Young Frankenstein is a 1974 sci-fi/comedy film distributed by 20th Century Fox, directed and written by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, and Teri Garr. It is loosely based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus and on previous film adaptations of that novel. The film is particularly a parody of Frankenstein (1931) and its numerous sequels under the Universal Pictures banner. It played a significant role in popularizing the stock character of Igor as a humorous and sympathetic, rather than tragic and villainous, figure.
Satire[]
Young Frankenstein in many ways mimicked the novel as well as the film. On of the largest ways it did this was the film being shown in black and white even it was released in 1947, which is after color television was available. It also mocked the fake Transylvanian Ascents for the original film and even used the same lab equipment. The line that most expresses the Acsent satire was in a line were the character Frau Blücher exclaimed the phrase "Ze vas zy voyfreind!" For those who it is unclear for the line is "He was my boyfriend" in a bad Transylvanian Ascents
Plot[]
The plot follows a professor named Fredrick Frankenstein (played by Gene Wilder) who is Victor Frankenstein's only living decedent and out of loathing of being referred to as Doctor Frankenstein has changed his last name to be pronounced "Fronkensteen". Due to his grandfather's (Victor Frankenstein's) will Fredrick reserves a letter saying he must go to Transylvania to collect his grandfather's insurance. Before boarding the train Fredrick's fiance Elizabeth Lavenza (played by Madeline Khan) kisses him good bye but she is going to a party afterwords, so he he can't ruin her dress hair or lipstick. This makes it hard for him to kiss her. Upon arriving at Transylvania Fredrick is welcomed by Igor (played by Marty Feldman), the grandson of the original Igor. Igor III takes Fredrick's luggage but after Fredrick corrects Igor and says that is name is pronounced "Fronkensteen", Igor makes fun of him and says his name is pronounced "Eagor" and asks if Fredrick's name is "Frodrick". To get to The Castle they take a hay ride. Fredrick accidentally places his luggage on a woman named Inga (played by Terri Gar) who is buried in the hay. Inga then asks Fredrick "Would you like to roll in the hay?" This is a double entente were Inga is referring to actually rolling around in hay however Fredrick thinks she is asking for sex and he refuses. At Castle Frankenstein an old maid named Frau Blücher (played by Cloris Leatchmen) greets the three of them. Her last name, Blücher, means glue in German and glue used to be made from horses so every time anyone says "Blücher" the horses give a frightened neigh. Later that night Fredrick and Inga hear violin music coming from the cellar and the two of them have a hilarious scene trying the figure out the mechanism Click to View Scene. They find Eagor in the cellar stairs and after going deeper they find Frankenstein's Laboratory and see Frau Blücher (neigh) playing the violin mourning the death of Victor Frankenstein, who "vas" her boyfriend. in the laboratory Fredrick finds Victor's old memoir titled "How I Did It". Fredrick discovers that it was possible to reanimate the dead and admits that he is a Frankenstein and not a "Fronkensteen". Later they create The Monster (played by Peter Boyle) and note long after The Monster breaks loose. but not before Fredreck and him single a duet of "Putting on The Ritz" Veiw Here. This only scratches the surface of all the halarady of Young Frankenstein.