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Young Frankenstein: The Story of the Making of the Film
Mel Brooks' own words telling all about the players, the filming, and studio antics during the production of this great comedy classic. The book is alive and teeming with hundreds of photos, original interviews, and hilarious commentary.
Young Frankenstein was made with deep respect for the craft and history of cinema-and for the power of a good schwanzstucker joke. This picture-driven book, written by one of the greatest comedy geniuses of all time, takes readers inside the classic film's marvelous creation story via never-before-seen black and white and color photography from the set and contemporary interviews with the cast and crew, most notably, legendary writer-director Mel Brooks.
With access to more than 225 behind-the-scenes photos and production stills, and with captions written by Brooks, this book will also rely on interviews with gifted director of photography Gerald Hirschfeld, Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman and veteran producer Michael Gruskoff.
Young Frankenstein was made with deep respect for the craft and history of cinema-and for the power of a good schwanzstucker joke. This picture-driven book, written by one of the greatest comedy geniuses of all time, takes readers inside the classic film's marvelous creation story via never-before-seen black and white and color photography from the set and contemporary interviews with the cast and crew, most notably, legendary writer-director Mel Brooks.
With access to more than 225 behind-the-scenes photos and production stills, and with captions written by Brooks, this book will also rely on interviews with gifted director of photography Gerald Hirschfeld, Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman and veteran producer Michael Gruskoff.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2016
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848 people want to read
About the author
Mel Brooks
72 books200 followersMel Brooks (born "Melvin Kaminsky") is an American multi-award winning director, writer, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer best known as a creator of broad film farces and comedy parodies.
Brooks is a member of the short list of entertainers with the distinction of having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award.
Brooks is a member of the short list of entertainers with the distinction of having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
August 4, 2025
Do you remember laughing a lot while you watched the Mel Brooks movie, Young Frankenstein? If you don’t, there is no reason to read this book. The details are only worth noting if you were/are into the movie.
"I remember going out and getting a thousand white handkerchiefs at the department store I. Magnin and saying to the crew, “If you feel like laughing, stick this in your mouth.” I turned around once in the middle of shooting a scene and saw a sea of white handkerchiefs in everybody’s mouths. I said to myself, “We’ve got a big hit here. This movie is going to be a big hit.” Because there’s only one test of a comedy, and that’s outright laughter. I don’t care how beautiful the lighting is, how superlative the script is, how wonderful the performances are. If you’re making a comedy and the crew isn’t falling down, holding their bellies, screaming with laughter, you’ve got a failure."
This book is full of funny backstories as well as memorable script quotes and delightful still shots from the movie and the making of the movie. There were a some parts that made me laugh out loud or call friends to share an anecdote.
Don’t expect a lot of critical perspective: This is the work of enthusiasts.
"I remember going out and getting a thousand white handkerchiefs at the department store I. Magnin and saying to the crew, “If you feel like laughing, stick this in your mouth.” I turned around once in the middle of shooting a scene and saw a sea of white handkerchiefs in everybody’s mouths. I said to myself, “We’ve got a big hit here. This movie is going to be a big hit.” Because there’s only one test of a comedy, and that’s outright laughter. I don’t care how beautiful the lighting is, how superlative the script is, how wonderful the performances are. If you’re making a comedy and the crew isn’t falling down, holding their bellies, screaming with laughter, you’ve got a failure."
This book is full of funny backstories as well as memorable script quotes and delightful still shots from the movie and the making of the movie. There were a some parts that made me laugh out loud or call friends to share an anecdote.
Don’t expect a lot of critical perspective: This is the work of enthusiasts.
December 23, 2022
My son Tyler gifted this book to me because he knows the special place Mel Brooks (in general) and this film (specifically) occupy in my heart. Here’s the backstory:
In the winter of 1974, my father took me to Tulsa to see Young Frankenstein. It’s not much of a stretch to say that my father, with no inkling of the cultural contributions of Boris Karloff or James Whale, just didn’t get it. Not only was dad completely clueless on the homage, he was (embarrassingly for me) furious that the film was in black & white. Those of you who were around in ‘74 can attest to the prominence of color cinema and might therefore understand my old man’s annoyance, if not his anger. He seriously considered seeking out the theater manager and demanding a refund. I was twelve years old and completely mortified.
I have since come to identify Young Frankenstein as the stand-in for the chasm that lies between who my father was at that time (to my knowledge he changed very little) and who I eventually grew up to be. At least once during every viewing I pause to remember my loudly bitching pop.
