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Young Frankenstein (Special Edition)

Young Frankenstein (Special Edition)

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.24
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: waist
Review: Dolby digital 1.0 is just like saying MONO!! And a non anamorphic transfer i only have 2 words "Why Bother"???

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The funniest scary movie ever....
Review: What can I say about this film...It's the scariest comedy ever made. It's packed with comedy and memorable quotes. Gene Wilder is great. It's kind of like The Three Stooges and Frankenstein mixed into one movie. It's a great movie.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Non Anamorphic
Review: Great movie to bad the DVD is non-anamorphic.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funny. funny & funny.
Review: It'sm scary how funny this movie is.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funnier than Funny
Review: This is one of my all time favorite movies. Brilliant acting and some of the funniest scenes I have ever seen in any movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: His...Name...Is..."FRANKENSTEIN!"
Review: Ever wonder about what might have happened to the journals kept by the infamous Dr. Frankenstein, or the notes he must have made while conducting his ill-advised experiments, attempting to reanimate dead tissue? And what of his descendants? How would his legacy of horror have affected them a few generations down the line? Well, ponder no more, because these questions and many more are finally answered forevermore in 'Young Frankenstein,' an hilarious parody directed by Mel Brooks. Dr. Frankenstein's great-grandson, Frederick (Gene Wilder), is a doctor and teacher whose research has gained him some renown in his own right, and he has done his best to disassociate himself with the tarnished reputation of his ancestor (he even pronounces his name 'Fronk-en-Steen'). Then one day he is notified that he has inherited his great-grandfather's estate, including the castle, in which the elder doctor's laboratory has been preserved. Frederick, of course, must go to Transylvania to settle his affairs; but the whole affair soon becomes unsettled when Frederick discovers that it is impossible to escape his destiny. And once he arrives, the die is cast and there is just no turning back, as he can no longer deny that his... name... is... FRANKENSTEIN!

On his own, Mel Brooks is usually good, even great, but when he teams up with Gene Wilder it becomes something extra-special, which first became apparent with 'The Producers,' in 1967. But the directness with which Brooks approaches this material, combined with Wilder's understated performance makes this their all-time best. They co-wrote the screenplay, and with their differing perspectives of comedy they managed to capture the best of both worlds and strike a balance that works to perfection here. Brooks hits you over the head and gets right in your face with a gag, but Wilder steps aside, grabs it by the tail and hits the pause button (so-to-speak), just long enough to really put the joke across. Together they're like the ying and yang of the comedic universe. The screenplay is clever and includes all of the elements that successfully evoke the essence of the old B&W horror films that are such a part of cinematic lore today. What they give you with this film is the Frankenstein story with contemporary sensibilities, while presenting a cast of characters that take it over the top.

As far as the performances go, nobody, but nobody could have played Frederick better than Gene Wilder. He employs that prolonged, meaningful pause of his (nobody does it better), which he usually accentuates with a slight shifting of the eyes-- just before he delivers a line-- that can make even a mediocre line hilarious. His subtle approach and staid countenance play this material perfectly, and complimented by Brooks' straight ahead direction it allows the humor to flow naturally and freely and never fails to get the right kind of laugh at just the right time. The way they capture the sense of the original 'Frankenstein' (and the many sequels) is uncanny, from the overall look of the film to the reactions by everyone at the mere mention of the monster, to the throng of anxious villagers led by the unfaltering and inarticulate Inspector Kemp (Kenneth Mars).

Besides Wilder, who is clearly the star of the show, the supporting performances turned in by this superlative ensemble cast are absolutely impeccable, beginning with Peter Boyle as the monster. Boyle has the gait and the growl down pat, but also conveys so much with his expressions and introspective comportment. Then there is Marty Feldman as Igor (that's 'EYE-gore'), whose bug-eyed portrayal of the little hunchback who refuses to acknowledge his hump (mainly because he doesn't realize he actually has one) is hilarious. Teri Garr is a joy to behold as Inga, Frederick's lab assistant, and Cloris Leachman practically steals the show as Frau Blucher (and don't say her name within earshot of the horses). Mars also creates a memorable character by putting a mumble and a wooden arm to especially riotous use, and last but not least is the wonderful Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth, Frederick's intended who ultimately finds something grand to sing about.

Also included in the supporting cast are Richard Haydn (Herr Falkstein), Liam Dunn (Mr. Hilltop), Danny Goldman (in a memorable bit as a medical student who challenges Frederick during a lab demonstration), Anne Beesley (Little Girl), Michael Fox (Villager) and Gene Hackman in an uproarious cameo as Harold, the Blind Man. Often a parody of this nature wears thin after awhile, and even the best rarely manages to maintain a level of excellence for even thirty or forty minutes, let alone for 105 minutes as this one does. And without question, 'Young Frankenstein' delivers on a level to which few films of this nature can even aspire. Arguably one of Mel Brooks' best-- if not THE best he's ever done-- and with a definitive performance by Gene Wilder, this parody takes a place among the all time greats in the history of the cinema. It's funny stuff that gets funnier every time you see it, and that's the true magic of the movies.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Knee-slapping Riot!
Review: This movie was reccomended to me by a friend. One day on the bus ride home, she and everyone else were talking about how funny it was. I'd never seen it, and asked if I could borrow her copy. She let me, and let me tell you something: it's not the kind of movie that would make most people BURST out laughing right away -- it's more of that subltle type humor. If you tune into that, boy is it hilarious! Though there's some 'adult humor' I could definitely do without, overall the movie tickles me. I suggest it highly.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: What's the big deal?
Review: Okay, so the movie was sorta funny, I guess. So what? I can't believe some people actually think this movie is the funniest movie made. That's just a wee bit of an overstatement. Even though the movie got 4 stars, I don't think it deserved it. There were a couple funny parts (Do you want any wine? No. Milk? No. Ovaltine? Nothing!) but overall I think Mel Brooks ... out when he did this show. The Producers, for instance, is a lot funnier. But hey, don't take my word for it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: What nice knockers!
Review: Gene Wilder is exceptional as the heir to the Frankenstein legacy (see The Producers and Blazing Saddles for other perfect performances). This was really the best film Mel Brooks directed (again, you have to see Producers and Blazing Saddles) until he did History of the World Part One (you know there was no Part Two). Gene Hackman has a cameo role that will absolutely slay you (`I was going to make espresso!') This movie is a great spoof on the horror/Frankenstein films. Kenneth Mars is hilarious as the suspicious town authority. Cloris Leachman couldn't have played a better Frau Blucher. And Teri Garr does the perfect brainless yet easy lab assitant. Oh, did I forget Marty (what hump) Feldman? He used every one of his googly eyed deformities. Peter Boyle hasn't been this funny until Everyone Loves Raymond. This film was shot in balck and white to pay hommage to the horror genre it spoofs. Any film after this, attempting to make The Monster funny, will always be held against Young Frankenstein. They will all fall short. Trust me. I am never wrong.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Masterpiece?!
Review: Mel Brooks at his nuttiest best. Gene Wilder is the best Baron F yet!! Cloris Leachman slays me! Gene Hackman is great too-it was the first comic role I had ever seen him in.Only Marty Feldman leaves me cold but I have never found him funny-I should but I don't. Well worth checking out if you have never seen it or if you need to remind yourself of it.


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