Showing posts with label Mel Brooks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mel Brooks. Show all posts

Sunday, 19 May 2024

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)


When I watched this film in the cinema earlier this week I didn't have much to say about it. Has that changed today? No. But the very fact that I've watched it twice in a week shows what a great film it is. Sometimes five stars aren't enough.

The photo shows Teri Garr as Inga. She's a beautiful actress that I didn't remember seeing in anything else. According to IMDB she's appeared in more than 60 films. The only one I've watched is "Let it ride", but I don't remember her, even though she was in a leading role. Is it worth watching again? Maybe. She also appeared in the Star Trek episode "Assignment Earth", which I remember well. So that was Teri Garr?


Yes, the cute little face with the innocent eyes is unmistakable.


Curiously, in 2008 a five-issue mini-series was written based on the characters from this episode. The woman on the cover is Teri's character, Roberta Lincoln. Her skirt wasn't that short on television, unfortunately. I need to read those comics. They're written and drawn by John Byrne, my favourite comic book author from Walsall.

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Wednesday, 15 May 2024

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)


"Young Frankenstein" was presented today for the monthly Weird Wednesday. When speaking with my friends before the film, I was both surprised and shocked that almost no one had ever seen it. How can a film this brilliant be simply forgotten? They know other films directed by Mel Brooks, such as "Blazing Saddles", but I consider "Young Frankenstein" his best film. It's amazing.

I had writer's block the last time I watched the film. I have writer's block today. That's no reflection on the film's quality. It would be brilliant even if I only wrote one word about it.

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Tuesday, 9 March 2021

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)



I can't think of anything I want to write about this film right now, so you know what? I won't force myself, I'll just not write anything. It's not a matter of writer's block. I've reviewed the film five times on my blog so far, and I don't have anything more to add. I shan't give you links to the reviews. You can find them yourselves in my alphabetic list of posts.

I need to go back and watch the Universal Studios films on which this parody is based. They've been gathering dust in my cellar for the last six years. Shame on me! I only own the first two films in the series, but as I remember, they were the best.

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Thursday, 1 September 2016

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)


This is the second film I've watched today starring the late, great Gene Wilder. I consider it to be one of the best films ever made. I've included it in my list of "30 films to watch before you die". Please check out the list to see if you know all 30 films. There's a reason for every film to be on the list, so if there's only one film that you still haven't seen it's worth making an effort to see it.

As well as playing the main character, Gene Wilder wrote the screenplay for "Young Frankenstein". Mel Brooks was at first reluctant to make the film because he liked to write his own films, but he was indebted to Gene for saving "Blazing Saddles" by jumping in at the last moment, so he accepted the script with only a few of his own changes.


"Young Frankenstein" shows a different side of Gene Wilder's considerable talent. In "Blazing Saddles" his style was one of casual under-acting. He seemed unconcerned by what was going on around him. In "Young Frankenstein" his style is characterised by brash over-acting. This is a deliberate parody of Colin Clive's performance as Henry Frankenstein in "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein". This is doubtlessly the best parody ever made. It's so close to the original films (especially "Bride of Frankenstein") that it's hilarious, but it's different enough to avoid being trite.


Gene Wilder was a brilliant actor. Sadly, he made relatively few films during his life. His last film was made in 1991, when he was only 58. For the next 25 years he contented himself with occasional television roles. He said that there were no more roles for him, because movies had become "dirty" by relying on unnecessary swearing, action sequences and worst of all 3D effects. That's a shame. All I can say is that he'll always be fondly remembered for the films he made in his short career.

Gene Wilder
June 11, 1933 – August 29, 2016

Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Blazing Saddles (5 Stars)


I decided to watch this film today in remembrance of Gene Wilder, who died two days ago. After "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" this is probably the film for which he is best known. Ironically, he almost didn't appear in it. Mel Brooks invited his friend Gene to play the part of Hedley Lamarr, but Gene turned it down and Harvey Korman stepped in. The role of the Waco Kid was offered to John Wayne, who turned it down because he didn't think it fitted his clean cut image. John Wayne? Wow! That would have made it a very different film. Gig Young stepped in to play the Waco Kid, but he collapsed after one day of filming, presumably as a result of alcohol withdrawal. The film was in danger of cancellation, so Gene offered to take over the role. The rest is history. Gene Wilder's Waco Kid became the coolest, most laid back gunslinger in film history.


