Young Frankenstein

Mel Brooks
1974

There are few actors to have graced the screen with the particular quality of line delivery possessed by Gene Wilder. These talents are showcased to their peak sublimity in "Young Frankenstein." This is a comedy of such subtle nature that I'm quite surprised it has become the hit it is today; it seems ill suited for the general public and more crafted to a specific set.

This is a picture with excellent performances, indeed it is difficult to forget the contribution of any major character. Wilder's cadence is perfect for the neurotically plagued grandson of Frankenstein while Marty Feldman's skull defying pop-eyes, hooked nose, and wry smile make him a perfect Igor. The three female roles are memorable in their distinct characterizations. Teri Garr is the perfect embodiment of the Brooksian sex object, ridiculous accent and all, while Madeline Kahn's Elizabeth is at once tantalizing, yet prudishly infuriating. Cloris Leachman's old bat of a castle-caretaker is played so straight and serious that it becomes one of the film's funniest performances. Of course there's Peter Boyle's depiction of Frankenstein that, in its own comic way, is as engaging and titillating as Karloff's.

In the age of the "Scary Movie" franchise, a series that originated as a parody of a parody, the use of references in "Young Frankenstein" is utterly inaccessable limiting itself to the first three installments of the "Frankenstein" series: "Frankenstein," "Bride of Frankenstein," and "Son of Frankenstein."

Frankenstein is a cultural icon, created by, but in many ways divorced from the original Karloff picture. While many viewers from 1974 would still remember Frankenstein from television viewings as youths, few people of my generation have ever actually seen the original. Part of the success of "Young Frankenstein" is that it is not simply a series of jokes based on a few original pictures, but is instead a successful stand-alone film in its own right.

Wilder's cinephilic screenplay is bolstered with gags by Mel Brooks, who was brought on more as a script editor than writer. The sheer nuance and sophistication of much of "Young Frankenstein's" humor is perfectly complemented by a range of "silly" jokes and sketches excellently acted out by the players.

Review by Brett Scieszka