BRING…MR. WILDER…BECK!
With the recent passing of the great Gene Wilder it felt necessary to take a look back at one of his most marvelous, and less known and recognized great performances, in “Young Frankenstein”.
Directed by Mel Brooks, Wilder plays Fredrick Frankenstein (or Froaderick Fronkensteen as he prefers to have it pronounced) the grandson of the infamous scientist in this classic Brooks vision in the world of the well-known story.
After hearing of his grandfather’s death, Fredrick is invited to Transylvania to prove he is not as crazy as his family name suggests. And even as he adamantly expresses his disinterest in his grandfather’s work, he finds himself dragged into it to the point where he himself brings his own monster to life. As the result of an abnormality with the creature, the events that ensue are both intriguing and hilarious.
Alongside Wilder on the screen includes the likes of Marty Feldman, Terri Garr, and Peter Boyle not to mention a few familiar faces from the Mel Brooks movie world like Madeline Kahn and Cloris Leachman. There might also be a small appearance from a young man named Gene Hackman playing a blind man.
As with any comedy, especially one by Mel Brooks, there is a certain group of people who will love a film like this and another who will not. There are plenty of things you could change, but doing so would take away from the magic this film creates and is unnecessary due to the slapstick nature of it all. And if you’ve enjoyed any other projects with Brooks and Wilde involved with it, then this is just another to add to eithers library.
If you are an avid fan of comedy and are fine with straight forward jokes, laughs that are created by a play on words as well as those made by observations and complete ridiculousness, and you are able to follow the simple story and the vast humor within, you will have a great time watching this movie.
Roasted Ripper Score: A
(9 Humps/10)
Dedicated to Willy Wonka, Jim, Leo Bloom, and many other great characters better known as Gene Wilder