Gene Wilder was a last minute addition to the film cast, and in the film the Waco Kid is a last minute, almost accidental addition to the law enforcement team of the town of Rock Ridge. When Bart takes over as sheriff he finds the Kid in one of the cells, presumably locked up for being drunk in the saloon. The first we see of him is hanging upside down from the bunk bed. He might be a drunk, but he's a good man, and he's still the fastest gun in the West. Bart might be the duly elected sheriff, but without the Waco Kid as his deputy he wouldn't be able to defend the town from the thugs attempting to destroy it.


The Waco Kid is so calm and relaxed throughout the whole film that Gene Wilder could be accused of under-acting. However, fans of this film know that his performance was perfect. Gene's casual, hardly-even-there approach to the role is part of what made "Blazing Saddles" a masterpiece.

Gene Wilder
June 11, 1933 – August 29, 2016

Friday, 24 June 2016

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)


A few days ago a friend of mine was looking at my alphabetical list of posts to see what films I've reviewed. Her first question to me was why "Pulp Fiction" is listed three times. Yes, she's a new reader of my blog, or she would have known the answer. My blog isn't really a film review site, it's more accurate to call it a film diary. It lists every single film that I've watched since I started the blog in September 2010. If I watch a film more than once I write about it more than once. I've watched "Pulp Fiction" three times since September 2010, in January 2013, June 2013 and November 2015. Sometimes I say very little about a film, especially if it's a film I've already written about before. I might just use one small detail about the film as an excuse to write about an unrelated topic. In cases like that it's not a review at all, it's just the ranting of a crazy Englishman.

Usually the rating I give a film is the same every time I watch it. Usually, but not always. Sometimes I like a film more the second time I see it, sometimes less. In my alphabetical list the date of each post is shown, so in the case of differing ratings you can assume that the most recent post is what I think.


This is the fourth time I've watched "Young Frankenstein" since September 2010. I don't know how often I watched it before then. At least twice, probably more often.

What shall I write about the film today? Nothing! This is my blog, and I can do what I want!

Monday, 4 April 2016

Blazing Saddles (5 Stars)


The last time I reviewed "Blazing Saddles", three years ago, I only gave it four and a half stars. I have no idea why. It must be the funniest film ever made. When I made my list of 30 films to watch before you die I picked "Young Frankenstein" to represent Mel Brooks' films, but I could just as well have picked "Blazing Saddles". It's hard to decide between them because they're both brilliant films.

The film is set in 1874. A railroad is being built that will run through the middle of the frontier town Rock Ridge. The railroad owner, Hedley Lamarr, wants to drive the people out of town so that he can buy the land cheap. The sheriff is killed when his men attack the town, so the townspeople write to the governor asking for a new sheriff. Hedley persuades the governor to appoint a black railroad worker called Bart as sheriff, since he knows that they will reject him because of his skin colour.

The film follows a solid plot, but in the last ten minutes it degenerates. I mean that as praise. The third wall isn't just broken, it's trampled underfoot. The characters break out of the film set and invade the rest of the studio. They attack the actors who are making other films. Eventually they break out of the studio and spill into Hollywood. The resulting chaos is nothing short of brilliant.


This is a film that has it all. It's a western with singing Nazis and pie fights. What else does a film need?


Wednesday, 4 November 2015

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)


30 films to watch before you die, #4

"Young Frankenstein" was made in 1974, and I consider it to be Mel Brooks' biggest masterpiece, even though he's best remembered for "Blazing Saddles". It's a parody of the old Universal horror films, especially "Bride of Frankenstein". There are also references to the 1933 version of "King Kong".

