Young Frankenstein

Spoofs are ten a penny these days but Young Frankenstein had so much care and attention put in by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder. It was fresh and innovative.

What works is the atmosphere, filmed in Black and White and evoking the sets, location of the Universal 1930's Frankenstein films.

You are easily brought into the atmosphere which gets regularly punctured with jokes, one liners and visual jokes such as the enormous knockers on the door as they arrive at the castle.

The cast of Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Terri Garr milk the laughs for all its worth.

Gene Hackman is a hoot as the blind hermit which sends the monster scurrying after he offers cigars. Feldman's Igor is the best and both Kahn and Garr are sensual and sexy.

Almost 40 years later, it is still mad and funny.

Over 30 years later this film still provides a ton of laughs to audiences.

It's always good to see the late Marty Feldman, whose face was hysterical and perfect for this film. In fact, he, along with the camera-work, really make this film one to watch and enjoy multiple times. Teri Garr was at her best and never looked as pretty as did in here. Add in the great talents of Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Gene Hackman, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman, etc., and you have a memorable movie with a lot of memorable scenes.

Looking at the Frankenstien "monster" in a tuxedo or sitting up in bed with a cigar reading The Wall Street Journal are just a few of the outlandish scenes, along Wilder entering the mansion commenting on the "nice knockers."

Kudos, also, for Mel Brooks having the good sense to film this in black-and- white. It may have been his best film, although "Blazing Saddles" would give it a run for its money. My only complaint was Wilder's constant yelling, which becomes abrasive and can give you a headache after awhile! Still, this has to be considered one of the best "comedy classics" ever.

Young Frankenstein is a great parody of classic horror films, particularly Frankenstein. The greatest thing about this Mel Brook's comedy classic is that you can really tell it was made with so much affection for both Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.

I think most of the humor in the movie is hit or miss, but in my case it was mostly hit. There were some parts in the movie that tried to be funny but I didn't quite get it, mostly because it feels at times very immature and juvenile, but most at the time, the movie is actually very mature and it understands the type of movie that it is. Most of the time this is actually a very smart film, not everyone could achieve this affectionate parody, but Mel Brooks did it and that is praise-worthy. The movie features an amazing performance from Gene Wilder as Frankenstein, he was cast perfectly for the role. The cinematography really resembles that of the original Frankenstein films, which I loved.

Young Frankenstein is a great comedy, a movie that understands what it is doing most of the time and, although childish at times, I think fans of the original Frankenstein films and horror classics in general will enjoy this one.

"Young Frankenstein", now you're talking about one of the great spoof movies. And the key to this is its affectionate handling thereof. There's always the inescapable feeling that something goofy is lurking just around the corner. And the payoff is never cheap, even if it's silly as all hell.

Well, that's part of it. The other half is the glorious cast; not just foxy Teri Garr, but also Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle, who school us all on comic acting with little more than funny facial expressions and spartan dialogue. But either way, this movie's a certifiable classic and goes a long way in evoking that ole movie feel.

Awesome stuff.

8/10

Mel Brooks' hilarious "Young Frankenstein" is one of those strange films that is so outlandish and makes fun of itself so much that it sucks the viewer into its twisted world and does not let up until the final credits roll. The titled character (Gene Wilder) decides to go to Transylvania and continue the research of a late relative. What follows is a comic joy-ride that involves the assistant (Marty Feldman), the love interest (Teri Garr), the stuck-up girlfriend (Madeline Kahn), the weird house-keeper (Cloris Leachman), the odd detective (Kenneth Mars) and naturally the monster himself (Peter Boyle in a priceless performance). Gene Hackman's whacked cameo as a the blind man who encounters the monster is one of the best sequences during the history of the cinema. A brilliant screenplay and beautiful black-and-white cinematography assist "Young Frankenstein" in being the total success that it is. 4.5 out of 5 stars.