"Life! Life! Do you hear me? Give my creation... liiiiife!"
Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's loving parody of the classic Universal Horror films of the 1930s. Appearing in 1974, gorgeously shot in black and white using laboratory props from the original Frankenstein and starring a cast of brilliant comedic actors all at the very height of their talents, it is generally regarded as one of the funniest and most quotable movies ever made. It was adapted into a stage musical in 2007.It is reported that the cast and crew had so much fun making the movie that they added in extra scenes just to keep it going.In 2003, this movie was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. Two other works by Mel Brooks share this honor, The Producers and Blazing Saddles.And, since it keeps coming up, "Blücher" (*Whinny*) is not the German word for "glue"; it's just a common misconception.The Market-Based Title for the film in Italy, Frankenstein Junior, is NOT To Be Confused With the actualFrankenstein Jr..
This film, as well as the musical based from it, provides examples (or rather subversions) of:
Acting for Two: The Musical originally had Fred Applegate play both Inspector Kemp and Harold, the blind Hermit.
Affectionate Parody: As noted, 1930s horror movies. Heavy emphasis on "affectionate," too.
Anywhere But Their Lips: It's only in their first scene together that Elizabeth says "Not on the lips," to Freddy, and the reason is that she doesn't want her makeup smudged.
Subverted in that she doesn't seem to want to be touched anywhere, lest she mess up her hair, her nails, her dress, etc. In the end she and Frederick say goodbye by shaking elbows. She even flinches when he blows her a kiss.
Aside Glance: By Igor several times, and a couple of times by the Monster.
Berserk Button: Mentioning Frederick's relation to "a famous cuckoo".
He's also not tolerant of mistakes, like putting in a brain from Abby Normal.
Frankenstein: Are you saying that I put an abnormal brain inside of a seven-and-half-foot-long, fifty-four-inch-wide, GORILLA?!? (proceeds to throttle Igor)
Bilingual Bonus: The two couples that accompany Frederick in the trains have exactly the same conversation, the first in English, the second in German.
Black Comedy Rape: Elizabeth gets raped by the monster. Then it turns out she enjoys his enormous Schwanzstüke and happily has more sex with him.
"All right— seven always has been my lucky number!"
Blind and the Beast: The films parodies the blind-man scene in Bride of Frankenstein. Look carefully at this blind man, though: that's a young Gene Hackman. Gene plays it utterly straight. Even with the gags it's a touching scene.
The Musical also adds a name, Harold, to the blind man, and he gets a song, "Please Send Me Someone." "Finale Ultimo has him reprise this, and Frau Blucher excuses herself—"I've got a blind date."
Bullying a Dragon: The prison guard when he discovers that the Creature is afraid of fire. Protip: If you're going to taunt a 7-foot tall, super-strong monster with anger issues, don't do so within arm's reach.
Cobweb Jungle: In the passage leading to Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory and the laboratory itself.
Corpsing: Was understandably a problem throughout the shoot. In several scenes you can see Gene Wilder is just barely holding it together.
Brooks has said that even more footage was shot for the film than was actually going to be used because cast and crew were just having too much fun on set that they were starting to get bummed that principal photography was coming to an end.
It's one of the rare films where the crew had issues with corpsing—the "baggage" scene made them laugh so hard that it ruined takes.
Creator Cameo: Brooks is the model for one of the castle's gargoyles, and ad-libbed a cat's yowl when Frederick accidentally throws a dart out the window, as well as the howl of the "werewolf".
Creepy Changing Painting: A scowling portrait of Victor Frankenstein is highly visible in Fredrick's room. When Frederick finds his grandfather's instructions and decides to continue his work, a lightning-illuminated close-up shows the portrait looking very pleased.
Creepy Housekeeper: Frau Blücher (*WHINNY*) is the quintessential creepy housekeeper: every time her name is mentioned, horses rear in fear. Also, in regards to Victor Frankenstein: "He... vas... my... BOYFRIEND!"
"He Vas" Song": Which leads to her singing about Victor in the Musical, complete with Evil Laugh and vamping by Andrea Martin for "He Vas My Boyfriend." Doubles as a Villain Song as she hints he wasn't too nice a guy other than the sex.
Dark Reprise: The Musical has "Life, Life" where Frederick is trying to coax Fate to let the Monster he's assembled live, and "Frederick's Soliloquy" has the same tune, but the village is about to hang him, and here he's accepted who he finally is without regrets. The newly-intelligent Monster realizes the hung Frederick is unconscious, not dead, and is able to revive him.
And in a more Visual Pun, the film opens with a (very) dead guy clutching a chest.
Defrosting Ice Queen: Elizabeth, although it's more a case of getting hit with a blowtorch.