His name you ask? Abby something. Abby... Normal. Yes, Abby Normal.
In the winter of 1974, my father took me to Tulsa to see Young Frankenstein. It’s not much of a stretch to say that my father, with no inkling of the cultural contributions of Boris Karloff or James Whale, just didn’t get it. Not only was dad completely clueless on the homage, he was (embarrassingly for me) furious that the film was in black & white. Those of you who were around in ‘74 can attest to the prominence of color cinema and might therefore understand my old man’s annoyance, if not his anger. He seriously considered seeking out the theater manager and demanding a refund. I was twelve years old and completely mortified.
I have since come to identify Young Frankenstein as the stand-in for the chasm that lies between who my father was at that time (to my knowledge he changed very little) and who I eventually grew up to be. At least once during every viewing I pause to remember my loudly bitching pop.
His name you ask? Abby something. Abby... Normal. Yes, Abby Normal.
September 3, 2017
https://youtu.be/j7kLNJWTDYA
sindrome da nokia tune. qualche sociologo la chiamò così anni fa, prima che il colosso finlandese sfiorasse la terza estinzione più celebre della storia (dopo i dinosauri e la sinistra italiana, e prima dell'E123 che fino agli anni '80 rese così belli e in technicolor - non fosse stato per quella quisquilia del cancro - i ghiaccioli all'amarena e le caramelle charms).
in pratica quando in un luogo mediamente affollato partiva il gingle caratteristico del nokia, un numero variabile di persone portava istintivamente la mano all'interno della giacca, palpava la tasca dei jeans, si tuffava con la testa nella borsa. caratteristica della sindrome, il suo essere democratica e partecipativa nel mettere insieme la sgarzolina con lo zainetto e il manager in grisaglia (però sotto un certo livello - il manager, non la grisaglia - passato il quale l'esemplare umano era dotato di blackberry. altro velociraptor oggi oggetto di nostalgia tipo il vinile).
con frankenstein jr (young frankenstein secondo la nomenclatura binomiale di linneo) succede qualcosa del genere. prendi persone diversissime e mettile in una stessa stanza, e alla propagazione di un dato segnale sonoro risponderanno con la medesima azione-reazione. «rimetta a posto?» (la candela). «presto dategli?» (sedadavo. risposta fornita dopo la citazione mimata dei passaggi intermedi: quattro sillabe, prima sillaba, suona come...). e poi una sequela di: morto di giornata, quale gobba, si pronuncia aigor, AB normal, schwanstücke, taffetà... caro e via andare (anzi, dovrei dire: segua i miei passi, si aiuti con questo).
chi non ha preso il virus scuote la testa, ma soprattutto non sa cosa si perde. da queste parti il film lo si è visto prima al cinema nel 1975, e poi enne volte in video-cassetta, dvd, e di nuovo al cinema in versione restaurata per i primi 40 anni. (avrei visto anche il musical, ma è con giampiero ingrassia e trovo un po' disdicevole rimarcarlo). ora è arrivato il libro, che se fosse solo per ripetere le citazioni a oltranza e avere qualche foto di scena, sarebbe tristanzuolo prima ancora che pleonastico. invece sorvolando sull'impaginazione un po' da ultrà (tipo le battute più celebri su pagina doppia), il libro ha informazioni abbondanti sul making-of, schede sui singoli attori, vicende varie inerenti alla realizzazione. generoso di dettagli nella sua non imprescindibilità, dunque. tre stelle piene, un'orzata con latte, e mezza stella in più per affezione.
titoli di coda: nel palmarès, wiki segnala che in italia quello di FJ è il dvd classico di maggior successo nella storia dell'home video. e ricorda che l'american film institute l'ha inserito al 13mo posto tra le 100 migliori commedie americane di tutti i tempi. ecco, io avrei da ridire su qualcuna delle prime 12, e lo metterei almeno nella cinquina iniziale. si. può. fare.
sindrome da nokia tune. qualche sociologo la chiamò così anni fa, prima che il colosso finlandese sfiorasse la terza estinzione più celebre della storia (dopo i dinosauri e la sinistra italiana, e prima dell'E123 che fino agli anni '80 rese così belli e in technicolor - non fosse stato per quella quisquilia del cancro - i ghiaccioli all'amarena e le caramelle charms).
