Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short in the Tim Burton movie ‘Frankenweenie’

One shall not trifle with the relationship between a boy and his dog. Tim Burton appreciated the story of Mary Shelley‘s 1881 book Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus, which was made into the James Whale movie Frankenstein (1931). Mix these three things together, and we are offered Burton‘s sensibility for story combined with an inclination for stop-motion animation to offer us the comedy drama Frankenweenie (2012).

(From left, Winona Ryder as Elsa Van Helsing, Charlie Tahan as Victor Frankenstein and Atticus Shaffer as Edgar ‘E’ Gore in the Tim Burton movie Frankenweenie).

With a handful of important relationships at the center of Frankenweenie, perhaps the one at the emotional center of the movie is the one of Victor Frankenstein and his bull terrier dog, Sparky. Charlie Tahan voices the boy scientist and filmmaker Victor Frankenstein. Frank Welker voices Sparky, his dog. Frankenstein is a bit quiet and awkward among his classmates, so his parents push him into playing baseball.

(From left, Martin Short as Edward Frankenstein, Charlie Tahan as Victor Frankenstein, Frank Welker as Sparky and Catherine O’Hara as Susan Frankenstein in the Tim Burton movie Frankenweenie).

It was at the baseball game that Victor’s parents, Edward and Susan as voiced by Martin Short and Catherine O’Hara, respectively, see rejoice turn to sorrow when Victor hits a home run. The sorrow comes in, along with the homage and parody of the Frankenstein movie comes into play as Sparky meets his demise. In true Tim Burton style, what comes next is meant to celebrate the love for a dog in as comedically inappropriate a way as possible.

(Martin Landau as Mr. Rzykruski in the Tim Burton movie Frankenweenie).

In the aftermath of Sparky’s death, Victor’s school happens to bring in a new science teacher named Mr. Rzykruski, as voiced by Martin Landau. Mr. Rzykruski demonstrates the effect of electricity on dead frogs to his classroom in New Holland. Victor is inspired to apply this concept on a deceased Sparky, succeeding in bringing his beloved pooch back to life. The occasion of a school science fair, Sparky’s escape from the Frankenstein’s attic, and the ignorance of Victor’s parents releases a drama that more fully brings in Victor’s schoolmates.

(From left, Charlie Tahan as Victor Frankenstein and Frank Welker as Sparky in the Tim Burton movie Frankenweenie).

Classmates central to the larger story of Victor, his classmates, Sparky, a cat named Mr. Whiskers and, finally, a pair of goldfish include Edgar ‘E’ Gore as voiced by Atticus Shaffer, Elsa Van Helsing as voiced by Winona Ryder, Weird Girl as voiced by Catherine O’Hara, Toshiaki as voiced by James Hiroyuki Liao, Bob as voiced by Robert Capron and Nassor, as voiced by Martin Short. Without heading too specifically into the way the story works out, the notions of competition, friendship, parenting and the blurry lines that can emerge in a PG rated comedy drama are appropriate for this animated cartoon.

(Director Tim Burton as captured during the production of the Tim Burton movie Frankenweenie).

Writing credit for the screenplay that became Frankenweenie belongs to Leonard Ripps for the 1984 screenplay, Tim Burton for the idea and John August for this screenplay. The story is charming with its own quirky formula for who the heroes and villains are, without there being a refreshingly clear sense of the villain not being motivated by villainy. I give Frankenweenie as directed by Tim Burton 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn and Peter Boyle in the Mel Brooks movie ‘Young Frankenstein’

Having introduced our review of the James Whale directed movie Frankenstein (1931) earlier this week on Matt Lynn Digital, we follow this closely with the Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein (1974), based on the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley book Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus and, more precisely, the  cinematic film of 43-years previous.

(From left, Cloris Leachman as Frau Blücher, Marty Feldman as Igor, Teri Garr as Inga and Gene Wilder as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

The movie Young Frankenstein takes steps to mirror scenes along with the black-and-white presentation of the original Frankenstein movie on which this comedy is based. Some noticeable differences begin with bringing the American grandson of the original Dr. Frankenstein to Transylvania in order to meet much of his supporting cast. Gene Wilder portrays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, that grandson, who we first meet as a classroom doctor seeking to distance himself from the myth of making monsters that he as grandson has inherited.

(From left, Anne Beesley as Helga and Peter Boyle as The Monster in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

Frederick of course is set to marry, and we are introduced to Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth in this role. A comedic theme that carries through much of the movie starts between Frederick and Elizabeth, which at first indicates distinct emotional distance between the two as they separate at the beginning of the good doctor’s journey to Transylvania. There’s comedy in that journey, as well as in meeting Frederick’s supporting cast Igor, Inga and Frau Blücher in the movie’s second country. Marty Feldman portrays Igor, Teri Garr portrays Inga and Cloris Leachman portrays Frau Blücher. The theme of a potentially loveless impending marriage brings supporting comedy among these four characters.

