YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974) // Reaction & Commentary // GENE WILDER IS THE GOAT
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2024
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This week it's my first time watching Young Frankenstein !! I was SO excited for this one, I love me some Gene Wilder -- where are all the song and dance men?!
Happy to be back after some weeks of feeling like my creativity is a bit dried up, thanks for supporting me as always!!
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intros
02:14 - COMETEER COFFEE wants to give you $20 off!
05:22 - Start Watching
31:41 - Thoughts and trivia!
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Oh, the 'Frau Blücher' running gag is that when pronounced it sounds like 'Foul Looker', as in she's really a foul looking woman.
The monster is the grandfather from every one loves remond
Blucar in Yiddish means "glue" that is why the horses winnie
@@alwaysemployed656 no ..Blucher in Yiddish means GLUE ..that is why the horses winny hearing that name..no horse wants to go to a glue factory
The horse thing ..well Blucher in Yiddish actually means Glue.
Mel Brooks discovered that the lab equipment from the first Frankenstein movie was stored and still available, so he managed to rent it and use it for this movie. That is why the lab looks so great.
The studio was going to throw it away and someone that worked for the studio took it home and kept it in his grange for decades.
@@StanSwan My God, someone was gonna throw it away? That movie's a masterpiece; who would want to do it?
@@kittycatmeowmeow963 Most films from yjose times were thrown out. Once a movie ran no one thought anyone would want to see it again. They are classics to us now but they were just another film to people at the time. The Wizard of Oz is missing parts that were edited out after test showing and those are assumed lost forever for example. Props were made for a movie and maybe reusing for other films and TV show. Often they were destroyed in fires, shot up in westerns etc. No one in 1931 would have ever thought people would even know about a film over 90 years later.
Nice job on repeating what was said in the video.
I think I read somewhere that the German ward for paste is blusher! So the horses are reacting to the name lol.
I love Gene Hackman's subtle performance as the blind guy, most people never noticed he was in the film.
Gene Wilder lived just across from us in Westport CT. I met him in a grocery store up there when I was visiting friends. Quietly I sided up next to him and said, "Pardon Sir.. I think I know who you are.." -- He looked at me with those mischievous suede blue eyes and said, "I think I know who I am too." .. We talked pleasantly about his work for a few minutes. He asked me what was the first film I could remember seeing him in. I said, "Quackser Fortune".. He seemed impressed since most everyone says Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein.. I asked him what he was doing these days. He was writing books, painting in watercolors, and still active with the community theater. I asked if he had any plans to return to the big screen any time soon. He smiled, looked down a bit, and said, "not really. I'm enjoying retirement." -- I said, "there's no retiring from being a wonderful person." I thanked him for taking the time to talk and shook his hand. Knowing what happened a few short years later. I REALLY wish I had spoken to him more.
Honestly, the Frau Blucher joke always read to me as just a reference turned into a joke. A lot of the Universal-era horror movies and the copycats would establish a menacing aura around a character by having animals react to their introduction. It would be something like "May I present...Count Dracula!" *ominous thunder, the horses whinny, dogs whimper and cower, etc.* Mel Brooks turned it into a joke by just repeating the same gag every single other time her name was mention. Kind of a meta thing, why would the animals freak out this one time the name is said and not every other time? This was my assumption because Brooks has done this sort of gag before, particularly the infamous campfire scene in Blazing Saddles where the joke was that Brooks saw all these westerns with the cowboys eating nothing but beans and drinking nothing but black coffee and wondering why nobody ever got gas and thus created cinema's longest fart joke.
100%
AMEN!
The reason the horses react the way they do is because the character's name Blucher is German for glue
@@roberthager7390 Except it's not. The German words for glue are kleben, kleber, leimen, leim, picken, klebstoff, and uhu depending on if you're using it as a noun or verb, the type of glue you're describing, or if you're using a common German brand name. None of those words are anywhere close to "blucher". Shanelle even talks about it in the video.
Blucher actually means “boot” or “shoe” loosely anyway.
"Gene Wilder has the best eyes." Wait until you see Marty Feldman's eyes, damn them.
The cameos. The blind guy is Gene Hackman. The Monster is Peter Boyle. Sadly, every major actor in this movie, aside from Teri Garr and Gene Hackman, has passed away.
