Wilder genes: Emma Thompson dissects YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN for #AFIMOVIECLUB

by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

Before can say “Frau Blucher,” Dame Emma Thompson DBE is here in her lockdown red fleece comfort of home to let you in on a few choice behind-the-film stories of that Gene Wilder classic YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN for AFI Movie Club. Mel Brooks is the unfettered imagination who came up with this film, and you can watch the original trailer below where he shares his zany views on the movie.

Can you believe this cast includes: Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr, the Abby Normal spokesmadman himself Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, and even an almost unrecognizable Gene Hackman?

Not to mention the classic Cloris Leachman as (horse whinny to follow) Frau… Blucher. A “whinny” is a high-octave ‘neigh’ for those of you not versed in Equinese. By the way, Brooks’ film came on the bolted heels of the 1931 movie of the same name, but they all owe this monster to Mary Shelley.

Most of all, as with Dame Thompson, this is a favorite for many people, and many generations. Mel Brooks created at least four or five characters that top Halloween costume go-to’s even to this day.

And then there’s the cult of Madeline Kahn, who wowed in PAPER MOON, and remains a star even after the ovarian cancer that struck her down in 1999. This is the same diagnosis that would take out Gene Wilder’s beloved wife, Gilda Radner. Enough about real life, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN also influenced countless directors, including Tim Burton, whose “Frankenweenie” was an early hit for him.

As the late amazing Gene Wilder says in the script?

“We could all use a good laugh…”

First Dame Emma Thompson at Ease

Frau Blucher in all Utterances 😉

This Trailer is, of course, “Personally Directed by Mel Brooks” 😉

WHAT:  Emma Thompson announces today’s AFI Movie Club selection: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. The film is ranked by AFI as one of the funniest in cinematic history. Directed by AFI Life Achievement recipient Mel Brooks, this iconic comedy features an unforgettable sequence in which Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle perform the duet “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” which AFI ranked as #89 on the list of greatest movie songs ever.    

DID YOU KNOW? Kenneth Strickfaden, the electrical special effects expert on FRANKENSTEIN, served as a technical consultant on YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN – reassembling the laboratory equipment he used in the original film from pieces that he had stored in his garage, in addition to creating new electrical devices for the film.                          

WHERE:  AFI.com/MovieClub                                    

Yes, That AFI Movie Club – AFI Movie Club is a newly launched program to raise the nation’s spirits by bringing artists and audiences together – even while we are apart. AFI shines a spotlight on an iconic movie, with special guests announcing select AFI Movies of the Day in short videos posted on AFI.com and social media platforms. Audiences can “gather” at AFI.com/MovieClub to find out how to watch the featured movie with the use of their preexisting streaming service credentials. The film selections are supported by fun facts, family discussion points and exclusive material from the AFI Archive to enrich the viewing experience. Audiences can continue the conversation online using the hashtag #AFIMovieClub. Learn more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.   

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