When we think of Gene Wilder what is the first image that usually comes to mind? Close your eyes and picture him. Are your eyes closed? Good. Now I bet I know what you’re picturing: a man in a brown top hat with curly blonde hair sticking out of the sides, a huge bow tie at the top of a frilled shirt, a long purple coat that would make The Joker (not Leto Joker) envious, and a mischievous smirk probably followed by some sarcastic sentence, right? The iconic Willy Wonka is who you’re picturing. That’s who Gene Wilder was to most of our generation; the kids who grew up watching “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” on DVD and ABC Family. To most of us, that’s who Gene Wilder will always be. But, when I think of Gene Wilder I always think of something completely different. I think of my favorite Gene Wilder movie. I think of a man named Dr. Frederick Frankenstein. Excuse me, I mean Frahnken-steen.
In 1974, Mel Brooks directed the comedy classic “Young Frankenstein” starring Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars, the great Madeline Kahn, the classic Cloris Leachman, and of course the man himself, Gene Wilder. The second of three classic movies that Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks made together, it was part parody and part homage to the classic Universal horror films of the 1930s. If you consider yourself a fan of comedy or just a movie fan in general then I highly recommend this movie. But that’s not the main reason that this is my favorite Gene Wilder movie. It’s my favorite Gene Wilder movie because it was the first one that I actually remember watching as a child.
I was raised in a house of Mel Brooks movies. Aside from “Young Frankenstein,” Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks made two other classic comedies: “The Producers” and “Blazing Saddles.” Both are equally good and funny, but “Young Frankenstein” will forever hold a place in my heart. It’s one of the few movies that I can watch at any time, and it’s full of so many great classic scenes. If I started listing them it would just turn into me listing every single scene of the movie. Trust me. It’s a classic and most of the credit for that goes to Gene Wilder’s brilliant performance and the Academy Award nominated screenplay by him and Mel Brooks.
To say that we live in a cynical and even depressing time would be a massive understatement. But, in times like these the one thing that we can always count one is the ability to laugh. Gene Wilder was a master at that. “Young Frankenstein” still holds up 42 years later. In a year that’s already taken David Bowie, Prince, Alan Rickman, and Garry Shandling, we should all be thankful for the ability to laugh and the ability of people to make us laugh. So, do yourself a favor and find a copy of “Young Frankenstein,” stay in and laugh your asses off and be thankful for Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks.
Rest In Peace Gene Wilder, 1933-2016.