Gene Hackman so overplayed the blind man character, it was Priceless!!! Loved that whole scene !!
The old man on the examination table is the same actor who played the minister in _Blazing Saddles._
Even more sadly, the gorgeous Teri Garr now suffers from a serious health condition.
@@Umptyscope I love him (Liam Dunn) in What's Up Doc? (1972) too, and Madeline Kahn is also in that movie and is so much fun in it.
@@TerryNationB7 Still one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I saw it when it was released, and the audience was roaring with laughter during the chase scene. And, at this exchange between Kenneth Mars as Hugh, the stuffy European musicologist, and Liam Dunn as the judge:
(offended, to the bailiff) "Don't touch me, I'm a doctor!"
"Of what?"
"Music."
"Can you fix a hi-fi?"
(confused) "No, sir."
"Then shut up!"
Great review.
This has two of the best comedy lines ever:
“What knockers. Oh, zank you doctor”
“Igor, will you help with the bags. Certainly, you take the blonde and I’ll have the one in the turban” Just sheer brilliance!
You can see Gene cracking up in that 2nd line.
Practically every line of dialog in this movie is a notable quotable. "Behind... ze bookcase...?"
HE… VAS… MY BOYFRIEND!!!!
The outtakes from the "bags" scene are hysterical, and available on TH-cam.
@@Caseytify Thanks, I’ll look them up.
I saw this in the theater with my mom when I was 12. When Blazing Saddles came out I had to beg her to take me because it was rated R. We both enjoyed it so much that it became a tradition that we would end up going to see all the Mel Brooks movies in the 70s together. So happy to see your reaction to one of my beloved favorites.
yay thanks for sharing this experience! I wish my family watched Mel Brooks together!!
Gene Wilder told Mel Brooks that he'd be in Blazing Saddles if Mel helped him make this
Truly one of the funniest kindest comedy geniuses that ever lived,R.I.P. Gene Wilder the world became a colder place to be the day we lost you.
lol kindest. RIP OFF merchant alert.
@@justincredible9187 wow....a troll on the internet who'd have thought.
Gene Wilder's death was the 1st celebrity death that shook me. He was such apart of my childhood. My dad loved all his movies so they were always on ion my house. My sister and I would always do the Puttin' on the Ritz voice of Peter Boyle . Keep up the great work!
George Carlin was a blow too. I wonder what George would say about the state of America in 2022
For me it was John Candy
oh booooo hooo ! dry your eyes you git.
@@justincredible9187 Go get em, keyboard warrior!! Make your stepdad proud!!
@@Hornsfan64 My stepdad is the dad that couldn't be bothered raising you. He disliked your face at aged 4 months and left.
This movie inspired Aerosmith to write their hit "Walk this way". they were in the studio recording their "Toys in the attic" album and were stuck. So they went down the street to see "Young Frankenstein". When They came back to the studio they thought the Walk this way line from the movie would make a great song title and proceeded to write the song.
Tyler, however, tells a different story regarding the inspiration for the title. He told Songfacts writer Bruce Pollock: "The song title evolved from watching The Three Stooges on TV. They walked this way and that."
I've heard that anecdote about Aerosmith as well, but I'm not sure of its veracity.
At any rate, Mel Brooks did not "invent" that gag line; "walk this way" is a VERY old joke, at least as far back as early vaudeville. "Doctor, I have a pain in my leg; I need treatment!" "Certainly, my office is right over here. Walk this way." "If I could walk that way, I wouldn't need treatment!" (Or some setup along those lines, recycled over and over again...)
The way I heard it, Marty Feldman was just joking around and said that line in a rehearsal as a throw-away, figuring it was way too old and corny a joke. But Brooks liked it and kept it in. That may also be a story that isn't actually true, but I believe it went something like that.
@@michaelmorgan2375 I heard it in a Joe Perry interview years ago. Given the history between him and Tyler I'm sure they would both tell different stories to down play the other's role.
@@billhenderson7566 Plus, memory is very unreliable and subjective, and the Aerosmith lifestyle is, shall we say, probably not overly-conducive to sober recollection, so to speak?
@@TSIRKLAND Brooks loved the old Borscht Belt jokes.
I just love in response to "sedagive" Gene's "Do you see what I have to work with?" look he gives to the creature.
