Young Frankenstein, a movie that parodies the classic story of Frankenstein, is one of Mel Brooks’ finest films.  Critics, from Roger Ebert to Vincent Can, loved this film as it showed Mel Brooks’ growing maturity from Brooks’ first films to his later films.  Not only do I agree with these original reviews, but I also found great enjoyment in many of the jokes as they will never age.  From the long running, “Blucher!” which causes all the horses to buck in terror, to Igor’s funny antics, I always found myself laughing at the television.

In Roger Ebert’s review of the film, he makes the point that Brook’s previous films, such as Blazing Saddles and The Producers were very aggressive and vulgar, making us laugh when we should probably have been offended by the joke that was said.  Regarding Young Frankenstein he wrote, “It shows artistic growth and a more sure-handed control of the material by a director who once seemed willing to do literally anything for a laugh. It’s more confident and less breathless.”  Young Frankenstein never feels like it goes over the top, much like he did within the hilarious chaos of Blazing Saddles. 

In the scene where Dr. Frankenstein meets Inga, she invites him to roll around in the hay with her, a euphemism for sex.  The camera cuts to Igor who breaks the 4^th wall and gives the audience an eyebrow raise.  This is just classic humor, and something that I didn’t pick up on my first time watching as a much younger kid.  Mel Brooks humor in this film feels much lighter and friendly.  The laughs of the audience are formed from the good script and improvisation from the actors.

 Known as the Igor Scene on YouTube, we see the Doctor with his two love affairs and Igor.  Once again, Mel Brooks throws adult humor in without going over the top.  “‘Igor would you give me a hand with the bags’” Dr. Frankenstein says to Igor. Igor responds, “‘Certainly you take the blonde and I’ll take the one with the Turban.’” This conversation had me laughing out loud, as Igor was mistaking the ladies for “bags,” thinking he may have the chance to seduce Dr. Frankenstein’s wife.

The discipline within the humor of Young Frankenstein is what allows this movie to stand out among the rest of Mel Brook’s films.  Whether it was purposeful or not, his decision to hold back his typical, no-filter style of directing allows the story to develop into a hilarious series of events.  Vincent Can of the New York Times wrote in his 1974 review of the movie, “The anarchy is controlled. Mr. Brooks sticks to the subject, recalling the clichés of horror films of the nineteen‐thirties as lovingly as someone remembering the small sins of youth.”  This could not be portrayed more, than within the character of Frau Blucher, the mysterious housekeeper, who’s spoken name causes the horses to buck in fear.

The character of Frau Blucher plays an important role in the film, as she single-handedly led Dr. Frankenstein into the secret laboratory, where his grandfather begun his work of reanimation.  As in many horror films, there is always one character from the beginning that gives you the chills as soon as the movie begins.  For Young Frankenstein, this character was Frau Blucher, as she immediately gave me the creeps.  While she seems creepy at first, I don’t think Mel Brook’s ever intended for her to be a frightening character and as the movie progresses, we see this clearly.  Instead, she is a parody of the creepy, spine-tingling antagonists that we see in conventional horror films. Her name, which strikes fear into the horses, makes fun of classic horror melodramas that whenever the villain appeared on screen, a frightening sound, like thunder or ominous music, could be heard. 

Depicted later in the film, we also see the Monster’s journey into town after being set free by Frau Blucher.  In most horror films, this is met with great violence and danger caused by the monster.  In Young Frankenstein, we are given one of the greatest scenes of the film, in which the Monster interacts with an old blind man.  The old man, completely unbeknownst to what had just walked into his home, finds company in the monster.  However, after a series of unfortunate mishaps, like the monster having his thumb lit on fire, causes him to flee the old man in terror.  This scene really got me laughing as there was a total role reversal.  The villagers are the ones that were supposed to run, not the monster. 

Unfortunately, not all critics followed the same opinion as Ebert, Can, and I.  John H. Dorr of The Hollywood Reporter staff at the time wrote, “Director Brooks executes several good jokes on horror movie style, but his film has no distinctive visual style of its own. His shooting is less interesting than his staging but is coyly effective when imitating carefully composed 30’s style static frames, well realized in Gerald Hirschfeld’s competent photography. Thunder and lighting effects punctuate throughout.”  I felt as if this gave the movie an older, less expensive (special effects) feel through Mel Brooks’ shooting style. In fact, according to Roger Ebert, “he even rented the original “Frankenstein” laboratory, with its zaps of electricity, high-voltage special effects, and elevator platform to intercept lightning bolts.” To say he was coyly effective in capturing the classic 1930’s horror film, is just plain wrong.

Young Frankenstein is one of the greatest parody films ever made according to critics and in my own opinion.  It takes the concept of a conventional horror movie and a conventional comedy film, and mashes them into one, creating a masterpiece. Through ageless jokes, wittiness, and great writing, Young Frankenstein has worked its was into the hearts of those who have seen it.