first Frankenstein movie to show the monster in a sympathetic light, which is a crucial element to the plot of it's parody. At the end of "Young Frankenstein", Elizabeth can be seen sporting a new hair-do...one exactly like that of the Bride of Frankenstein.
Son of Frankenstein (1939) Wolf Frankenstein, son of Henry Frankenstein, returns with his wife, to his fathers estate to claim his inheritance. When he arrives with his family he recieves a hostile reception from locals.While exploring his fathers laboratory he comes across crooked shepherd - Ygor, who asks him to revive his father`s creation - the MONSTER who is lying in a coma.Wolf tries to revive the monster and believes he fails but then some of the locals are found murdered soon after who just happened to be part of the jury that sent Ygor to the gallows. The villagers immediately connect the killings to Frankenstein and send the inspector to investigate. He discovers the monster is alive and is being used as tool by Ygor. Wolf then in fit of madness shoots Ygor. The then enraged monster losing his only friend kidnaps Wolf`s son. In the end Wolf tracks the monster to the lab where he swings down on a chain knocking the monster into a sulpher pit and thus his demise. How: This movie is where the character "Igor" got his name from, but he is obviously a spoof on Fritz from the first movie. The whole "one-armed inspector sent by the villagers to investigate" plot element is used in "Young Frankenstein" when Kenneth Mars, as the hilarious Inspector Kemp, is sent to investigate going-ons at Frankenstein Castle.
Also Spoofs: Naught Marietta (1935) How: Elizabeth sings "Oh, Sweet Mystery of Life" when her and the monster are having a roll in ze hay.
Things To Watch For: The usual Mel Brooks musical number ( Frankenstein and his monster dance and sing "Puttin' on the Ritz"), the hilarious blind man scene (features Gene Hackman) spoofing a similar one from "the Bride of Frankenstein", the haunting score by John Morris, and don't miss Kenneth Mars as the wooden-armed Inspector Kemp or Madeline Kahn as Fredrick's hilarious Fiancee.
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