Young Frankenstein (1974)

Director:

Mel Brooks

Writers:

Gene Wilder (screen story and screenplay) and
Mel Brooks (screen story and screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 December 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The scariest comedy of all time!

Plot:

Dr. Frankenstein's grandson, after years of living down the family reputation, inherits granddad's castle and repeats the experiments.

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Housekeeper | Monster | Scientist | Surgeon

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Jan. 4	3:30 AM	AMC
Wed. Jan. 6	9:45 AM	AMC

Cast

Gene Wilder	...	Dr. Frankenstein
Peter Boyle	...	The Monster
Marty Feldman	...	Igor
Cloris Leachman	...	Frau Blücher
Teri Garr	...	Inga
Kenneth Mars	...	Inspector Kemp
Richard Haydn	...	Herr Falkstein
Liam Dunn	...	Mr. Hilltop
Danny Goldman	...	Medical Student
Oscar Beregi Jr.	...	Sadistic Jailor (as Oscar Beregi)
Arthur Malet	...	Village Elder
Anne Beesley	...	Little Girl
Monte Landis	...	Gravedigger
Rusty Blitz	...	Gravedigger
John Madison	...	A Villager
Johnny Dennis	...	Orderly in Frankenstein's class
Rick Norman	...	A Villager
Rolfe Sedan	...	Train conductor
Terence Pushman	...	A Villager (as Terrence Pushman)
Randolph Dobbs	...	Third Villager (Joe)
Norbert Schiller	...	Emcee at Frankenstein's show
Pat O'Hara	...	A Villager (as Patrick O'Hara)
Michael Fox	...	Helga's Father
Lidia Kristen	...	Helga's Mother
Madeline Kahn	...	Elizabeth
Richard A. Roth	...	Insp. Kemp's Aide (as Richard Roth)
Gene Hackman	...	Blindman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leon Askin	...	Herr Waldman (scenes deleted)
John Carradine	...	Beaufort Frankenstein (voice) (scenes deleted)
Ian Abercrombie	...	Second villager (uncredited)
Mel Brooks	...	Werewolf / Cat Hit by Dart / Victor Frankenstein (voice) (uncredited)
Lou Cutell	...	Frightened villager (uncredited)
Berry Kroeger	...	First Village Elder (uncredited)
Jeff Maxwell	...	Medical Student (uncredited)
Clement von Franckenstein	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Mel Brooks

Writing credits
Gene Wilder		(screen story and screenplay) and
Mel Brooks		(screen story and screenplay)
Mary Shelley		(novel "Frankenstein") (as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Produced by
Michael Gruskoff	....	producer

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
Gerald Hirschfeld		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John C. Howard

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Dale Hennesy

Set Decoration by
Robert De Vestel		(as Bob de Vestel)

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist (as Ed Butterworth)
Mary Keats	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Frank Baur	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marvin Miller	....	assistant director
Barry Stern	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	graphic designer
Jack M. Marino	....	property master (as Jack Marino)
Charles Sertin	....	assistant property master
Hendrik Wynands	....	construction coordinator (as Hank Wynands)
Edward T. McAvoy	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	production sound mixer (as Gene Cantamessa)
Don Hall	....	sound editor
Richard Portman	....	production sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
Hal Millar	....	special effects
Henry Millar Jr.	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Roger Creed	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Plannette	....	gaffer
Richard Tim Vanik	....	camera operator (as Tim Vanik)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carolyn Ewart	....	wardrobe: women
Phyllis Garr	....	wardrobe: women
Dick James	....	wardrobe: men
Ed Wynigear	....	wardrobe: men

Editorial Department
Stanford C. Allen	....	assistant editor
William D. Gordean	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Morris	....	conductor
John Morris	....	orchestrator
Jonathan Tunick	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	title designer
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Ken Strickfaden	....	special thanks: original Frankenstein laboratory equipment (as Kenneth Strickfaden)

Production Companies

• Gruskoff/Venture Films
• Crossbow Productions
• Jouer Limited

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2001) (Spain) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Key Video (video)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating) (1987) | Finland:K-16 (video rating) (1988) | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-16 (cinema release) (1975) | Canada:G (Quebec) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Iceland:LH | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:AA (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Mayfair Theatre - 214 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Gruskoff/Venture Films

Trivia:

When Mel Brooks was preparing "Young Frankenstein," he found that Ken Strickfaden, who had made the elaborate electrical machinery for the lab sequences in the Universal Frankenstein films, was still alive in the Los Angeles area. He visited Strickfaden and found that Strickfaden had saved all the equipment and had it stored in his garage. Brooks made a deal to rent the equipment for his film and gave Strickfaden the screen credit he'd deserved, but hadn't gotten, for the original films.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Creature is walking backwards and forwards in the neurology demonstration, it is clear that he is wearing platform shoes.

Quotes:

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Have all the preperations been made for the transference?
Inga: Yes, doctor.
Igor: Are you sure you want to go through with this?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: It's the only thing that can save him now.
Igor: You realize you're risking both your lives?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: [plays a sour note] Yes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Freakazoid!: Candle Jack/Toby Danger in Doomsday Bet/The Lobe (#1.2)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life

Probably the best comedy I've ever seen

If you love comedies, but haven't seen Young Frankenstein, you're in for a delicious treat.After three decades, it still makes people laugh to death, and it's a must-see for every spoof lover in the world.

Actually, it's not a parody, but a homage by Mel Brooks to James Whale's classic,shot in black and white on the same location and with the same props.

The "hero" is Dr.Frederick Frankenstein(Gene Wilder), who, after a long period in which he hated it, decides to repeat his grandfather's experiment.The result is the Transylvanians want to kill him, despite the fact that the monster is the most harmless creature in the world.

This sort of sequel to the original Frankenstein is hilarious from start to finish, mostly because of two actors:Peter Boyle and Martin Feldman.The former is great as the mute creature(he'll compensate that by talking too much in Everybody Loves Raymond), particularly in the scene with Gene Hackman's Blind Man.But it's Feldman's Igor that makes this film unmissable.No wonder, given he's got the best lines("Wait Master.It might be dangerous...you go first").

With no doubt Mel Brooks' masterpiece.

The Scary Movie franchise wishes it was this good.