Greatest Film Scenes
and Moments



Young Frankenstein (1974)

 



Written by Tim Dirks

Title Screen
Movie Title/Year and Scene Descriptions
Screenshots

Young Frankenstein (1974)

In Mel Brooks' funny horror spoof:

  • the early scene in the medical classroom when the grandson of the original baron named Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder): ("It's pronounced Frohn-ken-Steeeen") must answer touchy questions from an inquisitive and persistent student (Danny Goldman) about his legendary grandfather Dr. Victor Frankenstein - and he jabbed a scalpel into his leg
  • the character of bug-eyed, ignorant, leering Igor (Marty Feldman) with a shifting humpback ("Didn't you used to have that on the other side?...Your, uh...")
  • Igor's transport of Dr. Frankenstein and his temporary assistant Inga (Teri Garr) to the Transylvanian castle in a hay cart, and her exclamation of: "Werewolf!"; Igor misinterpreted what she said and answered by pointing out: "There...There, wolf. There, castle"
  • the scene of Frankenstein marveling at large wrought-iron door knockers on the Transylvania castle door: "What knockers!", with Inga's quick appreciative response as he lifted her out of the carriage: "Oh, Thank you, doctor!"
  • the scenes of horses neighing and whinnying (amidst lightning strikes) whenever castle housekeeper Frau Blucher's (Cloris Leachman) name was mentioned
  • also the revolving bookcase-fireplace sequence revealing a secret passageway, and Dr. Frankenstein's continual request: "Put the candle back"; and his failed attempt to block the turning bookcase with his body: ("Now listen to me very carefully, don't put the candle back. With all of your might, shove against the other side of the bookcase. Is that perfectly clear?"); and then Inga became trapped behind the bookcase
  • the creation scene in which Dr. Frankenstein yelled madly: "Give my creation...life!"
  • and the charades sequence of Dr. Frankenstein acting out the word 'Sed-a-give' ("Give him the sedative" with an injection), using the game of charades, to control the violent Monster (Peter Boyle) that was strangling him
  • Igor's questioning by slow-to-anger Dr. Frankenstein about whose brain Igor had stolen: "Would you mind telling me whose brain I did put in?"; Igor responded hesitantly and acquired a promise that the doctor wouldn't become angry: "Abby someone...Abby Normal...I'm almost sure that was the name"; Frankenstein pressed further: "Are you saying that I put an abnormal brain into a seven-and-a-half-foot long, fifty-four inch wide gorilla? Is that what you're telling me?" and then began strangling his servant
  • the classic scene of the Monster with the blind hermit (Gene Hackman) in his shack - a tribute to a similar scene in The Bride of Frankenstein in which he called the Monster "an incredibly big mute", ladled boiling hot soup on the Monster's lap, broke the Monster's wine mug when toasting their friendship, and lit the Monster's thumb, thinking it was a cigar - and then called after him as he left in fear: "Wait. Where are you going? I was gonna make espresso"
  • Dr. Frankenstein's introduction of the Monster to an audience as a "man about town" and their top-hat and cane, tap-dancing duet of Irving Berlin's "Puttin' on the Ritz" - with the Monster's slurred, squeaky, and high-pitched singing of "Punnondariiiiiiiizz!"
  • the scene of the arrival of Dr. Frankenstein's untouchable fiancee Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn), when a request was made of Igor: "Igor, will you give me a hand with the bags?" - and his reply - with growling: "Certainly, you take the blonde and I'll take the one with the turban"
  • and the scene of Elizabeth's kidnapping by the Monster - with her hair turned white, a la The Bride of Frankenstein; and the nymphomaniac's infatuation with the Monster - after viewing his "enormous schwanstucker," she breathed an aroused, wide-eyed "Woof!"; she warbled the tune 'O Sweet Mystery of Life' as he made love to her (offscreen); post-coitus while sharing a cigarette together (similar to Now, Voyager (1942)), she complimented him on his stamina: "You're incorrigible, aren't you, you little zipper-neck?"












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