Actually, Mel Brooks was giving the pacing and filmong techniques of the ‘30s, the actual Universal films.
One of my life philosophies came from this movie. To this day when things are going bad, I say "Could be worse, could be raining."
Shame. I live in London. It might have worked otherwise
@@parallaxnick637 It works when it IS raining too.
You absolutely have to see the 3 Universal Frankenstein films to get some of Gene Wilders yelling lines. The Abbie Normal scene is one of my all time favorite comedy scenes.
There is nothing slow about the pace. The film is so rich with humor that the entire cast gets to shine. Note the look on Cloris Leachman’s face when the horses react to hearing her name, “Frau Blucher,” for example.
Kennith Mars' arm joke is a call back to "Son of Frankenstein" in which there is a charter whose arm had been ripped off by the original monster.
Also in the book the monster was named Adam.
Yes and no. The Monster at one point suggests that "Adam" would be an appropriate name for itself, but I'm not sure it adopts it as such.
@@michaelccozens Late to this, but you're almost right. The Creature says that he should have been the Doctor's Adam, but is instead the fallen angel driven from paradise for no misdeed (or something along those lines), so one could equally argue his name to be Lucifer. Considering how much is drawn from Milton's Paradise Lost, it would make as much sense.
In 'The Son of Frankenstein' it was the main constable who got his arm ripped off by the creature. He had a mechanical arm put on, that was ripped on in a subsequent Frankenstein movie.
The machinery in the laboratory are the actual props from the 1931 _Frankenstein._
false !.
@@justincredible9187 In the opening credits, at the 2:30 mark, it says, "Special Thanks to KENNETH STRICKFADEN for original Frankenstein laboratory equipment."
Look for yourself.
You are the first reviewer here online I've discovered so far that is in fact an intelligent,well spoken person that can both appreciate and understand satire and value it's for what it's worth!! And your recap is also fantastic!! You young lady are a true asset to TH-cam!!
As far as the eyeliner goes, it's pretty much standard and necessary for shooting in black and white. If you want someone's eyes not to visually melt into the rest of their face you have to outline them somehow. You have to use high contrast to get things to look right, as well as odd color choices because colors don't show up as you'd expect, like the Addam's Family house from the 1960s TV show mostly being pink to look good and dreary on film.
Correct. Mel Brooks confirmed this in an interview. He mentioned something about a tip of the hat to Rudolph Valentino and other b&w stars.
Just saw the Universal Frankenstein films, in order. What a great batch of film making and atmosphere. This film spoofed so many elements, its great to see how much care they took to remain faithful, while at the same time, lampooning it. As to your question about mechanical arm in the film, there was a similar character in 'Son of Frankenstein' who had lost his hand to the montster and had a fake one.
Are those the original Hammer Films?
Edit: Nm, Hammer was later, and a partner of Universal and United Artists. 🙂🤘
Aye, that's correct. Not the first, but the later films. I stand corrected.
@@ThePeaceableKingdom Not at all. It was my mistake. 🤘
You a Rush fan?
Peaceable Kingdom is a song by them.
Cheers.
And the blind man was from Bride of Frankenstein.
Inspector Krogh in Son of Frankenstein explained to the Dr. that it was the most vivid memory of his life when the Dr. asked him if he could site a single instance of the monster harming anyone saying "Do you know what it's like to have your arm torn out by the roots"?
You may be too young to appreciate the Gene Hackman cameo.. but the more you see him in movies the more you'll love that guy. One of the greats.
I loved his cameo in "Loose Cannons".
Also, his cameo in "Hoosiers" was really good, too.
That, plus she doesn't really know the original Frankenstein films to fully appreciate what is being parodied.
@@OuterGalaxyLounge Right? Like the whole Bride of Frankenstein thing apparently flew over her head, unfortunately.
I was lucky enough to see this in an old movie theater a couple years ago and when Madeline Kahn's name appeared on the screen, the entire theater erupted in applause and cheers. And from there everyone was off to the races saying the lines along with the actors, neighing whenever Frau Blucher was on screen, etc. It was an absolute blast!
Like Betty White from a few weeks ago, we definitely lost a great one when Madeline Khan passed away. Far too young and so talented. Everyone in this cast was great. Surprisingly, this follows the book amazingly close compared to many other renditions of Frankenstein and the equipment used is legit too.
