Unable to sleep due to a horrible bout of indigestion, I decided to log another movie late last night. This time I turned to the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein. This is the fifth or sixth Mel Brooks movie I've seen, and his works have ranged from memorably excellent (Blazing Saddles) to frustratingly subpar (Robin Hood: Men in Tights). I'm happy to say that this was one of Mel's better movies, not just in my opinion but in the general consensus opinion as well, it seems. Filmed entirely in black and white, it very accurately parodies the old Frankenstein movies both stylistically and thematically. I need to give recognition specifically to Gene Wilder, who impresses me more and more each time I see him in a movie role. With all the (deserved) attention being given to the late Leslie Nielsen for his deadpan performances during silly and outlandish circumstances, I want to at least point out that Gene Wilder is a similarly talented buffoon. The rest of this cast was pitch-perfect as well and the whole movie really did seem like an enjoyable experience for Wilder and Brooks, who claimed that this was his personal favorite of all his movies. My favorite is still Blazing Saddles, but this one is right up there too. If you tend to like Mel Brooks flicks, this one seems like one of the better ones. Enjoy!
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