I feel guilty for not including any of the classic horror films in my "30 films to watch before you die" list. "Bride of Frankenstein" made it into my top 50, but it was removed when I reduced my list to 30 films. Maybe that was a mistake. The 1931 version of "Dracula" should also have been in my list. 30 films just isn't enough. If I wait a year I'll probably make changes to this list.


I still remember when I first watched this film. It was the second day of my stay in West Berlin. Let me explain how it went. At my university in Birmingham there was a German assistant from Berlin called Sigrid Ruschmeier. She told me to contact a man called Boris Penth when I arrived. I spent my first night sleeping on his couch, but it was too inconvenient for me to stay longer, so the next day I went to his friends' apartment, whose names I've now forgotten. I only knew them briefly. On that same day I was given a room in a commune in Kreuzberg. Before I moved out one of the friends went to the cinema with his girlfriend. They invited me to go with them. It was this film, called "Frankenstein Junior" in Germany. It was the first film I had ever seen directed by Mel Brooks, but within a few weeks I managed to see all of his films. Most of the Berlin cinemas didn't show newly released films, they had theme weeks, such as a different film by a director every day. I was lucky enough to be able to catch a Mel Brooks week.

When I saw "Frankenstein Junior" aka "Young Frankenstein" I was blown away. The American horror films on which it was based were all still fresh in my mind, because they were frequently repeated on English television. I got all the jokes straight away.

The film is genius, pure genius. Including it in my list partially makes up for omitting the old horror films. Mel Brooks is the master of parody, nobody else even comes close. It's a shame that he's made so few films during his career as a director. Only 11 films from 1968 to 1995, and none since.

The DVD that I own (one of the first DVDs I ever bought) doesn't have a perfect transfer. There are occasional pops and specks of dirt on the picture. A remastered version was released on Blu-ray in 2013 and repackaged a year later as the 40th anniversary version. I've read a review praising the Blu-ray's quality, so I feel tempted to buy it again.

One last piece of trivia is that this film uses the same props that were used in the 1930's Frankenstein films. They'd all been well preserved for 40 years, and they were loaned to Mel Brooks to make the film.


If you like this film you should watch other Mel Brooks films such as

Saturday, 4 October 2014

To be or not to be (1983 version) (4½ Stars)


This is a remake of a film made in 1942. Not having seen the original version I can't compare them. According to what I've read, critics claim that the original was better, but the remake was more successful commercially. Critics and the public! Why can they never agree?

Frederick Bronski is one of the most famous stage actors in Poland. He writes mostly satirical plays which he performs in his small theatre in Warsaw. The year is 1939, and there are rumours of an imminent German invasion, but he doesn't take them seriously. Even when Germany invades in September he carried on with business as usual. After all, everyone needs to be entertained, whether they're Polish or German.

It's only when the Nazis evict Frederick from his theatre to use it as their Warsaw headquarters that he turns against the occupiers. He and his wife Anna join forces with the resistance. Then he is allowed to put on a performance for one night only to entertain Adolf Hitler when he visits Warsaw. Frederick devises a daring plan which involves impersonating Hitler.

This is an excellent film. It contains everything: music, action, comedy and romance. I strongly recommend it.

Friday, 8 August 2014

Life Stinks (4 Stars)


It's good to be alive. There's so many things you can't do when you're dead. (sic)

"Life Stinks" is somewhat untypical for the films directed by Mel Brooks. Usually he makes parodies, but this is only a comedy. Having said that, the film does have a serious message, especially to me, because I can relate to what the main character is going through.

Goddard Bolt, played by Mel Brooks himself, is the richest man in Los Angeles. At a meeting with his lawyers he tells them that he owns half of the city's slum quarter, and he plans to buy the other half that is currently owned by the city. He wants to build a flagship building complex for his company, Bolt Enterprises. The meeting is interrupted by Goddard's biggest rival, Vance Craswell. Vance says that he's just bought the city's half of the slums, and he wants to buy Goddard's half, so that he can build new luxury apartments for the rich. The meeting is deadlocked, with both men refusing to sell to the other. Vance offers a wager. He says that if Goddard can live for 30 days in the slums as a penniless homeless person he'll give him his half of the land; otherwise Goddard has to hand over his half.