in pratica quando in un luogo mediamente affollato partiva il gingle caratteristico del nokia, un numero variabile di persone portava istintivamente la mano all'interno della giacca, palpava la tasca dei jeans, si tuffava con la testa nella borsa. caratteristica della sindrome, il suo essere democratica e partecipativa nel mettere insieme la sgarzolina con lo zainetto e il manager in grisaglia (però sotto un certo livello - il manager, non la grisaglia - passato il quale l'esemplare umano era dotato di blackberry. altro velociraptor oggi oggetto di nostalgia tipo il vinile).
con frankenstein jr (young frankenstein secondo la nomenclatura binomiale di linneo) succede qualcosa del genere. prendi persone diversissime e mettile in una stessa stanza, e alla propagazione di un dato segnale sonoro risponderanno con la medesima azione-reazione. «rimetta a posto?» (la candela). «presto dategli?» (sedadavo. risposta fornita dopo la citazione mimata dei passaggi intermedi: quattro sillabe, prima sillaba, suona come...). e poi una sequela di: morto di giornata, quale gobba, si pronuncia aigor, AB normal, schwanstücke, taffetà... caro e via andare (anzi, dovrei dire: segua i miei passi, si aiuti con questo).
chi non ha preso il virus scuote la testa, ma soprattutto non sa cosa si perde. da queste parti il film lo si è visto prima al cinema nel 1975, e poi enne volte in video-cassetta, dvd, e di nuovo al cinema in versione restaurata per i primi 40 anni. (avrei visto anche il musical, ma è con giampiero ingrassia e trovo un po' disdicevole rimarcarlo). ora è arrivato il libro, che se fosse solo per ripetere le citazioni a oltranza e avere qualche foto di scena, sarebbe tristanzuolo prima ancora che pleonastico. invece sorvolando sull'impaginazione un po' da ultrà (tipo le battute più celebri su pagina doppia), il libro ha informazioni abbondanti sul making-of, schede sui singoli attori, vicende varie inerenti alla realizzazione. generoso di dettagli nella sua non imprescindibilità, dunque. tre stelle piene, un'orzata con latte, e mezza stella in più per affezione.
titoli di coda: nel palmarès, wiki segnala che in italia quello di FJ è il dvd classico di maggior successo nella storia dell'home video. e ricorda che l'american film institute l'ha inserito al 13mo posto tra le 100 migliori commedie americane di tutti i tempi. ecco, io avrei da ridire su qualcuna delle prime 12, e lo metterei almeno nella cinquina iniziale. si. può. fare.
December 17, 2025
Young Frankenstein, written by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, starring the latter and directed by the former
9.4 out of 10
This formidable comedy is based on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the script has been nominated for an Academy Award and the film is included on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list - https://www.listchallenges.com/new-yo... as one of the most amusing features you can watch…
Gene Wilder is fabulous as Doctor Frederick Frankenstein – he has a certain manner in pronouncing it, up to a point, and this causes one of the multiple scenes of mirth, when he meets with Igor aka equally outstanding Marty Feldman and the latter responds in kind…as in, all right, if you play games with the pronunciation of a name that we know so well around here…there we go, this is no longer Igor, but something like Yagor maybe…
He receives the testament of his famous grandfather, Victor von Frankenstein, from a box…but it was no easy thing, to get it from the cadaver that would not allow it to be extracted, even from the ‘dead hands ‘so to say – and the young neurosurgeon travels all the way to Transylvania – which is right where we live…well, nearby – and he would at one stage address a scientific gathering at the Academic Society of…Bucharest, where we are right now.
The humor is pervasive and throughout the trip we have moments when the announcements are intelligible, then the surgeon asks a boy about the ‘Transylvania Station’ as if there would be one railway station for a whole region, like say for the whole of Mississippi, and in the first place there is the same unintelligible gibberish, which is then replaced by ‘would like a shine for your shoes, sir’…the boy knew English all along.
