Talk:Young Frankenstein/Archive 1

Trivia
Removed from original page:
 * Some fans of the original Frankenstein do consider this a sequel to that film, although it is fully comedic.

Some fans also consider the moon to be made of cheese - do we care?
 * You mean... it's... NOT... made of cheese??? ); ); ); Wahkeenah 14:39, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Saturn Awards
I noticed that the Saturn Awards are listed as "Golden Scroll" awards in this article; I can see no other references to the Saturn Awards as Golden Scroll awards. So... what's up with that? -Elizabennet 19:53, 30 October 2006 (UTC)

The quotation in the plot summary is in the wrong place.
The quotation "My name is Frankenstein" in the Plot summary should occur after he has created the Monster. He begins to acknowledge his heritage before creating the Monster, but only after his enforced incarceration with the Monster does he fully acknowledge his family heritage.

Mason 22:17, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Mason Emerson

(Sad individual who has seen this show more times than any one person should.)
 * An excellent movie is worth watching many times. That's why I only saw Titanic once. You're right about the quote. As I recall, he has subdued the monster through psychology rather than force, and when Teri Garr yells, "Dr. Fronkensteen, are you all right?" he comes back with "My name is FRANKENSTEIN!" Wahkeenah 01:44, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

Split it Up
When are we going to split this and the "Young Frankenstein" musical pages up??? CJMylentz 21:54, 12 March 2007 (UTC)

"Frœderick"?
Is that really how its spelled in the script, or is someone making a joke about how Eye-gor pronounces it, and it should be "Frederick"? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Geoduck (talk • contribs)
 * If someone has the DVD handy, you could try watching the scene with the sub-titles on. EVula // talk // &#9775;  // 21:02, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Phonetic Spelling
For phonetic spelling, IPA should be used.JMack 02:02, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Son of Frankenstein
Wasn't the plot loosely based on Son of Frankenstein? Might be an interesting point. 66.191.19.217 01:43, 7 October 2007 (UTC)

Young Frankenstein could be taken as a sequel to the 1930's Universal Film trio of Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein, as Young Frankenstein deals with the grandson of the original maker of monsters. ( The boy grandson in "Son" even has the same curly hair as the adult Gene Wilder!) Many scenes, characters and plot elements are taken and sent up from these three films, most of all, the plot from "Son" that has a doubting Frankenstein returning to the town of his ancestors' dark deeds.

From Frankenstein: robbing graves for bodies, assistant getting a criminal brain, creation of the monster by a raised platform and electricity, the monster meeting a little girl.

From Bride of Frankenstein: monster meets a blind hermit (although this was in the original book), The bride's hairdo and hiss.

From Son of Frankenstein:The inspector with the wooden arm, the dartboard game, the book of the secrets of life and death/How I did it... and surely this was the first film that a mad doctor's assistant was called Igor! Matthew B-G 203.171.196.1 (talk) 14:20, 27 December 2007 (UTC)

Schwanzstück?
I always heard this line as "He vould have to have an enormous Schwanz, Doctor." Can anyone verify which is correct? Shalom S. (talk) 04:35, 23 July 2009 (UTC)

Allmovie
Reference available for citing in the article body. Erik (talk) 20:10, 10 January 2010 (UTC)
 * ... plot synopsis, review, cast, production credits, awards

The myth of the urban myth about blucher meaning glue
The article states:

''Every time Frau Blucher's name is mentioned, horses are heard whinnying. The reason for this is commonly held to be that "blucher" is German for "glue". This is an urban myth.''

This is uncited, though I have read the Snopes page. However, look what Mel Brooks himself said in an intereview : "Before we started shooting, someone told me 'blucher' means glue, so that's why I had the horses whinny. I'm not sure if that's true."

In other words, it may very well be an urban myth that blucher means "glue." However, if Brooks is telling the truth here, then this translation is indeed the reason he put this joke in the film. It may be based on something untrue, but it is the basis of the joke. Neither the Snopes page nor the Wikipedia page makes this clear. I think I will alter the article to explain this. I am considering emailing Snopes about this discovery. marbeh raglaim 12:10, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

≈≈≈≈

See below: Pointless changes, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gebhard_Leberecht_von_Bl%C3%BCcher 30.08.2010

≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.176.197.235 (talk) 10:28, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

Story location?
Does the film actually reference Transylvania as the location for the story? All of the local characters, villagers etc, are clearly intended to be Germanic, but Transylvania is a Romanian province. Lorzu (talk) 06:09, 29 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Transylvanian Saxons --151.41.148.245 (talk) 21:57, 7 June 2014 (UTC)

Transylvania had a large ethnic German population for many centuries until the end of the cold war. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.110.90.133 (talk) 21:16, 13 March 2016 (UTC)

Young Frankenstein
On a talk show, Chlois Leachman said that the name of Frau Blucher, that aroused the horses, was because the word Blucher meant "Glue" in German. That's why the horses had the bad reaction to her name — Preceding unsigned comment added by 184.39.48.28 (talk) 13:02, 13 April 2013 (UTC)

So what? She's wrong. John Simpson54 (talk) 05:36, 16 February 2017 (UTC)

