Young Frankenstein
British Novel to Film
Fu Jen University
Dr. M. Connor
Instant classic
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In 1974, director Mel Brooks released Young
Frankenstein, his parody of and homage to
the horror films of the 1930s, especially
James Whale’s Frankenstein and The Bride of
Frankenstein.
The term “instant classic” is bandied about
much too often these days, but that’s just what
this film has become.
Part of the pop culture it was
parodying
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Much of the dialogue in this incredibly funny
movie has become part of pop culture.
I would love to give you a number of
examples, but much of the humor is also
visual.
But I think this example works: (see next
slide)
Where else do you get em?
An example of the visual humor in Young Frankenstein Source: Mel Brooks
Movie Site, http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/frank/yfimages.htm
What about the words?
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Igor, Frankenstein’s assistant, in a scene
reminiscent of the 1931 Frankenstein, has
stolen an “abnormal brain” from the medical
school.
And this is how Frankenstein learns of it:
Classic exchange
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Dr. Frankenstein: Would you mind telling me
whose brain I did put in?
Igor: And you won't be angry?
Dr. Frankenstein: I will NOT be angry.
Igor: Abby someone.
Dr. Frankenstein: Abby someone. Abby who?
Igor: Abby Normal.
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To this day, it’s not unusual to call people Abby Normal as
an insult!
Beautifully shot
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Brooks wanted this film to have the proper
look, so he shot it in black and white,
recreating the beautiful look of the 1930
inspirations.
He also rented the original sets from the 1931
original.
The laboratory looks so much like Whale’s
film because it is the set from Whale’s film.
The Plot (as you know…)
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The film is the story of Dr. Frederick
Frankenstein, (Gene Wilder) grandson of the
infamous Victor Frankenstein (Henry in the
Whale films).
A brilliant surgeon in America, he still tries to
distance himself from his family heritage, to
the point of making sure people know that it's
pronounced “Fronk-en-shteen,” not Frank-enstein.
The cast of characters
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But Frederick learns he is to inherit the family castle
in Transylvania, and off he travels to see his new
property, leaving his fiance, Elizabeth (Madeline
Kahn) behind.
When he arrives in Transylvania, he meets the
family retainers, the hunchback Igor (Marty
Feldman), whose hump mysteriously moves from
side to side, Inga, (Terri Garr) the sexy blonde lab
assistant, and Frau Blucher (Cloris Leachman),
whose very name causes the horses to whinny in
fear.
Frau Blucher
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This is a subtle joke.
But not the one I
thought it was.
According to tradition,
Blucher means glue in
German, and as the old
jokes tell us, that’s
where useless horses
end up.
BUT, this isn’t true.
Cloris Leachman as Frau Blucher,
Source:
http://www.amicidellabonelli.net/foto/fo
to_mini/franky/frau.jpg
Snopes explains...
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The only in-joke connected with this gag is that so many
people have missed its real humor and instead been taken in
by a leg-pull. "Blucher" is not the German word for "glue,"
nor does it sound remotely like any German word for "glue"
— standard, slang, archaic, or otherwise. Blucher (or
Blücher) is simply an ordinary Germanic surname.
The joke employed in the film is a take-off on the hoary
melodramatic film device of inserting an ominous organ riff
or clap of thunder and having actors react with visible fright
whenever the villain appears on-screen or a character refers to
something evil or threatening.
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From The Urban Legend Reference Pages
Memorable Scenes
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One of the film’s most famous scenes is the one in
which the tuxedoed Frankenstein and his creation do
a song and dance routine to “Puttin on the Ritz” in
front of a medical convention in Bucharest.
When they started to film the scene, no one was sure
what the Creature should say.
Boyle came up with a strangled version of "Puiinin
da reeez!" On screen, it works brilliantly.
Classic humor
The famous ”Puttin’ on the Ritz” scene. Source: Mel Brooks Movie Site,
http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/frank/yfimages.htm
Homage scenes
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Many scenes from Frankenstein and The Bride of
Frankenstein show up in this film.
The first is a parody of the little girl drowning scene,
taken from Frankenstein. But there is no accidental
murder here.
Although the audience is mentally prepared for one,
in this version, the girl is catapulted from a see-saw
straight through her bedroom window and into her
bed, where her parents peek in to wish her good
night before she falls asleep.
