10 Offbeat And Frequently Silly Frankenstein Films

3. Young Frankenstein (1974)

Mel Brooks' affectionate spoof of the monster movies of the 1930s stars Gene Wilder as Dr Frederick Frankenstein, a descendant of the original Frankenstein. He is very embarrassed about his lineage and tries to cover it up by pronouncing his name Fronk en Steen. However, he inherits the family estate in Transylvania and he heads there to meet a cast of colourful characters - like Igor his hunch-backed assistant, Mrs Blücher the housekeeper - whose name causes horses to rear in terror and sexy Inga his Personal Assistant. The more he reads about his ancestors' work, the more Frankenstein wants to replicate their experiments and possibly add a few new ones. Soon he has a creature to animate after a mix up of the brains. The creature is spooked out and has to be sedated. The townsfolk are frightened of Frankenstein releasing marauding monsters in the vicinity. Mrs Blücher sets the monster free and there is some parodying of scenes in earlier Frankenstein movies with the little girl and the blind hermit. Frankenstein recaptures him and to show everyone that he is a good sort, Frankenstein and the monster do a song and dance routine - "Puttin' on the Ritz". Unfortunately a burst bulb frightens the monster and away he goes again. Will the monster be killed by an angry mob or will it survive to lead a peaceful existence? In 1974, Mel Brooks was riding the crest of his career with Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. The latterbe nefits from some really committed performances - not just Gene Wilder as Frankenstein, but also Marty Feldman as Igor, Cloris Leachman as Mrs Blücher and Peter Boyle as the creature. The film very closely imitates the James Whale Frankenstein pictures of the 1930s in terms of the sets, the black and white photography, the whole atmosphere. The film's infectious enthusiasm will carry you along with it until you laugh yourself silly, particularly if you are a monster movie fan of the bygone days - you will find the scenarios and parody spot on. But even if you are not familiar with the old monster movies, there is still great mirth to be had with Young Frankenstein.