Original sets?
I seem to remember reading/hearing somewhere that Young Frankenstein used the original sets (which had remained in storage) from the 1931 James Whale Frankenstein film. Ian Dunster 13:30, 23 November 2005 (UTC)

I believe it was the original laboratory equipment by Ken Strickfadden that was reused. David L Rattigan 0936 24 November 2005 (GMT)


 * I think you're right. Thanks. Ian Dunster 11:33, 27 November 2005 (UTC)

Does anyone know what the name of the Transilvanian Lullaby is?
 * It's an original composition for the film, it seems. Guermantes 03:07, 8 July 2006 (UTC)

To answer the original question the original sets were NOT used to film Young Frankenstein. It was filmed on Stage 5 & 10 at Fox http://www.thestudiotour.com/movies.php?movie_id=1866 where of course the James Whale Frankenstein was filmed at Universal Studios http://www.thestudiotour.com/movies.php?movie_id=801John Simpson54 (talk) 05:46, 16 February 2017 (UTC)

Pointless changes
Somebody keeps changing the following sentence (references removed for the talk page):

''*Every time Frau Blücher's name is mentioned, horses are heard whinnying. Many people believe the point of the joke to be that Blücher is German for "glue." This belief has been identified as an urban legend, though in a 2000 interview Brooks suggested that he did base the joke on this erroneous translation, which he had heard from someone.''

...to the following...

''*Every time Frau Blücher's name is mentioned, horses are heard whinnying. This has led many to believe that they are afraid of her name, based on the misconception that Blücher means "glue" in German. Though this has been identified as an urban legend, Brooks suggested in a 2000 interview, that he had based the joke on that erroneous translation.''

The second version does not improve on the first in the slightest. On the contrary, it is unwieldy, it lengthens the wording to no good purpose, it contains a grammatical error, it eliminates some information from the first version, and it isn't even accurate. Let's go through it step by step:

"Every time Frau Blücher's name is mentioned, horses are heard whinnying. This has led many to believe"

You're making it sound like the urban legend arose purely from viewer speculation. In fact, it was Brooks himself who came up with the idea. (I also have sources showing that Wilder, who co-wrote the script, and Cloris Leachman, who played Blucher, both helped perpetuate the urban legend.)

"that they are afraid of her name, based on the misconception that Blücher means "glue" in German."

The "that they are afraid of her name" is unnecessary. Just mentioning the mock translation says it all.

"Though this has been identified as an urban legend, Brooks suggested in a 2000 interview, that he had based"

That comma doesn't belong there, grammatically.

"the joke on that erroneous translation."

You deleted the part where I explained that Brooks heard the erroneous translation from someone. The way I worded everything was more concise, yet more informative. I have restored the original version and will continue to do so. I don't understand why you insist on your changes. marbeh raglaim 19:34, 4 November 2007 (UTC)


 * First of all, "does not improve" is not a valid reason for reverting. Which is why I reverted the revert without a comment - there was nothing to comment on. Now things are different.
 * I think my version is better. If I have overlooked a grammatical error, you should have told me. In any case a wrong comma is not reason enough for your reverts.
 * As for the facts:
 * The claim indeed comes from viewer's speculation and NOT from a comment by Mel Brooks. He only confirmed the claim in 2000 - that's 26 years after the filming.
 * The former version also placed the origin of the claim with viewer's speculation. However it inaccurately described it as an urban legend. It is not such a thing at all since Mel Brooks confirmed it. What remains true is that it was considered an urban legend.
 * The former version also did not clearly state that "Blücher" does not mean "glue" in German. It is paramount that this is stated.
 * IMHO the "they are afraid" is needed because it is the part of the claim that holds true - it is only the translation that is wrong (and there is nothing to support the term "mock translation" - it was not mocking but erring)
 * Indeed I did not think it important where Brooks got his information from. But I will gladly yield in this.
 * Str1977 (talk) 22:48, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

≈≈≈≈

Boys, Boys, Boys... I AM a German. No matter what, "Blücher" does NOT mean "glue" - that's just silly, wherever it came from. You can't even misspell it, it's nowhere near (look it up). And if someone suggested that, whoever it was, well, then it is a joke on you for you to believe in (nice going, Mel!). The article is still unclear on that point and it should be deleted completely (the point, not the article). It is useless, confusing and false. See reference 7). Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman) and Igor (Marty Feldman) are NOT "household servants". "Igor" never is, usually being demented, and Frau Blücher is the "sinister housekeeper". In fact, there are no servants! She has kept this huge castle going all by herself for the better part of a century, vaiting for ze return of her master (and lover). So, his spitting-image grandson arrives.

I personally found Frau Blücher's name to be a reference to the famed Prussian General, Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher; a terrifying character in his own right - and a terrifying German name, even here in Germany, a woman wearing it even more so. One who's roof you will not want to sleep under for a single night. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gebhard_Leberecht_von_Bl%C3%BCcher).

