Young Frankenstein

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

D: Mel Brooks (1974); with Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Gene Hackman. One of Mel Brooks' finest and funniest films, Young Frankenstein was initially the brainchild of Gene Wilder, who took the idea to Brooks after the duo paired on the amazingly successful Blazing Saddles. The story, co-written by Wilder and Brooks, follows the exploits of Victor Frankenstein's grandson, who deplores his infamous ancestor's work animating dead tissue and prefers to have his name pronounced Fronk-un-steen. After inheriting his grandfather's castle in Transylvania, Young Frankenstein visits the family estate and quickly becomes obsessed with building a living human being from the dead, with uproarious results. One of the film's greatest strengths is the obvious affection its makers have for the Universal Studio horror movies they are sending up. Shot in black and white, Young Frankenstein looks like it might have been filmed on the Universal lot during the 1940s. One almost expects to see Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, or Lionel Atwill pop up from behind a gravestone. Although the concept and script are solid, the performances are what elevate the humor to classic status. Kenneth Mars and Marty Feldman, as the inspector and Igor respectively, occasionally kick out all the stops and step into broad physical comedy, but for the most part the cast doesn't overplay the material, instead relying on timing and performance to sell the gags. Anyone who's seen Bride of Frankenstein will howl at Gene Hackman's cameo as the blind hermit, which he plays almost entirely straight. The formula works wonderfully, and it's this quality that makes Young Frankenstein as funny on the 10th viewing as it is on the first.

20th Century Fox' s DVD of Young Frankenstein is everything a special edition should be. The letterboxed image and monophonic sound are both crisp and clear. Also included are several deleted scenes (which are interesting to watch, but it's understandable why they wound up on the cutting-room floor), a retrospective featurette, out takes, trailers, and pretty much anything else relating to the movie. An alternate audio track has commentary by director Mel Brooks. Young Frankenstein might have made James Whale roll in his grave, but not in a bad way.