It would be interesting to see a "Rocky Horror"-style audience participation showing of this film. I bet there are lots of ways it could take off...
@@JustWasted3HoursHere I don't know that I'd say it's too close to the book, but certainly it's closer than other adaptations, as you said.
The Monster in the book is intelligent and sophisticated, especially given his extremely-limited opportunity for experience, to a degree that I think most people familiar only with other depictions of Frankenstein would find shocking. He discusses poetry, for instance.
Re: the officer with the artificial arm - YF actually gives a nod to 3 Frankenstein films - Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Son of Frankenstein. In Son of … there is a police officer who has the wooden arm from a previous unseen battle where the monster ripped it off. All 3 IMHO are very well done.
In Son of… they also play darts and if memory serves me, the policeman sticks some of them in his wooden arm. There are also two great music references in the movie. A big pop hit from the 1940s was Chattanooga Choo-Choo that had a line about the Pennsylvania station and track 29 and give me a (shoe) shine. Sweet Mystery of Life is a duet sung by Nelson Eddy and Jeannette McDonald in one of their 1930s operetta films. They were famous for their over-the-top romantic singing straight into each other’s faces in several movies.
Most of this movie pays tribute to both Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein, the latter of which is the superior film. I was surprised how much more it took from Bride after I finally saw it. Brooks wanted to honor these films so much he heavily researched those films (cinematography, etc.) even bringing out old pieces of the Universal movie lab set from storage to use. Just awesome....
I came here to say that about the original set! Amazing that they were able to get them for this movie.
I love the original, and agree that "Bride of.." is even better. So many homages to those. Some years back I sought out "Son of.." specifically because of this film- to see how many gags and characters and bits he took from there. I was surprised by how many, actually! I do not consider "Son of.." a particularly good film, or a worthy sequel to "Frankenstein" and "Bride of..", but if one wants to fully appreciate "Young Frankenstein," watching those three films really is a must. Gene and Mel's love letter to that trilogy is apparent in every detail.
Shan's smile today is just so infectious!!
It's true! I am always impressed with her great attitude after so many times pretending it's the first time watching a movie!
She is annoying as hell
@@rileyandmike then leave.
@@TheHeroClass I did after about 15 min. Great movie - idiot reactor
@@rileyandmike you must be the life of the party amongst your friends....
I knew a guy in the Air Force, had a cap that said "All I want is a little peace and quiet. Just gimme a piece, and I'll be quiet' 😁
This is my dad's favorite movie. I am so grateful that he introduced me to Gene Wilder & Mel Brooks as they both have had a huge influence on my sense of humor &, well...Gene was just the best. Great film, I'm glad to see that you enjoyed this!
I used to watch this and Dr. Strangelove with my dad when I was kid. They are some of the best memories of being with him.
You have good taste. If she wants to give herself a film making course then Stanley Kubrick films are a must.
Yes, Dr Strangelove is a must! A Clockwork Orange, too!
The set when they first see the laboratory with all of the cobwebs was used in the original black and white Frankenstein
not quite.
The Frau Brucher joke was explained by MelBrooks. The horses are so afraid of Frau Brucher that the mere mention of her name scares them. The “joke” is us trying to imagine what she could possibly have done to make the horses fear her so much.
In Mary Shelly’s book, the monster names himself Adam, after the first man.
Ehh, sort of. He calls himself "the Adam of your [Frankenstein's] labours," but he never really gets named.
@@VideoMask93 I'd call that getting named.
@@elbruces But he's never referred to by that name. I wouldn't introduce myself (using my handle) as "the Hamlowe of TH-cam" or whatever, I'd just say "my handle is Hamlowe" and be done with it.
"The Adam of your labors" strikes me as symbolically acknowledging the doctor's blasphemous work as having created a human soul.
@@VideoMask93
Yeah, no one else calls him that. No one else ever gets a chance. But that's the only name he ever gives for himself, so I'll take it.
You mentioned how this movie is more subdued than say Blazing Saddles. Well Gene and Mel actually argued about the over the top ending of Blazing Saddles and made Mel promise this movie wouldn't degenerate into the same.
The “Walk this way” scene was the inspiration for the Aerosmith sing.
Here's the "walk this way" gag in Robin Hood: Men in Tights: th-cam.com/video/fW8GqrNG6V4/w-d-xo.html
Another improvised line was: 'Close your robe, and follow me." And to Terri Garr's credit she follows through with the gag.