And so the city's richest man has to live on the streets, begging for money and food. The film is intended to be a comedy, but I couldn't laugh. It was like seeing my own life. I was never a billionaire, but I had always been relatively wealthy, richer than most. Then my life came crashing down around me and I lived on the streets, sleeping first under a canal bridge, then in an abandoned factory. Then I was admitted to a hospital, where I was treated badly. Just like Goddard in the film, who was almost killed by being given the wrong medication. Goddard's time of suffering lasted 30 days, followed by a few days in hospital. I was on the streets for about the same time, but I had to spend 17 months in hospital.

So I can't laugh at Goddard's plight. Although I can appreciate his improved outlook as a result of his suffering. Life doesn't stink. It's good to be alive, even if you're living on the streets. There are so many things you can't do when you're dead.

Friday, 24 January 2014

History of the World, Part 1 (4 Stars)


This film by Mel Brooks shows five episodes in the world's history:
  • The Stone Age
  • The Old Testament
  • The Roman Empire
  • The Spanish Inquisition
  • The French Revolution
The stone age episode shows the origins of marriage, humour, art and music. That's an interesting mix. Are these the four pillars that support humanity, in Mel's view? If the word "love" is substituted for "marriage" I might agree. In part. These are the good things in life, the things that are intended to make our lives happy. It omits questions of philosophy, morality and religion. The stone age episode also shows a disrespect for death and those who have just died. Mel Brooks might be best known for his comedy, but he's pushing messages at the viewers below the surface.

So where does religion fit into The World According To Mel? We see that in the second episode. Moses comes down from the mountain with the 15 Commandments, then clumsily drops a stone tablet and only 10 are left. The message is clear: God has spoken to man, but man hasn't listened and only part of God's words remain.

And what about philosophy? In the Roman Empire episode we meet the philosopher Comicus, but his words are equated with comedy. This is a cynical opinion, but it's one that I am unable to argue against, however much I disagree with it. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" is a valid Weltanschauung. The Roman emperor eats while listening to the philosopher's words. For a while he's entertained by philosophy, but as soon as it points the finger against him he sentences the philosopher to death. Once more, a serious message is hidden behind the comedy.

In the Spanish Inquisition episode we see the immovability of organised religion. The church only accepts the 10 commandments and rejects the other five. Jews are killed who do not accept the "true faith", but ironically they are killed by drowning in water, the same thing that would save them through baptism. On the contrary, the Christian nuns are lifted from the water by the Menorah, the holy Jewish lamp stand. "Salvation is from the Jews", John 4:22.

Finally, the French Revolution episode shows the absurdity of life. Those who are elevated can fall. Those who are low can be raised high. The guilty are rewarded while the innocent are punished. Philosophy is not explicitly mentioned in this episode, but the cruel sword of existentialism hangs over the heads of all. Just when it seems that there is no escape for our hero, the piss boy who has been reincarnated through the centuries (as Moses, Comicus, and the Grand Inquisitor) is saved by a deus ex machina. It's a miracle that can only happen in films. As the slave Josephus says, "Movies is magic".

This is a very enjoyable film, especially the musical sequence in the Spanish Inquisition. Mel Brooks writes such beautiful song and dance routines, I wish he would make a complete musical. The film is very funny as well, even though my review concentrates on its serious messages.

Saturday, 12 October 2013

Spaceballs (4½ Stars)


I'm ashamed to admit that today is the first time I've ever seen this film. Yes, I knew it existed. Yes, I knew it was good. For years friends have reacted with shock when I said I've never seen it. I don't really know why I've waited 25 years.

