30. Young Frankenstein (1974) - Dir: Mel Brooks
Young Frankenstein is a brilliant film because it works on a variety of levels. What could have been just another spoof, ala Airplane!, or perhaps even, to a lesser extent, Blazing Saddles, ends up being a film that contains elements of parody, comedy, satire, drama, and a ton of heart. While often cited as one of the funniest films ever made, I feel this classification does a disservice to the film as a whole. Yes, some parts are damn funny, outrageous, uproarious, and a whole slew of other descriptors critics often sling at great comedies. However, Young Frankenstein transcends the comedy genre in a way that elevates the film far above its yuk-yuk genre roots. Put simply, it is a film that I think is perfect, and expertly executes each facet of the filmmaking process.
I think that good comedies live or die by their actors. The key to a great comedy is solid, passionate actors with a panache for spot-on comic timing. This film's cast is legendary, turning in performances on par with any other movie I have seen and far better than many. Leading this cast of AAA performers is none other than Gene Wilder, as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the distant relative to the famous doctor of yore. Wilder's portrayal of the troubled doctor, trying desperately to shirk the notorious fame of his ancestor, is unhinged, inspired, and down right brilliant. Wilder is like a tightly wound spring coiled around an ill-conceived time bomb liable to blow at any second. The energy he harnesses here is infectious, and his manic ways ooze from the screen. I have often wondered just how close to a heart attack or brain aneurysm Wilder came to while filming Young Frankenstein. His bombast and passion actually make fill me with a sense of empathetic exhaustion.
Rounding out the cast, with equally stellar performances, is Terry Garr as Inga, the tart love interest, Marty Feldman as the affable Igor, pronounced Eye-gore, Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth, Frankenstein's indelible fiance, Peter Boyle as the monster, in a career defining performance, and Cloris Leachman as Frau Blucher, her with her Ovaltine and all. Normally I don't like to spend a great deal of time in my reviews talking about the cast, but with Young Frankenstein the actors are always the first thing my mind is drawn to when the film flashes in my mind. I cannot think of another film that contains such a strong cast. Every single actor in this film gives the performance of a life time, and the passion for the material, their characters, and the situations shines through with every spoken line, pratfall, and guffaw inducing moment.
The script with which the actors had to work with is a remarkable example of screenwriting. Written by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, the screenplay is full of witty one-liners and phrases that twist and spin the English language into a deluge of comedy genius. However, these funny lines are not just throw away little nuggets of comedy, but, instead, each line fully belongs to the character speaking it; these are not funny utterances. Often times, in lesser comedies, it doesn't really matter which character speaks the line because the characters become nothing more than a vehicle for the delivery of the joke. In Young Frankenstein, though, the lines feel as if they are truly birthed from the characters' psyches. A line taken from Igor and given to Inga, would not only fall flat, but it just wouldn't make an ounce of sense in regards to the film's characterizations. Brooks' and Wilder's script is something to be studied, it is a monumental achievement for the genre.
Finally, Young Frankenstein is a visual joy. Mel Brooks does not treat this film as a throwaway minor genre exercise. Choosing to shoot in black and white was a minor stroke of brilliance, as the film is swimming in the aesthetics of the great classic Universal Horror films. Stark shadows offset by bold lighting, moments of soft-focus romance, and the tension building capabilities of the noir-like milieu invoke the memories of horror fans who've cut their teeth on the classics. However, a striking juxtaposition occurs when the classic visual sensibility comes face to face with the zany style of the narrative, the absurd characterizations, and the wild situations to create a collision of style and substance. Young Frankenstein is a cinematic marriage made in heaven, and one that will surely continue to grow in popularity for decades, if not more.