(From left, Peter Boyle as The Monster and Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

The storylines that introduced the creation and experience of The Monster, as portrayed by Peter Boyle, harken back to the original Frankenstein movie while offering new twists and, of course, variations. Anne Beesley portrays Helga, whose equivalence to Little Maria in the original movie cannot be mistaken. The notion of tremendous size is used for solid humor in addressing Helga, the angry mob that forms too in Young Frankenstein, and between Elizabeth, Frederick’s would be wife, and The Monster. The introduction of intentionally sophomoric humor in especially the relations between The Monster, Elizabeth, Frederick and Inga carries much of Young Frankenstein to resolution.

(From left, Peter Boyle as The Monster and Gene Hackman as Harold, the blind man in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

Additional humor and movie references brought to the forefront in Young Frankenstein were appreciated. The notion of The Monster’s fear of fire were well played in the gags with Harold, the blind man as portrayed by Gene Hackman. The scene where Frederick Frankenstein dances on stage with The Monster harkens back to the original King Kong (1933) movie scene, and more precisely the Harry Richman movie scene from Irving Berlin‘s movie Puttin’ on the Ritz (1930). Tying an affection for music into the pull between The Monster and Frederick Frankenstein was a nice touch of Young Frankenstein.

(From left, actress Madeline Kahn, director Mel Brooks and actress Teri Garr on set of the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

Largely, I found Young Frankenstein held much of the spirit of the original Frankenstein movie and along with the emotional notion between The Monster and the man who created him, as intended in the book. There is definitely extra humor, which of course is the point of this movie. The notion of referencing multiple movies from the past in offering both homage and poking fun makes this movie giggle worthy. The movie Young Frankenstein largely works if you take the content on the level it is offered, accepting the “what did I just see?” intention to the humor the strike a chord. I grant Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, June 26, 2021

Colin Clive, Mae Clarke and Boris Karloff in the James Whale movie ‘Frankenstein’

In looking in some small regard into older films made in the United States, we wanted to look into some of the early features at Universal Studios. Highly ranked as the James Whale directed movie Frankenstein (1931) is in the 43 Universal Classic Monster Movies by Rotten Tomatoes, we wanted to take this moment to share our review of a favorite movie of good Matt Lynn Digital broheim, Airport Friend.

(Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein and Dwight Frye as Fritz in the James Whale movie Frankenstein).

James Whale directs the film Frankenstein as an introduction to the stable of Universal Classic Monster Movies, introducing with Dracula (1931) a uniquely new subject matter and tone of cinema new in America in the horror film genre. Beginning with a warning of the movie’s themes of life and death, the movie aimed, in its own words, to thrill, to shock, even to horrify the audience. Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein and Dwight Frye as Fritz, the two men acting to create life from the recently dead, would take steps to make this happen.

(From left, Boris Karloff as The Monster and Marilyn Harris as Little Maria in the James Whale movie Frankenstein).

The storyline in the movie does not follow the story of the book Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. We receive instead the creation of the Monster, as portrayed by Boris Karloff, with the wonderfully sweet then horrifying turn taken with the character Little Maria. The tragedy of the turn speaks to a core question in the book by Shelley, though takes us through strikingly different means.

(From left, Edward Van Sloan as Dr. Waldman and Frederick Kerr as Baron Frankenstein in the James Whale movie Frankenstein).

The groundwork for introducing the Monster begins, first, through the education of would be doctors by Dr. Waldman, as portrayed by Edward Van Sloan. The question of the mental health of the Monster is introduced through specimen samples of an average human and a criminal human brain, with an accident with the first not dissuading the Fritz from letting Frankenstein’s Monster be created with criminal tendencies.

(From left, John Boles as Victor Moritz and Mae Clarke as Elizabeth Lavenza in the James Whale movie Frankenstein).

Henry’s fiancée Elizabeth Lavenza, as portrayed by Mae Clarke, converses with their mutual friend Victor Mortiz in the interval leading to the marriage of Lavenza and Henry. Victor and Elizabeth include Dr. Waldman in their deliberations, for the ambitions around life and death that drive Henry and Fritz are a mystery. Waldman reveals Henry’s ambition, the group witnessing the moment that life is raised in the Monster. It is in the moments that pass that seriously escalations against the innocence of the Monster occurred that Fritz, Henry, Waldman, Elizabeth, Victor or even Baron Frankenstein, Henry’s father, cannot counteract.

(From left, Lionel Belmore as Herr Vogel, the Burgomaster, and Michael Mark as Ludwig, Little Maria’s father in the James Whale movie Frankenstein).

The pace at which the film Frankenstein raises the stakes of the Monster’s crimes are staggering. The moral clarity of the mad doctor in Shelley‘s book rings through in the outrage stirred in the villagers out to punish the Monster. The apparent ambivalence of Henry Frankenstein to the death his creation cost in creation as well as in the immediate aftermath of bringing it to life offers a clear sense for how the film aimed to land on thrilling, shocking, and horrifying the film’s audience. In that the film stirred these feelings, I grant James Whale‘s Frankenstein 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, June 23, 2021