Puttin on the Ritz!

Sorry about the slightly late update. Busy weekend as it was my birthday :-)

Our film on Friday was Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks. Yes, I'm aware that its a comedy but it pays alot of respect to the horror genre - even going as far as using the original equipment from the Karloff version of Frankenstein (1931) and taking elements from Bride Of Frankenstein (the blind man and the actual bride), and the little girl who was drowned in the original but kept alive in this one, bringing in Inspector Kemp with his dodgy arm (I don't know which original Frankenstein film that was - perhaps someone could tell me please?) and making the Creature (Peter Boyle) very child-like, just like Karloff's. And the brain stealing scene is taken straight out of the original - apart from the sign on the door:

"After 5pm, deposit brains through slot in door"

It kept true to the genre again by filming it in black and white, which emphasised the shadows and creepiness of the castle, lots of gruesome decomposing heads, the occasional rat and the usual dark and stormy nights.

Gene Wilder is brilliant as the doc, although denying his roots at first, he's soon swayed by his grandfather's book "How I Did It" and becomes gradually manic as the film progresses, even inheriting some of the Creature's characteristics by the end.

Then we have Marty Feldman as Igor. For those who don't know, he was an English comedian with very funny eyes. He did some stuff with some of the Monty Python chaps in "How To Irritate People" and did his own material as well. He's a terrific stooge for Gene Wilder.

Then we even have a musical number in which the Doc and the Creature perform "Putting On The Ritz". Its simply genius. If I say any more about it, I think it'll spoil it for everyone.

There's only one difference - we have a very happy ending with no twist which leads the way for a sequel.

Until next time...

Toodles