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Had Mel Brooks not directed High Anxiety then this would've been his greatest directed flick. Unfortunately, Frankenstein will forever be no. 2 to Anxiety in my book. If you look at the poster, it gives off the feeling of a cheap porno mess. If you look at the title, it sounds like as if a 9 yr. old juvenile delinquent stumbles upon the legendary lair of Victor Frankenstein, or something similar, and becomes a child prodigy, with a lot of mayhem and chaos stemming from his work, or rather failures. Well, that's what the title "promised" me and, boy O boy, how wrong I was proven just by 5 minutes into the film. As soon as Gene Wilder started talking, it was clear to me that he was the perfect choice and that he would keep me laughing throughout the whole film, which he did, and when he was joined by Terri Garr and Marty Feldman, the laughs doubled, tripled even.
Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's writing was so sharp that it was clear they were trying to make the horror into funny, and funny into rolling-on-floor-laughing funny. And it stops there. It doesn't even attempt to go beyond that point, beyond where you might roll your eyes instead of your whole body and mutter to yourself, "Man, that wasn't funny at all. One of the other factors is the stability of the film and how it excelled in covering up itself as a 30's horror. Man, methinks this is one of the best love-letter ever given to the yesteryear cinema by one of the best geniuses. A laboratory, long accepted as the *true* place for mayhem, has now become in this film a place for comedy, iconic horror tropes such as lightning and spooky sounds are now used for comedic purposes, and sidekicks are no longer only faithful but achingly funny, too, something Brooks later revisited in High Anxiety with Brophy.
The film starts off in a mixed-feelings manner but quickly gains its pace when the medical student stands up and asks the question the second time. From there you know it will be worth every minute. But, however, they indeed wobble, if for a short period, during the whole Frankenstein meeting the little girl part. That didn't seem like a scene connected to the film. But for the second time they recover themselves immediately after when they follow it up with the scene involving Frankenstein and The Blind Man. Not only was it utterly hilarious but also one of Brooks's greatest genius moments. Oh, and let's not forget Gene Hackman's on-the-spot improv line "I was gonna make espresso."
Performances by everyone were great and everyone left you impressed one way or another. Even though the main spotlight is shone upon Gene Wilder all the supporting cast make excellent use of what little ray of light that comes upon them, creating rewind-that-scene moments and distinct characters.
In conclusion, this may probably be the last film I would add of Mel Brooks, the other three were Spaceballs, Blazing Saddles and High Anxiety, but that doesn't mean I will stop re-watching them. His humour I can relate and love going back to. Granted, there are some moments which are expected and quite-dragging but since it was directed and (mostly) written by Brooks, the style of execution keeps you from hitting the pause button and calling it quits - something you might've done had it been directed by someone else.
8.5/10