At the ‘Transylvania Station’, Igor aka Marty Feldman is waiting, offers to take the bags, but when he sees that one if really heavy, he takes the light luggage and then invites the guest to the vehicle, which is a cart with a…Damsel inside, the florid, attractive Inga aka Teri Garr, who is supposed to and will be the assistant of the surgeon and will keep him company all the way to the sinister, farfetched and far away castle, where the scary Frau Blucher awaits- whenever her name is uttered, the horses jump and scream…indeed, Igor is naughty that he comes out the door, after all are inside, to say Blucher for the tenth time and see the animals agitated and scared…
While the new owner is accommodating, he hears a violin somewhere and decides to investigate with his assistant – how else – and physical comedy follows, as he is thrown by a secret door out and back into the room a few times, then he is caught and almost crushed in between, until they reach the secret library and then they would pursue the magic, supernatural operations that are destined to give life to a senseless being, following the recipe, the discoveries of the ancestor who has written everything in a book…
They select the freshly buried body of a giant, but the journey back to the ‘laboratory’ is not without agitation, for they slip and part of the cadaver are out, just as an agent of the ‘Transylvania polizei’ is walking about, saying he knows everyone, but Frederick Frankenstein is unfamiliar and they have to communicate with the good doctor pretending that one of the hands of the dead man is actually his, shaking it with the agent who remarks on how cold it is – dead cold we can say with insight – and then they put the fellow on the table and proceed to give him a brilliant brain, kept in one of the jars in the pantry presumably…
Only poor, helpless Igor slips and the good brain is lost and he has to replace it with what he would later call the organ of someone Abby Normal – alas, it was labeled ‘do not use under any circumstances, Abnormal brain’ – Igor being an interesting combination of someone very clever, shrewd, funny, but also portrayed as having something on the back – the doctor says upon their acquaintance that he is a surgeon and can do something about that thing on his back, but when he sees that the man does not acknowledge anything wrong – what thing on the back? – says never mind, only to ask later – but your thing was on the other side, as in the hump was leaning left and now it is to the right and in deference to sensitivity and perhaps politeness, he again retrains himself and stops in his tracks…
Meanwhile, the ‘natives are restless’ as in they have a reunion and show incipient nationalism – making us think of Trump’s rallies, the idiot that keeps calling the Covid 19 threat ‘the Chinese virus’ in his trademark distancing from anything that can be hi fault…when asked, he says he ‘is perfect’ they have done nothing wrong and takes no responsibility, even if he had acted as a cretin in this pandemic, which he denied as a hoax invented by democrats, which will drop to zero in days and miraculously disappear…only a few weeks ago that was his take on what is clearly as bad as it gets…
The ‘monster’ is created and he attacks when he sees fire, he is free to roam around and this is where we have again some hilarious scenes, such as the ones where he meets the ‘Blind Man’ aka legendary, Titan of cinema Gene Hackman, an isolated hermit who had prayed God for someone to visit and break his too long solitude and when the Creature arrives, the ascetic figure is overjoyed and puts out drink, only he breaks the can from which the visitor is supposed to toast, then he offers him one of the two cigars he had saved for this momentous celebration, but as he cannot see, he puts fire to the finger of the poor guest, who runs from this home in aggravation to meet with a child that he treats with kindness…
Doctor Frederick Frankenstein says to his team, Igor and Inga, that he would have to go into the cell where his Creation is kept and stay with him no matter what, come Hell or High Water, for he has to solve this drama and he needs to consider self-sacrifice for science and more to the same ‘motivational’ but oh so jocular purpose and then adds with gravitas that they must keep the door close, once he gets in with the so dangerous character, no matter what he says, if he begs, shouts, cries or orders to be allowed outside, they must still keep the door locked and once he is inside, within ten seconds or less, he starts moaning and asking to be free again, asking for mother or anyway taking a immensely amusing stand…also, when he insisted on being trapped with the Godzilla, Igor says with brilliant comical zest…
‘It was nice working with you’ as in you will die in the next minute, you poor lunatic
9.4 out of 10
This formidable comedy is based on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the script has been nominated for an Academy Award and the film is included on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list - https://www.listchallenges.com/new-yo... as one of the most amusing features you can watch…
Gene Wilder is fabulous as Doctor Frederick Frankenstein – he has a certain manner in pronouncing it, up to a point, and this causes one of the multiple scenes of mirth, when he meets with Igor aka equally outstanding Marty Feldman and the latter responds in kind…as in, all right, if you play games with the pronunciation of a name that we know so well around here…there we go, this is no longer Igor, but something like Yagor maybe…
He receives the testament of his famous grandfather, Victor von Frankenstein, from a box…but it was no easy thing, to get it from the cadaver that would not allow it to be extracted, even from the ‘dead hands ‘so to say – and the young neurosurgeon travels all the way to Transylvania – which is right where we live…well, nearby – and he would at one stage address a scientific gathering at the Academic Society of…Bucharest, where we are right now.
The humor is pervasive and throughout the trip we have moments when the announcements are intelligible, then the surgeon asks a boy about the ‘Transylvania Station’ as if there would be one railway station for a whole region, like say for the whole of Mississippi, and in the first place there is the same unintelligible gibberish, which is then replaced by ‘would like a shine for your shoes, sir’…the boy knew English all along.