Deliberately Monochrome: To better parody the original Frankenstein movies. (This was so important to the filmmakers that they took the project to 20th Century Fox after originally conscripted studio Columbia balked at the prospect of it being in black-and-white.)
Don't Explain the Joke: Averted — during the Walk This Way scene, Igor shows Frederick what he means. It doesn't ruin the joke at all, though. Supposedly, this gag was the inspiration for the Aerosmith song of the same name.
In point of fact, it worked so well, it's something of a Running Gag for Mel Brooks. It shows up in most (if not all) of his films. The walk is different, but the joke is always the same.
Getting Crap Past the Radar: The conversation aboard the train is almost certainly about the old couple's son masturbating.
So many Double Entendres and sex references. So, so many. Even some profanity. It's amazing that this movie was rated PG (though they didn't have PG-13 back then).
Heir Club for Men: On his will, Baron Frankenstein described Frederick as his only male heir and never considered leaving anything to his granddaughter.
High-Class Glass: Kemp's monocole is memorably paired with an eyepatch.
Hypocritical Humor: After what seems to be the failed attempt at resurrecting the dead, Frederick states that it is better to accept both loss and success with "quiet dignity and grace." Seconds later, he loses his shit and takes out his frustration on the monster, choking and hitting the corpse all while screaming incoherently; all of this is lampshaded by Igor who just repeats Frederick's "quiet dignity and grace" line.
In the Blood: "Des-ti-ny! Des-ti-ny! No es-caping that for me!"
Also something of a subversion; Frederick is doing just fine escaping the family tradition (aside from a hamtastic moment in his lecture on neurobiology) until his great-grandfather's will and then his "servant" Frau Blücher (*WHINNY*) railroad him into it.
The Musical also has "Join the Family Business" as a number where the ghosts of Victor Von Frankenstein and other ancestors iron that point home.
Frankenstein: It isn’t. It’s Frederick Fronkensteen.
Igor: I see.
Frankenstein: You must be Igor (pronounces it as Eeee-gor).
Igor: No, it’s pronounced EYE-gor.
Frankenstein: But they told me it was EE-gor.
Igor: Well, they were wrong then, weren’t they?
Just a Stupid Accent: Deliberately, this being a Mel Brooks film. The movie takes place in Transylvania (located in Romania), but the townsfolk generally have bad German or Cockney accents. Kemp's is so terrible that his own countrymen have trouble understanding him.
Lampshade Hanging: After the horses Running Gag is established, Igor stays around, listening intently, and says, "... Blücher." (*WHINNY*) Then grins with satisfaction.
Music Soothes the Savage Beast: Frau Blücher (*WHINNY*) is able to calm the Monster down by playing the violin. Later, it is used to lure him to capture.
Mythology Gag: The book "How I Did It". In the original Frankenstein novel, we never do hear any details of just how the monster was brought to life. All the stuff with the lightning and stolen brains was added in later adaptations. Some of the lines he reads from the book are taken directly from the novel, however.
Names to Run Away From Really Fast: Just saying "Frau Blücher" (*WHINNY*) causes horses to rear up in fright. Just the name; the woman's actual presence doesn't bother them at all.
Neck Lift: The Monster, to the police officer tormenting him.
No Matter How Much I Beg: "..I was joking! Don't you know a joke when you hear one?! HA-HA-HA-HA!!''"
"OPEN THIS GODDAMN DOOR OR I'LL KICK YOUR ROTTEN HEADS IN!!!"
"MOMMY!!"
Nuclear Candle: Subtly parodied with candelabra-bearing Frau Blücher's (*WHINNY*) comment "Stay close to the candles, the staircase can be treacherous." None of the candles are in fact lit.
Frederick: There's a possibility of electrocution! Do you understand?...I say there's a possibility of electrocution! Do you understand?!
Igor: I understand, I understand, why are you shouting?
On One Condition: A deleted scene explains how Frederick inherited the estate of his very distant and disliked great-grandfather: said Baron Frankenstein had left his estate to his much closer relatives, naming each of them specificially, to be divided up evenly, unless Frederick had of his own choosing become a doctor and achieved some esteem in his field. As this had indeed happened, all the money and property went to him. The idea was that the Baron wanted to give his inheritance to someone who would have some chance of erasing the stain on his family name.
Frederick also had to meet the terms before the day Baron Frankenstein would become one hundred years old. Said Baron Frankenstein left instructions that his will was not to be read until then.
Passed Over Inheritance: Baron Frankenstein had closer relations than a distant great-grandson but they got nothing because he felt Frederick redeemed the family name by becoming a respected doctor.
Percussive Maintenance: Igor whacks one piece of machinery that doesn't turn off with the rest.
