Review of Young Frankenstein (1974) by Will J — 04 Aug 2012

Mel Brooks may now be rarely mentioned in pop culture, but make no mistake, a large percentage of the funniest movies in history have his name attatched to them. His unique brand of humor re-defined comedy and proved once and for-all that just because a film sets out to make you laugh, does not mean that it must sacrifice any integrity or quality.

Perhaps where this is most obvious is in my personal favorite film of Brooks'; "Young Frankenstein". "Young" is a brilliant comedic film that works for one simple reason: It's a spoof that never thought of itself as a spoof.

Brooks' love and passion for the classical horror films of the thirties is clear and so is his goal. To him and Gene Wilder(co-writer & star), "Young" was never about mocking the "Frankenstein" films, it was about making another installment, just in their own odd way.

At it's bare bones, it's a very simple joke. After titles such as "Bride of Frankenstein" and "Son of Frankenstein", Frankenstein's grandson is completely embarrassed by his family and wants nothing to do with the nut-jobs' legacy.

But from these bare bones, Brooks and Wilder add pound-upon-pound of flesh and blood. The not-so-big secret here is that they were first and foremost, making a great film that could stand side-by-side with the original classics.

It is because the concept was taken so seriously, and the material dealt with so affectionately, that the film is that much funnier. Great performances abound in the film, from Wilder, to the late, greats Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle.

It is due to the great performances and the care put into the project by Brooks and Wilder, that the film's pacing is absolutely superb. The script is tight, without a hole in it; the mark of great writers who love their source material.

If this has all sounded like a kind of love letter to the film, that's exactly what it is. To me "Young Frankenstein" is the funniest film of all time. It's the only film that no matter how many times I watch it, I cry with laughter every single time.

I absolutely love it. Its an underrated gem, a diamond in the rough among Mel's films. It's not mentioned as much as "Spaceballs" or "Blazing saddles". But in a way, that only makes me love it more.

It makes it feel more like it's mine. My treasure that I stumbled upon. For a film that was made out of a deeply personal love of cinema, perhaps that's the best legacy it could have ever had; to always be out there for cinema buffs to discover and treasure as their own.