Mel Brooks (The Producers) hit his cinematic peak in 1974, making Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. As an homage, not only to the legacy of Frankenstein but also to the Golden Age of Hollywood, the former stands as one of the greatest horror comedies of all time as the combined writing efforts of Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks, as they incorporate a running commentary upon the sexuality and ambiguity of the time, resulted in a Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay.
Doctor Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder, Bonnie and Clyde, Blazing Saddles, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, The Producers) is the grandson of the Victor Von Frankenstein. Frederick, attempting to separate himself from his grandfather’s notorious experiments with the reanimation of human tissue, abandons neurosurgery and takes a professorship at a New York medical school. However, when Victor passes away, leaving everything to his grandson, Frederick goes on sabbatical in order to visit the Frankenstein Castle in Transylvania. With the help of his assistants, Igor (Marty Feldman), the grandson of Victor’s original assistant, and Inga (Teri Garr, The Conversation, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Tootsie), he resumes his grandfather’s research.
Brooks presents a loving parody of the Frankenstein legacy with Young Frankenstein. The plot echoes Rowland Lee’s Son of Frankenstein while liberally taking from James Whale’s classic precursors. The homages also extend outward to other Universal monster classics, such as when the monster, played by Peter Boyle (Taxi Driver, Malcolm X), takes Victor’s fiancée, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) away, framing the famed sequence in Jack Arnold’s Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Yet, though a comedic work, those involved with the film took great care in its production. One of the greatest acknowledgements to the era is Gerald Hirschfeld’s crisp, stunning black and white photography which has his audience second-guessing the decade of production throughout the film. Furthermore, Kenneth Strickfaden, the individual responsible for the construction of Colin Clive’s lab in 1931, loaned the original equipment to Brooks for the making of Young Frankenstein as the production team returned to the original castle in which Whale shot his original masterpiece.
Yet, with Brooks, comedy is key. The most predominant theme is sexual innuendo, which he implements as a reflection of the time. Instead of positing the perversion in the mouth (no pun intended) and actions of a single character, Brooks makes the sexuality of the period ooze from all of his characters. Frederick, noticing the gargantuan doors to his grandfather’s castle, comments on the proportionate door knockers, “What knockers,” he says, in awe. Inga, his buxom Swedish assistant who is standing beside him, retorts, “Oh. Thank you Doctor.” Later, as Frederick outlines his reanimation experiment, he informs his assistants, “For the experiment to be a success, all of the body parts must be enlarged.” Inga continues, “His veins, his feet, his hands, his organs vould all have to be increased in size,” which Frederick confirms before Inga quickly deduces, “He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker.” As Frederick stands on the platform housing his creation as an electrical storm approaches, he commands Inga, “Elevate me.” Inga, surprised, asks, “Now? Right here?” Frustrated at the delay, Frederick reiterates, “Yes, yes, raise the platform.” Inga, realizing her cognitive faux pas, mumbles, “Oh. Ze platform. Oh, zat. Yah, yah . . . yes.”
Linguistic ambiguity (hinted at above) continues to play a large role throughout the film. For example, Abbot and Costello’s influence is apparent when Inga declares, “Werewolf.” Frederick, alarmed, utters, “Where?” Igor, quick on his feet, states, “There.” Frederick, now confused, inquires, “What?” Igor, enjoying the game, continues with, “There wolf. There castle.” Predictably, as Igor gathers the supplies necessary for Frederick’s experiment, he drops the brain of Hans Delbruck and opts to replace it with one labeled “Abnormal.” When Frederick’s creation displays hostility after reanimation, the doctor asks his assistant which brain he implanted into his creation, the latter quaintly replying, “Abby Normal.” More verbal juggling is presented with the pronunciation of character’s names. As Frederick, in an attempt to sever himself from his infamous heritage, introduces himself to Igor, correcting his assistant in respect to his surname, slowly enunciating, “Frahn-kun-steen.” Igor, not buying the out, bounces quickly back with his own interpolation of his title, “Eye-gore.” This occurs shortly after Frederick arrives in Transylvania via train, which housed a couple who have a conversation, first in English, before repeating the conversation in German (apparently paying respect to having crossed national lines during the voyage).
However, the comedy isn’t merely limited to a running commentary on sexuality during the time or linguistic pyrotechnics. An ample amount of slapstick is employed throughout, as Frederick attempts to locate his grandfather’s private study via a hidden passage located behind a bookshelf. As Igna inadvertently pens the doctor between two walls, they quibble, reminiscent of dialogue between Laurel and Hardy. Yet Brooks’s humor isn’t limited to yesteryear as he presents Police Inspector Hans Wilhelm Friederich Kemp (Kenneth Mars, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Producers), a shadow of Stanley Kubrick’s Doctor Strangelove of only six years prior. One of the film’s funniest moments is during a pause when Frederick begins to suspect that Igor’s hump has shifted from his right shoulder to his left and perhaps back again. He offers to correct the abnormality, which Igor refuses to acknowledge.
Stunningly, Brooks maintains some of the central ideas contained in the originals. The monster is again tortured by society, yet in this retelling of the tale, Brooks subjects Frankenstein’s creation to humanity’s ignorance and poorly executed goodwill. For example, Frederick, attempting to convenience his peers within the scientific community of the civility of his creation, performs a duet with the monster as they tap dance to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (which, if this is the litmus for civility, few today would qualify). Brooks’s most scathing indictment is presented in Wilder’s over-the-top performance in which he spends most of the film hysterically screaming at his inept staff (unlike the obedient servants seen in the Universal productions), which is epitomized in the figure of Igor, who refuses to take his leader seriously (Young Frankenstein was filmed during the Nixon administration). Furthermore, Gene Hackman (Unforgiven, The Conversation, Bonnie and Clyde, The French Connection) plays the blind hermit from The Bride of Frankenstein. Unfortunately, the bond between the hermit and the monster doesn’t congeal as well in Brook’s rendition after the host scalds his guest before accidentally setting him on fire.
I will state, however, that the film, by modern standards, does lag at times. The sexual puns begin to wear a bit but the linguistic playfulness of the dialogue is still rewarding. The highlight of the film is the supporting cast, especially the performances of Marty Feldman and Teri Garr. Amazingly, the cinematography kept me in awe throughout the duration of the film which, not surprisingly, the Academy failed to recognize.
Mel Brooks, perhaps with his swansong, Young Frankenstein, gives us a signpost for the time in which the film was made, as we are permitted to look back and see how others interpreted a classic tale. Overall, the comedy is still effective even if it has lost a bit of its edge throughout the decades. Regardless, Young Frankenstein stands as one of the best horror comedies ever made.
-Egregious Gurnow
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