The Hermit
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The second scene, featuring the Monster and Gene
Hackman playing a blind hermit, is an obvious
reference to the blind hermit scenes in The Bride of
Frankenstein.
But of course, in this case, it’s funny.
So when feeding the Monster, the hermit pours
steaming soup into his lap. And when lighting the
Monster’s cigar, the hermit sets the poor creature’s
thumb on fire.
And when the poor, pained Monster finally flees the
cabin, the hermit shouts out, “Wait. Where are you
going? I was going to make Espresso,” a line adlibbed by Hackman.
Touching and funny
Gene Hackman as the blind hermit and Peter Boyle as the Monster. Source: Mel
Brooks Movie Site, http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/frank/yfimages.htm
More than a parody
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As Roger Ebert has written, the film “works on a
couple of levels: first as comedy, and then as a
weirdly touching story in its own right. A lot of the
credit for that goes to the performances of Gene
Wilder, as young Frankenstein, and Peter Boyle as
the monster. They act broadly when it's required, but
they also contribute tremendous subtlety and control.
Boyle somehow manages to be hilarious and pathetic
at the same time.” (Ebert)
So what do you think?
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Because of this level of skill in the filmmaking, I find this an excellent film to watch
when studying Frankenstein.
In fact, more than one student has argued that
this version of the story comes closest to the
spirit of Shelley’s work!
They know that it is a comedy, but the story is
touching and the Monster’s search for love
and understanding is clearer.
An alternate ending to Shelley?
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Gene Wilder as Frederick Frankenstein.
Source: Mel Brooks Movie Site,
http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/frank/
yfimages.htm
Other students have
argued that had
Shelley’s Victor taken
his parental role to the
Creature seriously, as
the Frederick
Frankenstein character
does in this film, the
stories would have had
similar endings!
But this dialogue supports that
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Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: [to The Monster] Hello handsome. You're a
good looking fellow, do you know that? People laugh at you, people hate
you, but why do they hate you? Because... they are jealous. Look at that
boyish face. Look at that sweet smile. Do you wanna talk about physical
strength? Do you want to talk about sheer muscle? Do you want to talk
about the Olympian ideal? You are a God. And listen to me, you are not
evil. You... are... good.
[the Monster starts to cry, and Dr. Frederick Frankenstein hugs him]
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: This is a nice boy. This is a good boy. This
is a mother's angel. And I want the world to know once and for all, and
without any shame, that we love him. I'm going to teach you. I'm going to
show you how to walk, how to speak, how to move, how to think.
Together, you and I are going to make the greatest single contribution to
science since the creation of fire.
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Madeline Kahn’s
Elizabeth is very
different from the
Elizabeths of the novel
or the Whale films.
She’s incrediby funny
in an understated way.
And the hair does make
an appearance!
Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth, the
”bride of Frankenstein”. Source: Mel
Brooks Movie Site,
http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/fr
ank/yfimages.htm
Some fun trivia
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When Dr. Frankenstein descends the stairs into the
basement of the castle there is a gargoyle on the wall
made to look like director Mel Brooks.
The assistant property master's name, Charles Sertin,
is on the third brain on the shelf.
The clock rings 13 times at the beginning of the film.
Mel Brooks made a cameo appearance in this film,
making the sound of the off-screen cat screaming
when hit by a dart.
On Broadway?
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According to The Internet Movie Data Base,
Mel Brooks is “currently working on turning
his 1974 comedy film hit, Young
Frankenstein, into his next Broadway
musical, with a possible opening in 2005.
But don’t buy tickets yet….
But a quote from Variety
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"Hairspray" book co-writer Thomas Meehan
gave a progress report on tuner "Young
Frankenstein" (his last Tony was for Mel
Brooks' "The Producers"). "We've been
working on it six months, and (we have) six
songs for act one and about two-thirds of the
book for the first act.... As soon as we finish
it, we might throw it away if it stinks. So don't
hold your breath." (June 16, 2003)
Sources:
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Ebert, Roger. “Young Frankenstein “ Review,
January 1, 1974. Rogerebert.com Movie
Reviews 20 Mar 2005.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a
rticle?AID=/19740101/REVIEWS/401010324
/1023
”Young Frankenstein,” The Internet Movie
Database, http://imdb.com/title/tt0072431/