At the ‘Transylvania Station’, Igor aka Marty Feldman is waiting, offers to take the bags, but when he sees that one if really heavy, he takes the light luggage and then invites the guest to the vehicle, which is a cart with a…Damsel inside, the florid, attractive Inga aka Teri Garr, who is supposed to and will be the assistant of the surgeon and will keep him company all the way to the sinister, farfetched and far away castle, where the scary Frau Blucher awaits- whenever her name is uttered, the horses jump and scream…indeed, Igor is naughty that he comes out the door, after all are inside, to say Blucher for the tenth time and see the animals agitated and scared…
While the new owner is accommodating, he hears a violin somewhere and decides to investigate with his assistant – how else – and physical comedy follows, as he is thrown by a secret door out and back into the room a few times, then he is caught and almost crushed in between, until they reach the secret library and then they would pursue the magic, supernatural operations that are destined to give life to a senseless being, following the recipe, the discoveries of the ancestor who has written everything in a book…
They select the freshly buried body of a giant, but the journey back to the ‘laboratory’ is not without agitation, for they slip and part of the cadaver are out, just as an agent of the ‘Transylvania polizei’ is walking about, saying he knows everyone, but Frederick Frankenstein is unfamiliar and they have to communicate with the good doctor pretending that one of the hands of the dead man is actually his, shaking it with the agent who remarks on how cold it is – dead cold we can say with insight – and then they put the fellow on the table and proceed to give him a brilliant brain, kept in one of the jars in the pantry presumably…
Only poor, helpless Igor slips and the good brain is lost and he has to replace it with what he would later call the organ of someone Abby Normal – alas, it was labeled ‘do not use under any circumstances, Abnormal brain’ – Igor being an interesting combination of someone very clever, shrewd, funny, but also portrayed as having something on the back – the doctor says upon their acquaintance that he is a surgeon and can do something about that thing on his back, but when he sees that the man does not acknowledge anything wrong – what thing on the back? – says never mind, only to ask later – but your thing was on the other side, as in the hump was leaning left and now it is to the right and in deference to sensitivity and perhaps politeness, he again retrains himself and stops in his tracks…
Meanwhile, the ‘natives are restless’ as in they have a reunion and show incipient nationalism – making us think of Trump’s rallies, the idiot that keeps calling the Covid 19 threat ‘the Chinese virus’ in his trademark distancing from anything that can be hi fault…when asked, he says he ‘is perfect’ they have done nothing wrong and takes no responsibility, even if he had acted as a cretin in this pandemic, which he denied as a hoax invented by democrats, which will drop to zero in days and miraculously disappear…only a few weeks ago that was his take on what is clearly as bad as it gets…
The ‘monster’ is created and he attacks when he sees fire, he is free to roam around and this is where we have again some hilarious scenes, such as the ones where he meets the ‘Blind Man’ aka legendary, Titan of cinema Gene Hackman, an isolated hermit who had prayed God for someone to visit and break his too long solitude and when the Creature arrives, the ascetic figure is overjoyed and puts out drink, only he breaks the can from which the visitor is supposed to toast, then he offers him one of the two cigars he had saved for this momentous celebration, but as he cannot see, he puts fire to the finger of the poor guest, who runs from this home in aggravation to meet with a child that he treats with kindness…
Doctor Frederick Frankenstein says to his team, Igor and Inga, that he would have to go into the cell where his Creation is kept and stay with him no matter what, come Hell or High Water, for he has to solve this drama and he needs to consider self-sacrifice for science and more to the same ‘motivational’ but oh so jocular purpose and then adds with gravitas that they must keep the door close, once he gets in with the so dangerous character, no matter what he says, if he begs, shouts, cries or orders to be allowed outside, they must still keep the door locked and once he is inside, within ten seconds or less, he starts moaning and asking to be free again, asking for mother or anyway taking a immensely amusing stand…also, when he insisted on being trapped with the Godzilla, Igor says with brilliant comical zest…
‘It was nice working with you’ as in you will die in the next minute, you poor lunatic
August 31, 2017
Yeah, it's an okay book...
About a GREAT MOVIE.
Mostly anecdotes, photographs, brief takes on many of the actors and other professionals responsible for putting this GREAT movie together. But hey, I read it and kept saying, yes, I know that; yes that was a great scene; yes but where is the one about Teri Garr's knockers?
(I'm female btw, married, three kids.)
Anyhow...a bit of a boring read, not very insightful, not a lot of depth and there COULD BE with a GREAT movie like this.
