Perhaps the greatest horror-comedy ever made, Young Frankenstein—released nearly 50 years ago in December 1974—stands as possibly Mel Brooks’ finest film and collaboration (the screenplay was co-written by Brooks and its lead actor, Gene Wilder). The movie is both a parody and a loving homage to the classic Frankenstein Universal horror films of the 1930s.
To listen to a recording of our CineVerse group discussion of this film, conducted last week, click here.
The story centers on Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Wilder), the American grandson of the notorious Victor Frankenstein, who is determined to separate himself from his family's dark legacy by pronouncing his surname "Fronkensteen." However, after inheriting his ancestral estate in Transylvania, Frederick becomes intrigued by his grandfather’s experiments and sets out to bring a dead body back to life. Assisted by the mischievous hunchback Igor (Marty Feldman) and the charming Inga (Teri Garr), Frederick successfully reanimates a creature (Peter Boyle), whose frightening exterior contrasts with his gentle personality. The film follows Frederick as he tries to manage the chaos that ensues. The standout cast includes Cloris Leachman as the mysterious housekeeper Frau Blücher, Madeline Kahn as Frederick’s fiancée Elizabeth, and Kenneth Mars as the over-the-top Inspector Kemp.
Indeed, Young Frankenstein most benefits from excellent casting – this is debatably Wilder’s finest role and performance, and it’s hard to envision any of the other parts played by any other actors than the ones cast in this film.
Wilder’s ability to express a wide array of emotions with dramatic facial expressions, animated gestures, and exaggerated histrionics demonstrates his gift not only for comedy but credible acting. This feels like a role he was born to play. Chris Justice of Classic-Horror.com
wrote of Wilder in this role:
“There is something hilarious in seeing hypocrisy unfold, especially when it occurs unknowingly and there is no explanation for it. Even more hilarious is when the hypocrite has spent much time previously denouncing what becomes the hypocritical act. His self-conscious melodrama allows him to perfectly play the victim of others' sarcasm and satire, and he revels in being the target of so many comic arrows.” Feldman, meanwhile, practically steals every scene he’s in and often garners the biggest laughs. Boyle has a challenging assignment here – he has to convey a lot of emotion and ideas nonverbally, remain consistently in character, and also personalize and customize his interpretation of Frankenstein’s monster without turning it into a caricature of itself.
Every actor seems perfectly assigned to their respective role and seems to lend so much more to their part than a substitute actor would. Consider how effortlessly Kahn inhabits Elizabeth the fiancée, bringing a sophisticated charm yet wacky diva energy to this character, or the exaggerated mannerisms and Teutonic speech inflections that Mars imbues within Inspector Kemp. This is one of the best ensemble casting ever for a comedy film. Throw in the fact that you have the luxury of casting in small roles Gene Hackman and Chloris Leachman, who each won acting Oscars two years earlier, and this film becomes a cup runneth over with thespian talent.
Additionally, this is that rare breed of comedy where there is more than one strongly funny female character—three, in fact, who collectively may garner more laughs than the male characters.
This picture also remains evergreen thanks in large part to timeless humor in the form of hilarious set pieces, endlessly quotable comedic lines, and priceless running gags. Examples of the latter include the continuous mispronunciation of Frank-en-STEEN and EYE-gore, the frenzied whinnying of the horses after hearing Frau Blucher’s name spoken, Inspector Kemp’s mechanical arm, Elizabeth’s ridiculous prissiness, and the shifting of Igor’s hump. Unforgettable one-off laughers include the dead hand in the coffin sequence, the sed-a-give charades scene, the freshly dead face of Igor resting on the bookshelf, the dart-throwing episode, the visit to the blind hermit, and, of course, the Puttin’ on the Ritz number.
In a retrospective documentary on the film found on the Blu-Ray, actor Robert Ben Garant comments on the versatility of the comedic characters, noting that roles often get swapped around between straight man and funny person in Young Frankenstein, so that no one personality is always one or the other. For example, Igor is often the film’s comic relief, with his exaggerated expressions, shifting hunchback, and carefree attitude, relying on physical humor and irreverent quips. However, he occasionally shifts to the straight-man role, such as in the "Abby Normal" brain scene, where he remains calm while Frederick becomes frantic, cleverly reversing their typical comedic dynamic. Additionally, The Monster frequently acts as the straight man, using his confusion and innocence to contrast with the comedic chaos around him. However, he becomes the focal point of humor in scenes like the iconic Puttin’ on the Ritz performance, where his exaggerated dancing and singing alongside Frederick transforms a simple homage into a comedic highlight.
