Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1516 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-10-30
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Black & White, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
If you were to argue Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein ranks among the top-10 funniest movies of all time, nobody could reasonably dispute the claim. Spoofing classic horror in the way that Brooks' previous film Blazing Saddles sent up classic Westerns, the movie is both a loving tribute and a raucous, irreverent parody of Universal's classic horror films Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Filming in glorious black and white, Brooks recreated the Frankenstein laboratory using the equipment from the original Frankenstein (courtesy of designer Kenneth Strickfaden), and this loving attention to physical and stylistic detail creates a solid foundation for non-stop comedy. The story, of course, involves Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) and his effort to resume experiments in re-animation pioneered by his late father. (He's got some help, since dad left behind a book titled How I Did It.) Assisting him is the hapless hunchback Igor (Marty Feldman) and the buxom but none-too-bright maiden Inga (Teri Garr), and when Frankenstein succeeds in creating his monster (Peter Boyle), the stage is set for an outrageous revision of the Frankenstein legend. With comedy highlights too numerous to mention, Brooks guides his brilliant cast (also including Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars and Gene Hackman in a classic cameo role) through scene after scene of inspired hilarity. Indeed, Young Frankenstein is a charmed film, nothing less than a comedy classic, representing the finest work from everyone involved. Not one joke has lost its payoff, and none of the countless gags have lost their zany appeal. From a career that includes some of the best comedies ever made, this is the film for which Mel Brooks will be most fondly remembered. No video library should be without a copy of Young Frankenstein. And just remember--it's pronounced "Fronkensteen". --Jeff Shannon

Special Features
1.85 Wide Screen
16:9 Wide Screen
DVD 9
Czech\Danish\English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 2.0 English
Dolby Digital 2.0
Outtakes Bloopers And Deleted Scenes
Running Audio Commentary By Mel Brooks
36 Minute Documentary Making FrankSense Of Young Frankenstein With Behind The Scenes Footage And Cast And Crew Interviews
Trailers And TV Spots
Mexican Interviews
Czech\Danish\Dutch\Finnish\Greek\Hebrew\Hungarian\Iberian\Icelandic\Norwegian\Polish\Portuguese\Swedish

Synopsis
An affectionate parody that pays homage to the 'Frankenstein' films (from the novel 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley) directed by James Whale in the 1930s, 'Young Frankenstein' is both a zany comedy and cinematic tour de force. Written by director Mel Brooks and the star of the film, Gene Wilder, 'Young Frankenstein' has all the usual - and in this case slightly unusual - suspects: the reluctant scientist Frederick Frankenstein, who is actually the grandson of the infamous creature-creator (pronounced Fronken-steen), his spoiled fiancee, Igor the pop-eyed hunchback, his dizzy assistant, the castle's hideous head housekeeper, and, of course, the Monster. And then there are the sets the original ones used in the Whale films the beautiful black-and-white cinematography, and the fine screenplay. Combining noirish elegance with uproarious sight gags and double entendres is a feat Brooks pulls off fabulously, directing the wonderful ensemble to act with sensitivity and humanistic feelings as well as with lunatic abandon. 'Young Frankenstein' is a treat from beginning to end.

Customer Reviews

Touching, warm, madly funny
This movie is a joy to watch and to watch again. It has, above all, a great heart and tells a moving story. That this story should also be laugh out loud funny is a true delight. Gene Wilder has never been better as the mad, sensitive Dr Frankenstein, but the whole ensemble cast shines. There are no dud moments in this film.

Given that it is a comedy pastiche of the great black and white era classics, you might think that it would pall after a viewing or two, and that the jokes would have a short shelf life. Far from it. Knowing what is coming actually helps the movie as you savour the next great joke. There is love in this film for the genre that they are affectionately portraying, there are no "cheap shots" or cynical gags in this film.

Although played for laughs, this is a "real" movie with fantastic scenery and music which lend authenticity and drama, contributing to the telling of the classic Frankenstein tale. The Black and White shots are in many instances beautifully framed and lit. Gene Wilder looks genuinely crazed.

The DVD issue represents good value too. The extras are definitely worth watching, with truly bizarre Mexican publicity material (the cast interviewed in Spanish, which they only partly follow), outtakes, cut scenes, making of documentary and a commentary by Mel Brooks. The evident enjoyment of the cast comes though in the extras, and you will have just as much fun watching the whole package.

In sum, this is a great presentation of a very funny movie, with quality extras, that you will enjoy for many years.

Funny Funny Funny
Not only does the photography add authenticity to this spoof of early horror films, but you have the insane comedy of Mr Brooks, the lovely Gene Wilder, the brilliant Marty Feldman and the under-rated, wonderful Madeline Kahn!

Like everyone else I too can quote lines from this film at whim!

"Frau Blucher!" and the affect that name has on horses, Igor singing "I ain't got no body", Igor's hump, Igor's sarcastic comments to Fronkensteeen on the pronounciation of their names and especially the song and dance routine ("Putting on the Ritz"!).........I could go on and on........this film, although personally I don't feel quite matches "Blazing Saddles", will absolutely have you in stitches, I guarantee it.

"It's twoo, it's TWOOOO!!"

You VILL enjoy ziss film!

It is a credit to director Mel Brooks and to Gene Wilder, co-author of the screenplay, that this film has lost none of his comic impact since it was first released almost 30 years ago. Seeing it and The Producers (1968) again recently, I was reminded of the fact that Brooks' best comedies are those in which he does not appear. Also, I was again impressed by Brooks's respectful treatment of the original material (i.e. Mary Godwin Shelley's novel), more so than any of the earlier film versions, notably one starring Boris Karloff as The Monster.

What else to say? The ensemble cast of Brooks regulars (Boyle, Kahn, Leachman, Mars, and Wilder) are all outstanding, joined by Marty Feldman, Terri Garr, and a surprisingly effective Gene Hackman as the Blind Hermit. In only a few other films has Hackman's gift for comedy been utilized. The ones I recall are three of the Superman films, Get Shorty (1995), and The Birdcage (1996): to a lesser extent in Unforgiven (1992) and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).

Nonetheless, the irrepressible Brooks could not resist the temptation to add some special seasoning of his own such as, for example, the schtick involving the word Blucher. (Frau Blucher finally admits that the late Henry Frankenstein was her "boyfriend"). As Brooks well knew, Gebhard von Blucher was a Prussian field marshal during the Napoleonic wars, infamous for his abuse of horses. (Following retirement from military service, his mental health was questioned when he claimed that he was pregnant with an elephant after being raped by a French grenadier. Such a claim could indeed raise questions.) Igor's shifting hump is also vintage Brooks as are the scenes when Frederick von Frankenstein (Fronk-un-STEEN!) bids farewell to Elizabeth (Kahn) before his train departs and then later when Inga (Garr) is happily "rolling, rolling, rolling in the hay" wagon.

However, Brooks never allows such zaniness to overcome (obliterate?) the flow of the narrative as is sometimes the case in his other comedies. Although it may be difficult to believe, there is great dignity in this film which never serves as a target for ridicule. (That is what I meant earlier when suggesting that Brooks and Wilder are respectful of the original.) Even the slapstick (slapschtick?) such as it is helps to advance the plot.

For these and other reasons, this is my favorite Brooks comedy.