I always assumed the horse scream was a version of the trope of having a roll of thunder whenever a villains name is spoken.
I think this is the answer. It makes the most sense to me.
There's an interview documentary on the making of Young Frankenstein. It was made to promote the musical, which was not a hit. It's on youtube in several parts.
There are tons of little jokes in the movie and it is fine to miss some. I love comedies with little jokes because every time you watch the movie, you can find more.
So, the porpouse of the movie is to miss the jokes? Wow. This is how millenials think: watch a commedy for not understanding its humorism...
@@LoZenith75 You are not very smart are you Moris?
The portrait is one of the ongoing gags. The facial expression changes throughout the movie. This movie shows the genius of Mel Brooks teaming with Gene Wilder. This is another example of how he could perfectly cast a movie in such a way that no other actor could have equally filled any role.
If I've said this before I apologize, but when I was 13 I worked at a tennis shop in Westwood CA. My dad's friend owed the shop. I was privileged to meet Gene Wilder while working there. He played tennis and we strung his rackets. Obviously at that age I really didn't appreciate it, but now I look back and realize how blessed I was to meet someone of his talent. That was a rough time for him I'm sure since Gilda passed in 89. Legend.
Edit:. I heard your comment about him playing tennis after I made my comment above. Funny.
I love Madeline, but Teri Garr holds up her end as well. You need to watch "Tootsie" with Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, with smaller roles by Teri, and Bill Murray. You know the monster if you ever watched "Everybody Loves Raymond".
And Peter Boyle has a bit in Taxi Driver, as one of the …… taxi drivers!
I can't watch the blind man scene in Bride of Frankenstein without laughing because of this movie
Terri Garr originally auditioned for the role of Elizabeth, but they had already pretty much promised it to Madeline Kahn. They told her if she could come back the next day with a German accent, she had a job.
This is correct!
"Oh, TVTropes, I've never seen this website before..." Oh Shanelle, I'm so so sorry about any productivity you planned to have for the next week. To quote XKCD, "It's like Rickrolling but you're trapped all day!"
Seda Give!? Lol!!
Love it!!! Robin Hood Men In Tights should be your next one. Please, please, please?
The official with the artificial arm is a reference to Son of Frankenstein's Inspector Krogh. In Son of Frankenstein, the backstory was given that the monster had pulled his arm off when he was a child, so he has a bit of a personal grudge when it comes to the Frankenstein family. That was also the first Frankenstein film to have a hunchbacked assistant named Igor (or rather, in this case, Ygor, played by the great Bela Lugosi). There was an assistant in the original Frankenstein, but his name was Fritz
What totally sets off the comedy is Gene Wilder plays his part so masterfully serious when he needs to.
Saw it in theater when I was 9. Definitely remember the what knockers joke and the audience’s laughter. It’s one of my favs and my dad is SO Gene Wilder! You would love Sherlock Holmes Smarter Brother starring Wilder, Feldman and Kahn. You get loads of beautiful Madeline Kahn in it.
Another Gene movie i love is Haunted Honeymoon (with his real wife, the legendary Gilda Radner. A Mel Brooks movie with lots more Madeline Kahn screen time is High Anxiety. I highly recommend both of these movies. PS i believe the reason they had Gene wear eye makeup is that, in the era of the original Frankenstein movie, all the actors had thick eyeliner on. Movies were new (the film wasn't as refined yet) and they wanted the eyes to stand out. Mel was wanting this to look as close to the original as possible.
Might also be a hangover from the transition from vaudeville to film. Vaudeville performed to live audiences, and therefore needed "clown"-style-ish makeup, particularly around the eyes and mouth, to emphasize facial expressions in order to communicate to the folks at the back. That this would be less necessary when your face was 20-ft tall on a screen took a while to sink-in, I think.
As an example of such "vaudeville-to-mass-media transition" difficulties, I saw an early TV performance from Abbott and Costello at one point, in which they were performing to a live audience in a theatre with cameras recording. It was very interesting to see them struggle with how to incorporate the new tech into their act. They seemed torn on whether to play to the live audience or to the cameras.
I'm still waiting for reactors to rediscover High Anxiety, it's a great spoof of all things Hitchcock.