Reverse Polarity: Apparently this is the ultimate secret to raising the dead. Either that or Victor plugged his equipment in backwards at first, the scene isn't clear.
Robbing The Dead: In the first scene, a ledger is taken from the coffin of the late Beaufort von Frankenstein.
Rock Bottom: Frederick Frankenstein and Igor are digging up a grave.
Shaggy Search Technique: "Put - the candle - back!" Part of the parody is that Dr. Frankenstein was using legitimate means to search for it before the trope kicked in
Shaming The Mob: The Monster himself does it, with a speech mostly cribbed out of Shelley's original book.
Shoe Shine, Mister?: When Frederick's train pulls in, he asks a shoeshine boy, "Pardon me boy, is this the Transylvania Station?" The boy replies "Ja, ja. Track 29. Oh, can I give you a shine?" This is a Shout-Out to the 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo".
Silly Will: The aged Baron Beaufort von Frankenstein leaves instructions that his estate shall be given to his distant great-grandson rather than shared among a cadre of mooching relatives if said great-grandson has become a respected doctor of his own accord. One of the relatives tries to pass this clause off as insanity but the executor reminded her that civilization is based on law. The scene was removed from the final film.
The Musical gave the song "Deep Love" where Elizabeth sings about it, and the Monster also reprises the song in "Finale Ultimo" and proposes her in his version. She accepts.
Soundtrack Dissonance: The somber musical score is squarely at odds with the screwball tone of the film, yet somehow works perfectly well.
Mel intentionally kept the fact that the film was a comedy secret from the composer, resulting in serious music to a seriously funny movie.
Shouldn't the composer have twigged onto the fact that it was a comedy from the first four words out of Mel Brooks' mouth? note We are logically assuming those words were, "Hello, I'm Mel Brooks."
Igor's hump, which changes position from scene to scene; Marty Feldman decided to do this on his own, without telling anybody beforehand. When someone finally noticed, they added a bit where Frederick does as well.
This has appeared again in other Mel Brooks films - Prince John does it with his facial mole in Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
Brooks ad-libbed the sound of a cat getting hit with one of Frederick's darts.
Almost a Throw It Out moment; in some interviews, Mel Brooks stated that the only point during production where he and co-writer Gene Wilder seriously disagreed was the inclusion of the "Puttin' On the Ritz" number. Gene loved the idea but Mel hated it. After Gene vehemently defended the scene, Mel decided, "If you feel that strongly about it, we'll shoot the scene. If it works, we'll use it, if not, we won't." They shot it and it became one of the highlights of the movie.
Title Drop: It's hard to catch thanks to Kemp's accent slurring the sentence, but it's there:
Inspector Kemp: Und... ve had better cunfeeeerm de fect that yung Fronkenshtein ish indeed... vallowing in his grandfadder's footshtops!
Torches and Pitchforks: "A riot is an ugly thing. Und, I think that it's just about time that we had vun!!"
Also an Ironic Echo, since he'd earlier solemnly cautioned the townspeople about the dangers of a riot. ... Well, as solemnly as he could with that accent.
The Unintelligible: Inspector Kemp borders on this, even with his fellow countrymen.
"Vee had better confeerm de fect dat Yunk Frankenshtein iss indeed vallowing een ees gandfadda's vootshtaps."
The Monster also qualifies before Frederick gives him some of his intelligence. The Musical uses this for effect for two numbers:
"Transylvania Mania" has Igor, Frederick and Inga trying to cover up The Monster's musical moaning with the song and later, the village joins in as well as a trombone.
"Puttin' On The Ritz" has The Monster do a scat-singing solo, showing he knows the tune even if he can't say the words.
Unusual Euphemism: "Schwanzstucker", which is semi-accurate Yiddish; "schwanz" is indeed a word used to refer to the male member.
Understatement: In a deleted scene, it was revealed that, to be allowed to inherit his great-grandfather's estate, Frederick Frankenstein had to become a medical doctor on his own will and earn some measure of esteem on his field. A relative then asked if Frederick did acquire a "measure of esteem" and was told he's the fifth most respected expert on his field.
Video Will: Frederick Frankenstein's great-grandfather left a recorded message in an actual record.
Wham Line: Frankenstein was almost finished giving half of his mind to the monster, the rioters come in to kill him. It seems as though they were a minute too late....
Whole Plot Reference: The film is specifically a parody of Son of Frankenstein more than any other movie. The inspector with the wooden arm and the part where he talks with Frankenstein while playing darts are a direct lift.
; it's just a common misconception.The Market-Based Title for the film in Italy, Frankenstein Junior, is NOT To Be Confused With the actual Frankenstein Jr..
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