Three - yawn - stars .......
About a GREAT MOVIE.
Mostly anecdotes, photographs, brief takes on many of the actors and other professionals responsible for putting this GREAT movie together. But hey, I read it and kept saying, yes, I know that; yes that was a great scene; yes but where is the one about Teri Garr's knockers?
(I'm female btw, married, three kids.)
Anyhow...a bit of a boring read, not very insightful, not a lot of depth and there COULD BE with a GREAT movie like this.
Three - yawn - stars .......
April 21, 2019
"That is the most gratifying feeling, when your film lives on with new generations of fans. To this day, I think it's my best work, and it seems like a lot of people agree with me." (Mel Brooks)
I agree with you, Mr. Brooks.
Very funny movie, with great performances by Gene Wilder (who also wrote the screenplay with Brooks), Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars and even Gene Hackman (as the "Blindman"), beautiful cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld and, last but not least, the gorgeous and memorable score by John Morris.
This book is a great behind-the-scenes guide to the making of "Young Frankenstein".
Don't miss it.
I agree with you, Mr. Brooks.
Very funny movie, with great performances by Gene Wilder (who also wrote the screenplay with Brooks), Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars and even Gene Hackman (as the "Blindman"), beautiful cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld and, last but not least, the gorgeous and memorable score by John Morris.
This book is a great behind-the-scenes guide to the making of "Young Frankenstein".
Don't miss it.
May 30, 2020
Mel Brooks is a very funny man and Young Frankenstein was the best movie he ever made. I have seen it countless times and listening to the story about how this movie came together was 2 hours of fun.
4 stars
4 stars
October 21, 2016
If you loved the film, you will love and appreciate this Valentine from Mel Brooks. If you have never seen the movie......I'll wait.....
September 28, 2022
I saw this Young Frankenstein when it came out. Blazing Saddles I believe had an R rating so I had to wait a couple more years to see that one. One thing that I discovered and find mind blowing is that both Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein came out in 1974. What a year! Brooks went from the producer of several well thought of movies that made no money (The Producers among them) to an Oscar level director with two huge blockbusters under his belt that he both wrote and directed in 12 months.
I rank Young Frankenstein up there with The Princess Bride as a movie that if someone admits they have not seen all activity must stop and they must watch it immediately.
This memoir is fun and has input from all the cast and major crew members and tons of pictures. There are also several real surprises here that I won’t even hint at so that the revelation will not be spoiled.
I love how Young Frankenstein combines scenes and characters from Frankenstein (the best in my opinion), Bride of Frankenstein (the more critically acclaimed) and Son of Frankenstein (my favorite—because I loved the ensemble cast of Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bella Lugosi and Lionel Atwill). Mel’s love for these movies shows on every page of this entertaining memoir.
5 stars
I rank Young Frankenstein up there with The Princess Bride as a movie that if someone admits they have not seen all activity must stop and they must watch it immediately.
This memoir is fun and has input from all the cast and major crew members and tons of pictures. There are also several real surprises here that I won’t even hint at so that the revelation will not be spoiled.
I love how Young Frankenstein combines scenes and characters from Frankenstein (the best in my opinion), Bride of Frankenstein (the more critically acclaimed) and Son of Frankenstein (my favorite—because I loved the ensemble cast of Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bella Lugosi and Lionel Atwill). Mel’s love for these movies shows on every page of this entertaining memoir.
5 stars
April 13, 2017
This is so far away from my usual reading material that I have very few shelves to put this on. However, it was loads of fun to read. Of course, the problem is, now I want to read what else Mel Brooks has written on Young Frankenstein, and watch the movie! If you are a fan of the movie, you really need to treat yourself to this book!
October 27, 2016
“You haven’t even touched your food.” — Inga
“There. Now I’ve touched it. Happy? — Dr. Frankenstein, after slapping the food
For anyone who loves Mel Brooks’s movies and this one in particular this is a wonderful story of how the film was made. I learned several things I didn’t know before.
The first screening of Young Frankenstein was almost 2 and a half hours. The audience wasn’t impressed. Mel Brooks personally told the crowd to come back in a few weeks and they would see the best 90-minute movie of Young Frankenstein ever made. They did and the audience was so impressed that there were no more cuts made to the film.
Gene Wilder wrote the first script and asked his agent to shop it around. He took it to Brooks who had made The Producers and Blazing Saddles with Gene and loved it immediately.
