Young Frankenstein
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Mel Brooks
Terry Garr
Cloris Leachman
Gene Wilder
Gene Hackman
Madeline Kahn
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Victor Frankenstein, (that's pronounced Frahnken-steen) is a neurosurgeon who has spent his life distancing himself from the legend of his grandfather who created the monster. But when Victor inherits Frankenstein Castle, he is drawn into the family business of reanimating life. Now proudly reclaiming the original pronunciation of his surname, Victor is aided in his work by his pretty assistant Inga, hunchback Igor (pronounced Eye-gor) and Frau Blücher who turns out to have been his grandfather's girlfriend! Together, they create a new monster/man-about-town.
Director
Mel Brooks
Cast
Terry Garr
Cloris Leachman
Gene Wilder
Gene Hackman
Madeline Kahn
Richard Haydn
Richard A Roth
Oscar Beregi
Marty Feldman
Danny Goldman
Monty Landis
Arthur Malet
Liam Dunn
Rusty Blitz
Ann Elizabeth Beesley
Peter Boyle
Kenneth Mars
Crew
Stanford C Allen
Frank Baur
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Edwin Butterworth
Gene S Cantamessa
Bob Devestel
Carolyn Ewart
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Phyllis Garr
Anthony Goldschmidt
Anthony Goldschmidt
William D Gordean
Michael Gruskoff
Don Hall Jr.
Dale Hennesy
Gerald Hirschfeld
John C. Howard
Dick James
Dorothy Jeakins
Mary Keats
Jack M Marino
Hal Millar
Henry Millar Jr.
Marvin Miller
John Morris
John Morris
John Morris
James Plannette
Richard Portman
Ray Quiroz
Charles Sertin
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Barry Stern
Kenneth Strickfaden
Jonathan Tunick
William Tuttle
Tim Vanik
Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder
Hank Wynands
Ed Wynigear
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Hosted Intro
Film Details
Technical Specs
Award Nominations
Best Sound
Best Writing, Screenplay
Best Writing, Screenplay
Articles
Young Frankenstein
Gene Wilder, who came up with the idea for the film and served as Brooks' co-writer, stars as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the grandson of the mad scientist who created the original monster. To distance himself from his history, Frederick insists upon pronouncing the family name as "Frahkensteen." But a visit to the family castle and an encounter with the mysterious Frau Blucher (Cloris Leachman) soon has the grandson putting together his own monstrosity in the form of Peter Boyle -- who, as the new monster, sports a zipper around his neck. Adding immeasurably to the good-natured fun are Marty Feldman as Frederick's pop-eyed assistant, Igor; Madeline Kahn as his high-strung fiancee, Elizabeth; Teri Garr as the busty peasant girl, Inga; Gene Hackman as a blind hermit; and Kenneth Mars as a wooden-armed inspector inspired by Lionel Atwill in Son of Frankenstein (1939).
Kahn originally turned down the role of Inga in favor of playing Elizabeth. She later changed her mind, but it was too late because Garr had already been cast as Inga. Brooks, who "appears" in the film in the form of a gargoyle modeled after him, also voiced the off-screen sounds of a howling wolf and a screaming cat that's hit by a dart -- with the latter effect ad libbed by the director on the set. Another on-the-spot ad lib was Gene Hackman's "I was gonna make espresso" as the monster leaves the hermit's house. The name on the third brain when Igor makes his selection is that of the movie's assistant property master, Charles Sertin. A village guesthouse is named Gausthaus Gruskoff in honor of producer Michael Gruskoff.
Brooks reportedly was so reluctant to end the fun-filled 20th Century Fox production that he kept adding scenes so the company could remain together and continue shooting. He lost his temper only once during filming, becoming so upset that he threw a tantrum with Wilder and stormed out of the studio. Before long, however, he was on the telephone with Wilder saying, "Who was that lunatic yelling and screaming on the set today? You should fire that bum!"
Producer: Michael Gruskoff
Director: Mel Brooks
Screenplay: Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks, from the Mary Shelley novel Frankenstein
Cinematography: Gerald Hirschfeld
Production Design: Dale Hennesy
Original Music: John Morris
Editing: John C. Howard
Costume Design: Dorothy Jeakins
Cast: Gene Wilder (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein), Peter Boyle (The Monster), Marty Feldman (Igor), Madeline Kahn (Elizabeth), Cloris Leachman (Frau Blucher), Teri Garr (Inga), Kenneth Mars (Police Inspector Hans Wilhelm Friederich Kemp), Gene Hackman (Harold, the Blind Man).
by Roger Fristoe
Young Frankenstein
Quotes
My grandfather used to work for your grandfather. Of course the rates have gone up.- Igor
It's times like this that I remember what my old dad used to say.- Igor
What was that?- Dr. Friedrich von Frankenstein
"What the hell are you doing in the bathroom all day and night? Why don't you get out of there and give someone else a chance?"- Igor
Hallo. Vould you like a roll in ze hay?- Inga
It's fun.- Inga
Roll, roll, roll in ze hay.- Inga
Hearts and kidneys are tinkertoys. I'm talking about the central nervous system.- Dr. Friedrich von Frankenstein
Igor, would you give me a hand with the bags?- Dr. Friedrich von Frankenstein
Certainly, you take the blonde and I'll take the one in the turban.- Igor
Trivia
The film was shot in the same castle and with the same props and lab equipment as the original Frankenstein (1931).
The howling wolf sound on the ride to the castle was made by director 'Brooks, Mel' .
When Victor finds his grandfather's private library, he finds a book titled "How I Did It." This is actually a joke for those people who have read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. In the book, Frankenstein, Shelley never reveals how Victor reanimated dead flesh. The screenwriter obviously knew this and inserts the "How I Did It" book as a joke.
When Dr. Frankenstein descends the stairs into the basement of the castle there is a gargoyle on the wall made to look like director 'Brooks, Mel' .
The assistant property master's name, Charles Sertin, is on the third brain on the shelf.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1974
Released in United States December 1974
Re-released in United States August 13, 1999
Re-released in United States on Video January 12, 1994
Released in United States April 1981
Released in United States June 2000
Shown at Newport International Film Festival June 6-11, 2000.
Formerly distributed by Key Video.
August 1999 re-elease celebrates the film's 24 1/2 year anniversary (they couldn't wait until the 25th).
Kenneth Stricfaden, who helped create the electrical artifacts for "Frankenstein" (USA/1931), supplied some of the gadgets used in this film.
Selected in 2003 for inclusion in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1974
Released in United States December 1974
Re-released in United States August 13, 1999
Re-released in United States on Video January 12, 1994
Released in United States April 1981 (Shown at FILMEX: Los Angeles International Film Exposition ("Scared to Death": Horror Movie Marathon) April 2-23, 1981.)
Released in United States June 2000 (Shown at Newport International Film Festival June 6-11, 2000.)