Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with today’s Behind the Scenes pic!
Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles were early introductions to a realm of smart, edgy comedy for me. Young Frankenstein was quoted daily around the house and Blazing Saddles was the movie I got much joy from while introducing it to my friends. I even took it to school and convinced my 9th grade English teacher to play it. Her only comment on it was looking up from grading papers (this was our free time post-finals) after about the 400th use of the N-word in the film saying simply, “I hate that word,” before going back to her work.
Mel Brooks was a major presence in my developing years, so it is with great pleasure that I include one of my favorite films of his in this little column.
Young Frankenstein has aged beautifully and has grown up with me, it seems. There are layers to the comedy that I hadn’t noticed in my earlier viewings. It’s a great spoof once you’ve seen the first three Frankenstein films… I didn’t see Son of Frankenstein until my late teen years and that’s where most of the actual spoofing in Young Frankenstein comes from, so you can imagine that peeled back yet another layer to the movie.
The spoof movie is a lost art. Young Frankenstein can stand on its own and isn’t merely a series of recognizable scenes and modern references. Everything about the film, from the original Frankenstein props to the way Brooks shot it, makes it feel more like a comedy sequel.
Gene Wilder wrote the script, so he has a lot to be thanked for on this one… but I’m such a big fan of his that I’d thank him for Citizen Kane, so my words on this are pretty suspect.
Anyway, it’s a staged shot, but a color photo of the cast in wardrobe and on-set with Mel Brooks. See the Blue Peter Boyle, the crazy-eyed genius Marty Feldman and the incredibly hot young Teri Garr! Shame there’s no sign of Cloris Leachman’s Frau Blucher. (::nnnneeeeiiiggghhhh::)
Enjoy!
If you have a pic you think should be included email me. I’m looking for the iconic, the rare or the just plain cool behind the scenes shots to feature here.
Tomorrow’s Behind the Scenes pic will turn the day into nighttime and the night into daytime! See ya’ then!
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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