19:03 The Charades scene: the way Frederick looks up at The Creature choking him, like "Do you see what I have to work with here?"
I love it. You're talking about how nice Gene's eyes are and 2 seconds later, enter Marty Feldman with his eyes 👀 😄.
Shanelle: Gene Wilder has the best eyes.
Marty Feldman: Hold my beer.
Just wait til you look up Ben Turpin. 😜
Oh my god yessssss. My brother and I used to die laughing to this every other weekend.
Walk this way…. No, not that way, this way 😂😂😂 RIP all the hilarious actors/actress that have passed on here. Cloris, Marty, Peter, Gene… amazing cast.
You talk about how surprising he is, how he can be loud suddenly, and it's always electric; the funniest moment is you think he's going to be SO LOUD when he's scared of the Creature in the room, locked up, but he goes to the door *calmly* and *quietly* and it's so funny because of that!
Peter Boyle is probably most known for playing Ray's father in the Sitcom "Everybody Love's Raymond."
And for the notorious early '70s shocker, JOE.
A brilliant spoof of and hommage to the original UP movies with a distinct twist of Mel and Gene. The rest of the cast are amazing as well.
I have never enjoyed a sponsored message so much as your coffee discussion. It was art. It had humor, a story, sexiness, and a punch line (now I have to watch without a coffee).
Loved your observation about Gene's impulses.
My family loved charades.
Best comment ever for the best reactor, ever.
At no point in our history did we deserve Gene Wilder. He was very much a light in an endless sea of darkness.
Another great Gene Wilder is See No Evil Hear No Evil, with Richard Pryor. "Mens Rea?? How did we get Mens Rea??"
Welcome back Shanelle! I hope you had a nice holiday. I look forward to your entertaining and hilarious reviews in 2022.
Amen
All timer for myself saw at the theater so much fun! And watching you watching Gene and Madeline was pure joy made my day! Thanks Shanelle!
thanks for watching!!!
I'm a comedian, and I love watching great comedy. Some comedy fades in effectiveness over time, but this is one of few movies that NEVER fails to make me laugh.
Marty did the hump switching as a joke on set. Brooks liked it so much he kept it in.
Then did a similar joke years later in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights".
There's a kind of overlooked comedy from 1994 called "Mixed Nuts" written and directed by Nora Ephron that I always liked. It has a great performance by Madeline Kahn! (It also stars Steve Martin and others like Juliette Lewis, Adam Sandler and Rita Wilson.)
LOVE that film. It is one of my must-see seasonal Christmas films, and one I am happy to watch any time of year, when I need a pick me up. I don't know why it is so under-rated, it's so good!
I would love to see a reaction to that film, for sure.
Such a fantastic film. And I, too, LOVE Gene Wilder.
One of my favorite movies of all time all of Mel's movies are right up there together.
Peter Boyle straining out, "Sooooper Doooper!!!" will NEVER not destroy me!! 🤣🤣🤣
About the only comedy of that era that measures up to "Young Frankenstein" was director Peter Bogdanovich's 1972 screwball hit "What's Up Doc?". Still one of my all-time favorites. Bogdanovich just passed away in early January, so you should do a retrospective of his big directorial hits, including "The Last Picture Show," and "Paper Moon."
I was huge into the Universal monsters as a kid when I saw this and I thought it was insane how good it was. It even kinda fits the continuity of the Frankenstein movies if you're willing to say Basil Rathbone was his grandfather. But yeah, my favorite Mel Brooks film by a great deal because of Wilder and maybe the best pure filmmaking Brooks ever could do. It's just perfect. Kenneth Mars also deserves some praise but every performance is wonderful.
One joke you missed happened as Dr. Frankenstein was arriving at the Transylvania station. He leans out of the window of the passenger car and asks the kid, "pardon me, boy, is this the Transylvania station?" To which the kid replies, "Ja, ja...track 29.' He pauses then asks "Oh, can I give you a shine?" This is a reference to the 1940s hit song by the Glen Miller Orchestra, and sung by The Modernaires "Chattanooga Choo-Choo". The first line of that song goes, "Pardon me, boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo? Track 29! Boy you can give me a shine....."
The " Fragile " comes from the movie called " A Christmas Story ". When the dad gets a leg lamp and he says " Fragile , it must be Italian ". Gene Hackman as the blind man.
