Young Frankenstein [40th Anniversary] [Blu-ray]

Director: Mel Brooks Mel Brooks

Overview

Mel Brooks' affectionate parody of Universal's Frankenstein series of the 1930s is so lovingly filmed in the Gothic style of the originals (even using fine-grain black-and-white stock) that at times it artistically surpasses its role models. Gene Wilder plays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, a neurosurgeon determined to distance himself from his notorious forebears. Inheriting the family castle in Transylvania, Dr. F is met at the train station by Igor (Marty Feldman), the hunchbacked, cock-eyed assistant of Frankenstein's grandfather. Igor introduces Frederick to his buxom, Teutonic assistant Inga (Teri Garr), who eagerly awaits Frederick in the back of the hay wagon that will take them to fearsome Frankenstein Castle, overseen by the formidable Frau Blucher (Cloris Leachman), the mention of whose name causes all nearby horses to whinny in terror. Suddenly obsessed with the notion of carrying on Grandpa's work, Frederick rapidly assembles his creature (Peter Boyle), who closely resembles its Karloff-ian predecessor, save for its bald pate and the zippers on its neck. Frightened by fire -- and only briefly mollified by Frau Blucher's violin -- the monster escapes into the night. After its recapture, Frederick endeavors to humanize his creation by teaching it a song-and-dance number, "Puttin' on the Ritz," but once more the monster is enraged by fire. Its next escape coincides with the arrival of ultra-fussy fianc?e Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn), whom the monster kidnaps and takes to a secret cave where they share some of life's sweeter mysteries. Meanwhile Frederick and his friends desperately try to find a way to save the creature from the angry villagers seeking to destroy him. The Brooks-Wilder script, the evocative musical score by John Morris, and the crisp black-and-white lenswork of Gerald Hirschfield all combine for a frolicsome comedy experience that rang up a $39 million profit at the box office -- nearly 20 times its cost.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/09/2014
UPC:	0024543880066
Original Release:	1974
Rating:	PG
Source:	20Th Century Fox
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:45:00
Sales rank:	644

Special Features

Commentary by Mel Brooks; Interviews with Mary Feldman, Gene Wilder and Cloric Leachman; Inside the lab: Secret formula's in the making of Young Frankenstein; Blucher Button; It's Alive! Creating a monster classic featurette; Transylvanian lullaby: The music of John Morris; Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein featurette; Deleted scenes; Outtakes; Production photo galleries

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Gene Wilder	Dr. Frederick Frankenstein
Peter Boyle	Monster
Marty Feldman	Igor
Madeline Kahn	Elizabeth
Cloris Leachman	Frau Blucher
Teri Garr	Inga
Kenneth Mars	Inspector Kemp
Gene Hackman	Blind Hermit
Richard Haydn	Herr Falkstein
Liam Dunn	Mr. Hilltop
Danny Goldman	Medical Student
Leon Askin	Herr Waldman
Oscar Beregi Jr.	Sadistic Jailer
Lou Cutell	Frightened Villager
Arthur Malet	Village Elder
Richard A. Roth	Kemp's Aide
Monte Landis	Gravedigger
Rusty Blitz	Actor
Gordon Mitchell	Dr. Otto Frankenstein
Xiro Papas	Mosaic - the Frankenstein Monster
Dalila Di Lazzaro	Sonia
Enrico Rossi	First Investigator
Fulvio Mingozzi	Second Investigator
Luigi Antonio Guerra	Agent
Renate Kasché	Redhead in the Car
Ann Odessa	Stripper
Oscar Beregi	Sadistic Jailer
Mel Brooks	Actor
John Dennis	Actor
Michael Fox	Actor
Lidia Kristen	Actor
Norbert Schiller	Actor
Rolfe Sedan	Actor
Daniele Patucchi	Composer
John Morris	Composer

Technical Credits

Mel Brooks

Gene Wilder

Mel Brooks	Director,Screenwriter
Gene Wilder	Screenwriter
Michael Gruskoff	Producer
Hal Millar	Special Effects
Henry Miller Jr.	Special Effects
Gene Cantamessa	Sound/Sound Designer
Richard Portman	Sound/Sound Designer
Jesse Wayne	Stunts
Jane Feinberg	Casting

Editorial Reviews

Few movies have offered up such satisfying parody and un-self-conscious wit as this Mel Brooks spoof, and all with the scatological flair that only Brooks can provide. When he's in top form, Brooks can make audiences feel as if they're simultaneously going to burst into tears, bust a gut, and pee in their pants with laughter. The great thing about Young Frankenstein, aside from this ability to make people lose all motor functions, is the reverence it pays to the films it parodies. Silly but always respectful, Brooks wants to honor the old Frankenstein films rather than skewer them, and as a result he serves up a film that is a cinematic achievement rather than a half-baked knock-off of better efforts. One of the funniest films of the 1970s, Young Frankenstein has lost none of its hilarity to the passing of time, serving as a reminder of how innovative parody can be.