I think Mel Brooks took it from there. It cunjors up exactly the tight, hard-faced woman with a bun (and perhaps a whip beneath her apron?) you see in the picture*. The horses shy at the mere mention of her name - just as they could shy at the sound any other character's name in the movie. The name itself does not MEAN anything. Perhaps someone can verify that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHb7DJDCptA

See also

http://german.about.com/library/blgermyth02.htm
 * A little personal note: Of course, the wild passion, and, indeed, strange sexual abandon Cloris Leachman put into the role contrasting her hard appearance makes her figure all the more funny - and so much more scary! I had quite forgotten that little bit... If I were a horse, I'd be afraid of her, too. Her mad violining is even reminiscent of the mediaval "Death as a Fiddler" figure.

And, having had a self-professed affair with his "grandfodder", she could be Dr. Fronkensteen's "grandmudder" - or IS she?! You never know what's going on behind those thick, stone walls of these remote, lonely central european castles, do you! That's the "Frankenstein" legend, and Mel Brooks has indeed created a new frankenstine figure in "Frau Blücher". It should be given more credit.

Victor von Frankenstein

77.176.197.235 (talk) 08:56, 31 August 2010 (UTC)


 * I'm certain I read in my old, large German-English dictionary many years ago that Blücher is the word for someone whose job is to castrate horses. Nothing to do with glue, but entirely appropriate for the joke in the movie. Unfortunately, I can't check now, because that dictionary is packed in a box. Can anyone help out with this? Maybe it would be excluded as Original Research anyway, but it seems worth looking into. 70.107.238.239 (talk) 19:45, 12 February 2013 (UTC)

No it isn't the word for someone who castrates horses http://www.dictionary.com/browse/blucherJohn Simpson54 (talk) 05:52, 16 February 2017 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 2 external links on Young Frankenstein. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20100405035636/http://www.listsofbests.com/list/7092-100-funniest-movies?page=2 to http://www.listsofbests.com/list/7092-100-funniest-movies?page=2
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20071110071151/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/112585.html to http://www.playbill.com/news/article/112585.html

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 08:45, 13 January 2018 (UTC)

Musical adaptation
Below text was added by. While obviously inappropriate in its current form, editors are welcome to see if they can salvage it.

"The film inspired the rock song “Walk this way” by Aerosmith, the RUN DMC feat. Aerosmith version of which later famously became the first Rap song to play on mainstream radio and MTV. The band watched the movie while producing. The quote is from Igor in the first scene he meets Frankenstein at the railway station. Quote: the Rolling Stone Music Show podcast February 12, 2019. Sorry I’m not usually editing Wikipedia and hope someone knows how to put this properly."

DonIago (talk) 15:44, 23 April 2020 (UTC)

Proposed merge of Igor (Young Frankenstein) into Young Frankenstein
Lack of non-trivial discussion in secondary sources. A stand-alone article is not warranted. Most coverage is of the actors or the film Young Frankenstein and its adaptations. See results of past deletion discussions for similar characters Frederick Frankenstein and Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Inga (Young Frankenstein). For these reasons I think any essential content on the character should be discussed at and redirected to Young Frankenstein, with any relevant actor- or musical-specific material relegated to the respective articles. --Animalparty! (talk) 23:35, 28 January 2020 (UTC)
 * If anything, I say merge. Additionally, Inga (Young Frankenstein) should be revived and merged. Her and Frau Blucher. ---User:DanTD (talk) 14:32, 4 March 2020 (UTC)

✅ They could be easily incorporated into the main article, so why do these characters from the film have separate articles in the first place? Definitely merge, no question about it. Christopher, Sheridan, OR (talk) 10:00, 14 May 2020 (UTC)


 * "why do these characters from the film have separate articles in the first place?" Because Wikipedia is "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit," and some people write excruciatingly in depth about whatever subject they fancy, until better sense prevails (namely, the "encyclopedia" part of the slogan). --Animalparty! (talk) 04:25, 15 May 2020 (UTC)


 * I think you missed my point. Let's use an example, but by no means a definitive one: article Basil Fawlty. There is enough material to warrant an article for the character, separate from the originating article, Fawlty Towers, and this is partially due to this character's traits being demonstrated over the course of many episodes. Some feature-length films are able to perform the equivalent over the course of one movie, providing enough material for the character.
 * In the case of Igor (Young Frankenstein), there is not enough material, and this has much to do with the fact that his character was built upon a previously existing character, Igor (character), so that not enough original material was created. The article for the classic Igor character also is included as part of a full . It appears somebody attempted to create a  for Young Frankenstein, but it is very vacant, and without more material to warrant supporting articles, I would suggest that the  navbox be deleted.
 * Christopher, Sheridan, OR (talk) 00:45, 19 May 2020 (UTC)


 * Something I'm concerned about; the detail about the musical gives the article a lot of content that might be worth preserving. The same issue involves Frederick Frankenstein. Would it be possible to add the material elsewhere once this is merged? -User:DanTD (talk) 01:00, 1 July 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅ I haven't removed any substantive block of material, but won't be offended by further culling in situ. Klbrain (talk) 07:51, 8 December 2020 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: American Cinema
— Assignment last updated by Isabella.mitrow (talk) 15:25, 10 May 2023 (UTC)