It always "pains me" that youtube reactors to this film almost all have never seen Frankenstein, Bride of & Son of. Without having seen them, many of the subtle references/satire goes right over your head. (Which is where the majority of the comedy actually comes into play). Plus, the obvious reverence for those films is evident throughout, which makes this film so special to Mel Brooks. I hope some day you will watch the original universal films. You would get a new appreciation & understanding of Young Frankenstein.
AGREE!!
Probably true for tons of people. Not just people on react channels. We all get that second-hand knowledge of all of the classic monster films from various movies and shows that have referenced them, but I don't think too many of us have gone back to the source material for most of it.
Or I could be projecting a bit, here. I've seen all sorts of parody / spoof movies without seeing most of the things they were referencing.
IMHO, the very best parodies work on several levels. They can stand on their own feet as simple comedy: knowing nothing of the source material, it is simply a genuinely funny thing all on its own. They can stand as a parody of something that is generally known: basic pop-culture stuff that most people will have picked up by osmosis simply from pop culture being what it is. AND they can stand up to close scrutiny by aficionados of the source material: true fans of the original will find all the subtle nods and easter eggs that the parody artist sprinkles in. Many parodies can do at least one of those things; be funny on at least one level. But the really great ones work on ALL levels. "Weird Al" is tremendous at that sort of thing, as is Mel Brooks. And even among giants like Al or Mel, some of their works are stronger than others. Young Frankenstein is one of the truly greats. It is simply a funny film, with hilarious gags throughout, that even someone who had never heard of Frankenstein would laugh at. Those folks who know about Frankenstein simply from pop culture and cereal boxes who have never seen a single film will "get" many of the "Frankenstein" jokes. AND true-blue fans of the Universal films of the '30s will find so many little nods and references, even after their hundredth viewing, find something new. That's why it's one of the GOAT films ever.
If you love Wilder, you have to do the Producers. Another Mell Brooks project!
boring
I was lucky enough to be an extra in one of Gene Wilder's movies, it co-starred Gilda Radner who he married not long after the film was released. I was able to have a conversation with both of them and they were literally two of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.
Three actors in this movie had recently worked together previously. It was Madeline Kahn's movie debut, "What's Up Doc?" along with Kenneth Mars and Liam Dunn. Screenplay by Buck Henry, who never mixes up 4 bags in this slapstick comedy that shows Madeline's comic chops. Smart writing and great dialog, this movie has been ignored, but is a must see.
1001% !!! “What’s Up Doc” … Meta, references, breaking the 4th wall. M. Kahn is outrageously prissy/controlling/GENIUS…. All comedy superbness! In my top 5 of allllll time
Nice to see a reactor check the facts: Blücher really was a field marshal, who during the battle of Waterloo was trapped for hours under his dead horse. As a German, I can confirm that the glue story makes no sense.
wow thanks for this clarification! :)
"I wish Frankenstein's monster had a name."
He did. He had a first name and a last name.
His name was Adam. Like the first man. His father chose that name.
Who was his father, you ask? Why, it was Victor Frankenstein.
It's repeatedly stressed, in the book, that Victor considers Adam his own son, and that Adam considers Victor his own father.
The monster's full name was therefore Adam Frankenstein, son of Victor Frankenstein.
Remember that next time some pompous wiseass tells you that "Frankenstein was the name of the doctor, not the monster".
No Victor never gave the monster any name and he always refers to him as "the monster" througout the novel. Adam comes from the monster itself "I ought to be thy Adam" as in Victor should see pride in him as being his first creation, it was never intended as a name.
Gene Hackman cameo as the Hermit and Putting on the Ritz...two of my favorite moments in cinema.
“Wait! Where are you going?!
I was gonna make espresso…”
Easily my favorite Mel Brooks film.
Nicely done! If you're looking for more of the great Madeleine Kahn, she's a big highlight in two of the recently deceased Peter Bogdanovich's best movies, Paper Moon and At Long Last Love. I'm pretty certain you would love both, with the latter co-starring role really letting her shine -- a musical that is nearly all music.
Eyeliner on male leads (and even lip paint) was not uncommon in the silent era, and the practice held over *occasionally* into the early 30s. The idea was to set off the expressions of the actors, making the eyes (and mouths) pop, over fears their faces could be washed out in grays. This was more appropriate when Wilder did it in The World's Greatest Lover when he plays an actor in silent melodrama, but it adds the same hint of bygone melodrama here.
