Movie Review: Young Frankenstein (1974)

Young Frankenstein (1974) co-written and directed by Mel Brooks

Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder), the grandson of the mad doctor Frankenstein, inherits the family's Transylvanian castle. He's foresworn his legacy and is teaching legitimate anatomy in America. But an inheritance is an inheritance, so he leaves his stuck up fiancee (Madeline Khan) for Europe. He's met at the Transylvanian train station by Igor (Marty Feldman), the grandson of the mad doctor's assistant. With a new lab assistant (Teri Garr) in tow, they go to the castle. Frankenstein is led by some strange music to the secret laboratory and library of his grandfather. He reads his ancestor's notes and becomes convinced he can recreate life from inanimate matter. His success only leads to problems with the monster and with the locals, led by a police inspector (Kenneth Mars) with a fake arm and an incomprehensible accent.

The movie is a comedic take on the early Frankenstein movies (see here and here). Brooks does a good job coming up with gags and comedic set pieces based on the original (movie) material. The best routine has Gene Hackman as a blind hermit who befriends the monster (Peter Boyle) but is rather incompetent at helping the monster. Wilder's performance is very over-the-top which naturally fits with this oversized comedy. The movie is a fun, non-horrifying movie for Halloween.

Recommended--just be sure to watch the first two movies before watching this or they will be ruined for you. Also, the movie is bawdier than I remember, so it's not appropriate for little kids.