Top > Entertainment > 2006 > September > 2006-09-26

Frankenstein Goes to Broadway

1974 was quite a year for the multi talented Mel Brooks, it was then that he had made his first serious steps in Hollywood with the help of Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. He was at his sharpest then, following up in years to come with numerous off the mark spoofs where his work often mellowed into predictability. It has always been a matter of taste with his films, but Young Frankenstein was surrounded by somewhat of a positive consensus.

The reason YF is back in our entertainment headlines is because Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan have finally finished the first draft of their long-awaited musicalization of the 1974 film. Susan Stroman, who guided Brooks and Meehan`s `The Producers` to success, will direct an October reading of the new musical, the New York Post reported.

The film starred Gene Wilder as the grandson of Victor Frankenstein who goes to Eastern Europe and takes up his ancestor`s hobbies, and Peter Boyle as the monster he creates. When the diary of his grandfather is brought to him, he takes a leave of absence to examine the family castle. Then things get out of hand, Brooks` style. He implants an abnormal brain in his creation which causes problems, young Frankenstein`s bride shows up at the castle unexpectedly and other such mischief. All together a good Frankensteinish spoof film, let?s hope it gets a worthy interpretation at Broadway.