Most studios refused to make the movie because they insisted on making it in black and white. Alan Ladd Jr. took it on when he took over 20th Century Fox. He loved the Producers and had seen an advanced screening on Blazing Saddles and wanted to get in on this new production.
Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle had the same agent as Gene Wilder. He asked Gene if he thought there were parts for these guys and Gene said yes.
There are tons more gems like these and if you enjoy the movie, you will love learning how it was created. I checked this book out of my local library.
“There. Now I’ve touched it. Happy? — Dr. Frankenstein, after slapping the food
For anyone who loves Mel Brooks’s movies and this one in particular this is a wonderful story of how the film was made. I learned several things I didn’t know before.
The first screening of Young Frankenstein was almost 2 and a half hours. The audience wasn’t impressed. Mel Brooks personally told the crowd to come back in a few weeks and they would see the best 90-minute movie of Young Frankenstein ever made. They did and the audience was so impressed that there were no more cuts made to the film.
Gene Wilder wrote the first script and asked his agent to shop it around. He took it to Brooks who had made The Producers and Blazing Saddles with Gene and loved it immediately.
Most studios refused to make the movie because they insisted on making it in black and white. Alan Ladd Jr. took it on when he took over 20th Century Fox. He loved the Producers and had seen an advanced screening on Blazing Saddles and wanted to get in on this new production.
Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle had the same agent as Gene Wilder. He asked Gene if he thought there were parts for these guys and Gene said yes.
There are tons more gems like these and if you enjoy the movie, you will love learning how it was created. I checked this book out of my local library.
June 7, 2018
Let me first state that Young Frankenstein is, in my humble opinion, the funniest movie ever made.
Growing up, I watched this movie every chance I could get whenever it appeared on TV. Later, we wore out the VHS cassette we have recorded it onto after countless viewings.
This is one of only a handful of movies that never gets old for me. It’s that good. Even though I can recite every line, I still laugh at every joke.
Mel, himself, reads the audio version and is a delight.
This book is very similar to Cary Elwes loving tale of the making of the Princess Bride—another perfect movie. If you’re already a fan of YF, you’ll love the history and behind the scenes look at the making of a classic.
Growing up, I watched this movie every chance I could get whenever it appeared on TV. Later, we wore out the VHS cassette we have recorded it onto after countless viewings.
This is one of only a handful of movies that never gets old for me. It’s that good. Even though I can recite every line, I still laugh at every joke.
Mel, himself, reads the audio version and is a delight.
This book is very similar to Cary Elwes loving tale of the making of the Princess Bride—another perfect movie. If you’re already a fan of YF, you’ll love the history and behind the scenes look at the making of a classic.
November 27, 2016
A real treasure for fans of the film, this delightful book is rife with Mel Brooks's distinctive voice and lots of great behind-the-scenes photographs -- but not nearly enough behind-the-scenes stories! Most of the input from the cast and crew is only about how great it was to work with everyone, but I was hoping for something a little more in-depth. Still, this isn't a film study, it's a coffee table book for people who love YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, and if you adore the film as much as I do you will definitely cherish this book. It's a must-have for everyone who can't hear the song "Puttin' on the Ritz" without at least privately chuckling.
November 5, 2016
ORIGINALLY POSTED: https://bibliomantics.com/2016/11/04/...
A behind-the-scenes look at the iconic comedy Young Frankenstein as told by director Mel Brooks himself. From the film’s early beginnings to its theatrical release, iconic characters and actors, the story is weaved by Brooks along with accompanying materials, such as film scripts, interviews with the cast and crew and never-before-seen photographs. A must have for fans!
A behind-the-scenes look at the iconic comedy Young Frankenstein as told by director Mel Brooks himself. From the film’s early beginnings to its theatrical release, iconic characters and actors, the story is weaved by Brooks along with accompanying materials, such as film scripts, interviews with the cast and crew and never-before-seen photographs. A must have for fans!
January 7, 2017
I loved the movie and found this book entertaining.
February 16, 2017
Hugely enjoyable retelling of the making of one of my favorite comedies. A quick read that will cheer you up.
October 31, 2022
I was not sure which category to put place this book. "Young Frankenstein the story of the making of the film" I first saw Young Frankenstein when I was a teenager. It was so fun to see this hilarious movie in a theater with other patrons. I have been a big fan of the movie and have seen it more times than I can count. This is a fun book to read. It is full of information and facts about the making of Young Frankenstein. There are tons of pictures from the movie. lots of trivia. Fans of Young Frankenstein may enjoy reading this fun book as much as I did.