I second Paper Moon! You will love it. LOVE IT. (And if you want more Madeline then you should check out "What's Up Doc" with Barbara Streisand.)
Gene Wilder is a national treasure who doesn't get enough love these days. If you want a great look into the man read his book "It's Always Something" which he wrote about his late wife Gilda Radner. His love and respect for her come through so deeply in the book.
rubbish/stupid comment !.
"Gilda Radner isn't supposed to end." "Probably the government's fault." -- Opus and Milo, Bloom County
The Gene Wilder eyeliner is a call back to silent films, where it is meant to enhance the actors eyes, as you yourself pointed that his eyes were amazing. Think of Sunset Boulevard when Gloria Swanson says “I can say anything with my eyes”! Or “We didn’t need dialogue”.
I’ll probably never be able to appreciate how much this film influenced me as a kid. I’m 38, but for some reason I was obsessed with this film since I first saw it at like age 6 or 7. While other kids were watching Disney, I was getting a film/comedy education from Mel Brooks without knowing it because I rewatched this like a million times. I want to say the flow and pacing of dialogue is what probably captivated me…the sound of genius comedy is just a thing. And this film is probably why I still tend to be drawn to film/TV that you can “listen” to more than watch. Don’t get me wrong there are so many genius visual elements in this too, but there’s just something about the dialogue, gags,performances, and even the music that will always be deeply embedded in me.
Prediction before I watch: She's going to love it, like top tier love it. For the incredible script, the amazing direction, the brilliant performances, all of it.
Let's see...
Peter Boyle as the monster singing and dancing is the best part of the movie, along with the monster NOT killing the little girl like he did in the original
The mechanical arm on the inspector is because in the movie "Son of Frankenstein," the character Inspector Krogh had a prosthetic arm because as a child his arm was ripped off by the Frankenstein monster.
All the ladies in this film are great. I love Terri Gar. She's hysterical. They all are.
I think one reason Mel likes women with accents is that it makes the word play misunderstandings (e.g. "Elevate me" "Really?") seem much more believable to the audience if you imagine it's not their native tongue. ps Madeline Kahn also has a great Sesame Street performance.
Inspector Kemp's mechanical arm is based on the movie Son of Frankenstein when Inspector Krogh explains to Dr. Frankenstein (Jr.) that the original monster pulled his real arm out by the roots when he was a child. The Doctor had been espousing his view that the stories had been told and retold so many times that the "monster" probably never harmed anyone and could the Inspector cite one single instance of the monster having done so.
Love love love Gene Wilder. This is a yearly tradition to watch on Halloween. One of my other favorite Gene Wilder movies was "See no Evil, Hear no Evil" with Richard Prior.
Back in 1984 I have spent a day at Glen Glenn Sound during a recording session for the music score to The Woman In Red. Gene Wilder was there all day. Apart from being a friendly, pleasant person to be with, he was impressive as an artist who could be very mesmerizing with his voice. He acted out a few scenes from the movie, doing his lines, and when I later on saw the movie, those lines had exactly the same intonation, timing and everything as when he acted them out in the studio. Fond memories.
I love the music from "The woman in red". Great work, sir. Thank you.
I like how Elizabeth's hair changes (the silver stripe) after she hooks up with the monster. It is the same hair as The Bride of Frankenstein. Another great joke was when the girl asks the monster what they should throw down the well. In the original, the monster throws her down the well.
The prosthetic arm was a reference to a character in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN. As in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, the character was the local prefect of police whose arm was torn off by the original monster when he was a child. The dart scene is also based on a scene in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN.
One of the things I love is that they were able to get the original set from Frankenstein.
"What are we about to watch friends?" Pure F'ing gold, that's what! :)
I think a good word for Gene Wilder's attitude is EXASPERATED
The prosthetic arm character is from 'Son of Frankenstein '. The character had his arm ripped off by the Frankenstein Monster as a boy, so he grew up to be an officer, who is a main antagonists in the film.
You really need to watch "Frankenstein" from 1931, "The Bride of Frankenstein" from 1935, and "Son of Frankenstein" from 1939 to get a lot of the gags and various bits.