Young Frankenstein (1974)

The best and possibly only way to do a parody correctly is if you love the original you are parodying. Seems like a given, but unfortunately, most people nowadays will only know the concept through the abhorrently awful shite (and I use the term in its least favourite denominator) that has been released in the last few years.

Yes, I am looking at you, 'Meet the Spartans' or 'Vampires Suck'. And some others.

But if you absolutely adore the original works and then set about into turning it into a laughing fest, then you could strike comedy gold. And that is where 'Young Frankenstein' comes in.

Mel Brooks has a rather neat line-up of funny films. Most of them are great and my personal favourite will always be 'Spaceballs', but some are pure genius and I would really like to count 'Young Frankenstein' as probably his best, in my more than humble opinion.

Most emphatically, this is a sidesplitting sendoff of the Frankenstein-mythos, more to the point: the Universal mythos. Not only is the film shot in ravishing black and white, the decors mimic the original, the music does its best to evoke the classic scores that accompanied the - well - classics and the details round it all off. Perhaps as one of the most glorious nods to and acknowledgements of the original is that Mel Brooks could use the original laboratory equipment as designed by Kenneth Strickfaden, who supplied us with a lifetime of mad scientist memorabilia in any and every laboratory of every film since his creation during the Karloff-era.

The story is delightfully straightforward: a descendant of the mad scientist lives a regular life as a doctor at an unnamed university and does his very best to denounce his grandfather's more deviant works. But alas, he cannot escape his fate and once he is lured to grandfather's old castle in Transylvania, he does the exact experiments his good old granddad performed, to great succes.

There is a lot more to it, but that is in fact the bare bones version.

The script, written by Brooks and star Gene Wilder, never lets up. It is filled with either visual gags or clever punchlines and occasionally, you notice that word jokes are more prevalent here than in some other Brooks' films. 'Men in Tights' is more about the visual gags, whereas this one is more funny in a cerebral way. Not that it's highbrow, I mean: there are some penis jokes in here, but still.

Wilder is so wonderful in the role. He nicely balances his comedic wit and timing between being deadpan serious and dramatic and over the top and maniacal. He more or less did that same balancing act in 'Willy Wonka' and it once again shows what a great actor he was. But the supporting roles are also a true delight. Madeline Kahn was always wonderful and she also had that comedic touch down to a tea. Teri Garr doesn't have that expanded of a role, but try not to smirk when her character goes for the double entendres. Peter Boyle as the monster does not have a lot to do besides groan and undergo pratfalls, but it works. Marty Feldman also is brilliant as Igor, but you do get the sense he got to freewheel a little, befitting a stand up-comedian, so it all flows so wonderfully natural.

That is the thing with this film: it is comprised of such a great cast, that it is rather hard to screw it all up. Everyone is at the top of their game and they sell it all so fluently, that you get sucked in and you will find most things ball-slappingly funny. Even the jokes that fall a little flat do not always register, because a new one follows so swiftly behind it.

Is this a masterpiece? Undoubtedly.

Should you see it to discover true comedy at one of its finest moments? Of course.

Oh, and the cameo by Gene Hackman will split your sides.

Believe me.