February 5, 2023
This was literally the best thing! I love behind the scenes stories and getting to hear them from the man himself Mel brooks was awesome!!!
January 21, 2023
I have always thought Mel Brooks was a gift from God to help us through life. What makes life bearable? A little love and a lot of laughter. In this book Mr. Brooks talks about the making of Young Frankenstein; the writing, casting, music, marketing and more. And you can tell why this one was special - because it was made with a whole lot of love and even more laughter. If you are a fan at all, you will find these stories delightful.
September 6, 2022
Very fun reading by Mel Brooks in the audio book, and lots of funny and informative anecdotes from not just him but many many more. Plus it’s under 2 hours read aloud!
December 3, 2024
A classic!
May 27, 2024
Very entertaining! The audiobook is especially fun.
January 10, 2022
Fun
Young Frankenstein is one of those movies that you have seen often but when it comes on TV you just have to watch. This book is not long but is loaded with photos and backstage anecdotes.
Young Frankenstein is one of those movies that you have seen often but when it comes on TV you just have to watch. This book is not long but is loaded with photos and backstage anecdotes.
January 5, 2022
Awesome! Inside story
Young Frankenstein has become a cultural icon in American film, and one of the funniest, most delightful films ever made.
This book is a huge treat for fans of the movie, as we get to hear the inside story from the cast members and those behind the scenes.
This is a fast read that dies not disappoint!
Young Frankenstein has become a cultural icon in American film, and one of the funniest, most delightful films ever made.
This book is a huge treat for fans of the movie, as we get to hear the inside story from the cast members and those behind the scenes.
This is a fast read that dies not disappoint!
January 3, 2017
Good back drop to the making-of the film, and the photographs are great. However I wish it had a considerable amount more in the way of information from the perspective of Gene Wilder. It was Wilder's initial idea presented to Brooks for the movie. There is plenty of stuff regarding Gene Wilder, but I don't believe as much credit as deserved for the original idea is offered. With that said; Brooks films without Wilder were always lacking (as were many of Wilder's directed films without Brooks helming them). This book is great though for any person who loves the film -- then it is a must read book.
January 7, 2017
This is the kind of book that you flip through every now and then for the fondness and nostalgia of a favorite movie. It's like having a brief conversation with a favorite director, Mel Brooks. You get tastes of how Young Frankenstein (my favorite Brooks movie) came together. I gave it such a high rating because I think it is perfect for what it is-- a brief memoir of a director's favorite project. Pictures are great, snippets of information are solid and enjoyable.
This is not an exhaustive book, and it shouldn't be!
This is not an exhaustive book, and it shouldn't be!
April 1, 2018
Attractive presentation, but superficial. It's a solid coffee table book for someone who wants to advertise their fandom, but I also didn't learn anything new about movie-making in general or Young Frankenstein in particular that I hadn't already heard in various making-of documentaries and vignettes. Oh, so you used dry ice to make fog? Groundbreaking.
I did enjoy it, though. And it was a quick read designed to be breezy rather than an in-depth textbook analysis, so I can't be too hard on it.
I did enjoy it, though. And it was a quick read designed to be breezy rather than an in-depth textbook analysis, so I can't be too hard on it.
May 5, 2018
If you love the movie, you will love hearing stories about its production. I think I loved pretty much everything about the movie, and I totally enjoyed listening to Mel Brooks and others talk about the crazy things that came about while making it. I think the best thing I learned was that sometimes they had to look away or stop the action because they were all cracking up at the dialogue or the impromptu additions or whatever it happened to be. I can only imagine how fun it must have been to work on this film!!
December 24, 2017
I picked up the audiobook for this one and boy what a difference it made. I had it on while I was in the car commuting to and from school, and it was done excellently, having each person that tells a story during the book voice their own stories with the main voice being Mel was great, the jokes that I didn't find funny reading it had me cracking up in my car with his delivery. If you're going to read it, buy the audiobook instead!
March 16, 2019
I love this book, everything you have ever wanted to know about Young Frankenstein from idea to finished film is right. Memories from Mel Brooks and the cast and crew bring the making of this film to life all in glorious words.
Young Frankenstein is one of the pure classic comedies of the 20th century and now the making of this epic film comes in book form for the comedy fan and film fan. I highly recommend this book if you are a film fan or even just a fan of this film.
Young Frankenstein is one of the pure classic comedies of the 20th century and now the making of this epic film comes in book form for the comedy fan and film fan. I highly recommend this book if you are a film fan or even just a fan of this film.
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