This film matters more because there are moments of true poignancy and pathos. This is not a wall-to-wall comedy with a record ratio of jokes per minute like the Airplane movies, and that’s to the picture’s advantage: the filmmakers have to create sympathy for the monster to make him more than one-dimensional, and they’re not relying on pure parody and satire to entertain viewers here. Their goal is to tell an emotionally involving story that’s also filled with plenty of laughs. “Every good comedy needs an engine, and the engine behind Young Frankenstein is the father-son relationship of the monster and Dr. Frankenstein,” Brooks said in an interview, adding “That’s the true love story” in this movie.
Young Frankenstein is an all-ages comedy kids can enjoy--true enough--but it's layered with a special sauce that stimulates adult taste buds. It revels in post-sexual revolution bawdiness and sexual innuendos, which grown-ups appreciate and elevate the comedic potential.
Furthermore, it boasts a showstopper sequence that everyone remembers: the Puttin’ on the Ritz performance. Including this scene was a major risk, Brooks believed, because if it wasn’t prepared and handled carefully, it could have fallen flat on its face. Also, none of the Frankenstein films this was spoofing featured a song-and-dance number, pulling the film away from its source genre. Thankfully, the sequence is a delightful surprise that’s wildly funny and highly entertaining. Wilder had to strongly sway Brooks to film and include this bit, but Brooks now considers it the best scene in the film.
Unlike many of Brooks’ other pictures, this isn’t anchored firmly in the year or era it was made – it isn’t saddled with contemporary pop culture or scatological references, trendy jokes, or zeitgeist characters that by now would have grown dated. Because the old-time horror films it honors remain timeless and classic, Young Frankenstein itself remains timeless and classic.
Consider how this picture is also a sturdy and dependable comedy institution, as demonstrated by the widely held belief that it improves with rewatches. Brooks said in an interview: “When something becomes precious, the replaying of it has more joy and comic effect than the surprise of a new joke. The big jokes are old pals, and you want to see them again.”
Young Frankenstein places high on many “best of” comedy film lists. On the American Film Institute's list of the 100 funniest American movies, Young Frankenstein holds the No. 13 spot. It is also ranked No. 28 on Total Film magazine's readers' "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time" and No. 56 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies" list.
Elements that help elevate this film as not only a comedy masterwork but an authentic-looking and sounding work of retro cinema include the brave choice of shooting in black and white, which makes it a more credible tribute to classic horror films and helps it stand out during an era when black and white was very much out of fashion and rarely used in feature-length motion pictures. It’s estimated that only around 35 significant black and white films were made in Hollywood between 1967 to 1974, a period when theatrical releases averaged 150 to 200 per year. That meant that by 1974, merely 3% of feature films were monochrome. And many of these black-and-white movies were independent or smaller productions, as major studios overwhelmingly created color films.
Young Frankenstein achieves an authentic early horror film aesthetic, as well, by incorporating original laboratory equipment from the 1931 Frankenstein, designed and preserved by Kenneth Strickfaden, lending historical accuracy with its iconic electrical devices. The sets, including the castle and lab, are meticulously crafted to evoke the eerie, expressionistic atmosphere of 1930s horror, with high-contrast chiaroscuro lighting. This highlights sharp contrasts between light and shadow, reinforcing a gothic feel, particularly in scenes like the monster’s revival.
The camera work closely follows the techniques of that era, too, using static wide shots, close-ups, and angled compositions to amplify tension.
Additionally, the film employs iris transitions, where shots open and close in a circular pattern, further nodding to the filmmaking techniques of classic cinema.
The movie boasts a tremendous score by John Morris that is sweet, haunting, and foreboding, utilizing dramatic string instruments and violins to evoke longing, loneliness, and mystery. It’s a throwback soundtrack that sounds like it was written 30 or 40 years earlier.
The scenario, look, and characters were all drawn from the first four films in Universal’s Frankenstein cycle, including, chronologically, Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), and Ghost of Frankenstein (1942). Brooks and company invoke horror brushstrokes found beyond the Frankenstein franchise canvas, however. The Puttin on the Ritz sequence, and how the monster is introduced to and later antagonized by the crowd, recalls the similar Broadway unveiling scene in 1933’s King Kong.
Earlier horror comedies of note that came before Young Frankenstein that it would be compared to include The Cat and the Canary, The Ghost Breakers, Arsenic and Old Lace, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Scared Stiff, The Little Shop of Horrors, The Comedy of Terrors, The Munsters, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and The Fearless Vampire Killers.
Horror comedies released after the success of Young Frankenstein include The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978), Love at First Bite (1979), Saturday the 14th (1981), Student Bodies (1981), Full Moon High (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), Once Bitten (1985), Frankenstein’s Great Aunt Tillie (1985), Transylvania 6-5000 (1985), Haunted Honeymoon (1986), Frankenstein General Hospital (1988), Beetlejuice (1988), Elvira Mistress of the Dark (1988), Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988), Frankenstein: The College Years (1991), and Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), also directed by Brooks.