This Mel Brooks film is primarily a parody of Star Wars, but it also references "Star Trek" (the original series), "Alien" and "Planet of the Apes". It often breaks through the third wall, especially in the second half of the film, which is something I greatly enjoy as a film making technique. The jokes about it being a film about something that is really happening during the filming are more frequent than they were in "Blazing Saddles".

I won't waste time talking about the plot. If you like Mel Brooks you should watch it. If you like comedies you should watch it. If you like science fiction you should watch it. In fact, if you like any sort of film at all you should watch it. And if you've never watched a film in your life, make this your first.

Monday, 2 September 2013

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)


A timeless classic. Sometimes pictures speak louder than words.

The Intrepid Heroes

Marty Feldman
8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982


Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Silent Movie (4½ Stars)


With the exception of "Young Frankenstein", which I've watched a few times, I haven't watched any of Mel Brooks' films for at least 10 years. I don't know why. After rewatching "Blazing Saddles" yesterday and "Silent Movie" today I'm reminding myself just how good they are. His films are funny and intelligent at the same time.

This film has a circular plot. Mel Brooks has made a silent film about himself making a silent movie. That's it. The humour isn't in the overall plot, it's in the individual situations. This is silent film slapstick at its best. The highlight of the film, in my opinion, is Marty Feldman. Though he's best known for his television appearances, this film is what I'll always remember him for. Tragically, he died at the young age of 48. What a waste!

Monday, 11 February 2013

Blazing Saddles (4½ Stars)


I admit it. After watching "Django Unchained" I couldn't resist the temptation to watch "Blazing Saddles" again. It's been a few years since I last watched it and I wanted to see it again. Apart from that, after the last depressing film this morning I needed to watch a comedy to cheer myself up.

The first time I heard about "Blazing Saddles" was in my late teens through a friend called Nick (Nicholas Keane). He told me that whenever he wanted to impress a new girlfriend he took her to see "Blazing Saddles" in the cinema. I have no idea how that was possible. Maybe it was being shown for a long period of time at a cinema in Birmingham? I know that, for instance, "Ryan's Daughter" was shown for six months at a cinema. I can't imagine anything like that being done today. Anyway, I never felt inclined to see the film because I associated it with Nick's romantic flings.

Then I went to study in West Berlin. I liked the German way of having film seasons on specific directors. For instance, every day a different film directed by Ingmar Bergman was shown. Then films directed by Mel Brooks were shown. I didn't even realise that I was going to see "Blazing Saddles" because it had been renamed in Germany to "The wild, wild west". Don't you just hate it when they rename films?

The film impressed me greatly, and I could understand why Nick liked to take his girlfriends to see it. It's a western parody, and it's just funny from beginning to end. A black man is appointed sheriff in a racist town in Texas. As in "Django Unchained" the N word is used abundantly. The film starts slowly, which is why I deducted half a star, but builds up momentum throughout. The final 10 minutes are a masterpiece.

Here's the German film poster. I prefer it to the original American poster, apart from the film being renamed. If you look carefully it does say "Blazing Saddles" at the bottom left.


Saturday, 13 October 2012

Young Frankenstein (5 Stars)


Mel Brooks is probably best known for having written and directed "Blazing Saddles", but I consider this to be his best film. In fact, from a technical viewpoint I consider this to be the best parody film ever made. The atmosphere, the music, the cast and the situations are accurately mimicked from the 1930 Frankenstein films, but to perfect comic effect. Anyone who knows and loves the originals will be unable to stop laughing when he watches "Young Frankenstein".

The film was made in 1974, and this seems to be when the action took place, even though there is a retro style to the American scenes (the university and the train station). Gene Wilder plays the grandson of Victor von Frankenstein, a scientist trying to deny his past. His dramatic over-acting when he discovers his grandfather's notes, and as a consequence discovers himself, is unparallelled genius. He's always been a competent actor, but this is the peak of his career. Also worth mentioning is Marty Feldman, who plays the hunchback Igor in one of his few film roles.

There's no need to describe the plot. Anyone who knows the American Frankenstein films will be able to guess what happens next throughout the film.

P.S. This is my horror film #7 for October.