1973 Timeless Comedy Horror Masterpiece Named One of the Funniest Films of All Time
A 1973 comedy-horror classic continues to earn praise by filmgoers decades later as one of the funniest films ever made.
In a Rolling Stone readers' poll, Young Frankenstein was ranked as the fifth most popular film among fans. The parody of the original 1910 Frankenstein film short and the 1931 Boris Karloff version brought sharp humor and irony to the legendary horror story.
The outlet wrote, "After spoofing Westerns with 1974's Blazing Saddles, Mel Brooks decided to mock monster movies with Young Frankenstein. Gene Wilder plays the grandson of Dr. Frankenstein, who travels to Transylvania after inheriting his father's estate. He's ashamed of his family's legacy, but quickly gets pulled into the madness when the monster is set free."
The movie made fun of every element of the horror classic. From the gothic setting to the iconic characters, nothing was off limits as it turned familiar scenes into comedy gold.
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Mel Brooks (Director and writer) and Gene Wilder (co-writer and star) made a conscious effort to not only parody the classic monster film trope, but to elevate what could be considered suspenseful and scary into pure laughs. While many fans believe the film pulls directly from the Boris Karloff version, it incorporates many other elements of classic monster films including Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939).
Additionally, the film was shot entirely in black and white. This conscious choice on Brooks' part was to directly mimic the older films Young Frankenstein was parodying.
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Some of the film's memorable belly-laugh moments include when Wilder's Frederick stabs himself in the leg with a scalpel, but doesn't automatically react. Instead he behaves as if nothing is wrong, going out of his way to mask any pain he's feeling.
Or when Frederick, Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Terri Garr), and Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) were standing outside the castle, and Frederick asked Igor to help him with the "bags." Igor's response? "You take the blonde, and I'll take the one in the turban."
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But perhaps the funniest and most iconic film moment in Young Frankenstein comes during the song and dance moment to "Putting on the Ritz." The scene builds from awkward anticipation into full-blown chaos, becoming one of the film's most unforgettable comedy set pieces.
Young Frankenstein remains one of the funniest films of all time because each joke is played with complete commitment. An unforgettable mix of precision, silliness, and affection for its past is why, 52 years later, it still stands as one of the funniest films ever made.
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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 7:37 AM.