Make no mistake: Horror comedies have always existed. Per Wikipedia, there were 10 horror comedies tallied in the 1920s, six in the 1930s, 13 in the 1940s, 8 in the 1950s, 16 in the 1960s, 22 in the 1970s, an astonishing 103 in the 1980s, 72 in the 1990s, 105 in the 2000s, and 155 between 2010 and 2020. It’s not a coincidence that the number of mirthful macabre movies spiked significantly in the wake of Young Frankenstein.
Consider, too, that there have been close to 100 films made over the past 114 years that are based on the Mary Shelley novel Frankenstein. After Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, Frankenstein is the fictional character that has been featured in more films than any other.
One last bit of trivia: Igor’s “Walk this way” quote influenced Aerosmith to write their hit rock song with the same title.
Importantly, this movie isn’t trying to mean-spiritedly mock those old Frankenstein pictures; instead, it attempts to evoke the look and feel of those films while also poking gentle fun at some of the tropes, conventions, motifs, aesthetics, and characters of those 1930s movies. For proof of the love and respect that the filmmakers intended, consider the choice to shoot in black-and-white and include some of those original lab equipment props featured in the 1931 Frankenstein movie.
It’s worth noting that, in 1974 when young Frankenstein was originally released, the classic Universal horror movies like Frankenstein and its sequels had for many years prior enjoyed a resurgence on rerun television a la Shock Theater and Creature Feature-type TV repackagings. Also, classic movie monsters remained popular among baby boomers and their children, as evidenced by the popularity of horror magazines, comic books, monster models, and other merchandise. These interests did not suffer after Young Frankenstein was released – in fact, old-time monsters were back in vogue.
That being said, some viewers may find it difficult, after watching Young Frankenstein, to screen the original Frankenstein pictures with an open mind or a patient, tolerant attitude that respects the films in the context of their times.
Although this is a Mel Brooks-directed work, it’s a fairly equal collaboration between him and Wilder, who co-wrote the original screenplay and originated the idea. Some critics and scholars contend that this is Brooks’ most well-paced and restrained film – not quite as silly and zany as some of his other comedies – and that praise should be equally attributed to Wilder. Brooks himself regarded this as his best film as a writer-director.
Per Roger Ebert:
“In his two best comedies, before this, The Producers and Blazing Saddles, Brooks revealed a rare comic anarchy. His movies weren’t just funny, they were aggressive and subversive, making us laugh even when we really should have been offended…Young Frankenstein is as funny as we expect a Mel Brooks comedy to be, but it’s more than that: It shows artistic growth and a more sure-handed control of the material by a director who once seemed willing to do literally anything for a laugh. It’s more confident and less breathless…Perhaps Young Frankenstein works the best of all Mel Brooks’s films because Brooks has a clear affection for the originals and has made a major effort to recapture the look and style of the old Frankenstein films.” Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein cemented Brooks’ reputation as Hollywood’s signature satirist of film genres, in these two cases the western and the horror film. He would go on to spoof cinema made before talking pictures with Silent Movie (1976), Hitchcock films with High Anxiety (1977), historical epics with History of the World Part I (1981), science-fiction features with Spaceballs (1987), and Robin Hood movies with Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).
On the cusp of its 50th birthday, one of Young Frankenstein’s greatest gifts is that it proved you could affectionately lampoon a beloved classic, like Frankenstein and its sequels, without skewering it mercilessly over the coals and diminishing those originals in any way. That requires love and respect for the source material and carefully balancing the jokes with proper reverence. A few films released after 1974 that adopted this approach include Shaun of the Dead and Zombie Land—parodies of zombie movies, particularly George Romero-directed films, that seem to hold those earlier zombie classics in high regard—as well as Galaxy Quest (a fairly gentle ribbing of Star Trek) and The Cabin in the Woods (a whipsmart deconstruction of horror clichés that honors the genre, blending humor with a respectful exploration of its themes). Examples of genre spoofs that often take an opposite, more irreverent approach—while still generating copious yuks—include Airplane!, The Naked Gun, Scary Movie, and Tropic Thunder.
Greatest gift #2 is the underrated brilliance of lead actor and co-writer Gene Wilder, who is as responsible for the creation and success of Young Frankenstein as his partner Mel Brooks. His Dr. Frederick Frankenstein quickly pivots from an unruffled intellectual to a peeved patrician to a hysterical idealist who allows his engulfing emotions to trump his innate pragmatism. Wilder never fails to wow as Mr. Wonka, but his embodiment of this manic mad scientist, and the pathos he masterfully wields to capture our attention and elicit a surprising emotional response in the viewer, makes this perhaps his finest and most memorable performance. This is screaming Gene at his very best.
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