Gruesome Joe’s Musical Morgue

'Young Frankenstein' Review

Listen up Deadites!  Gruesome Joe here with the latest installment of the Musical Morgue right here on Rotting Flesh Radio.  

This week we have a very different offering to bring you.  In the last few segments we have covered everything from haunt industry soundscapes all the way through rock and roll.  But this week we’re shaking things up here in the morgue—we’re headed straight to Broadway…

(“Surprise” Segment)

This week we’re taking a peek into The New Mel Brooks Musical: Young Frankenstein.

(“Welcome to Transylvania” clip)

Now—fans of the original 1974 cult classic need not worry—Mel Brooks wrote the music and lyrics for this stage adaptation of the film, and the overall production seems to have kept very true to the original movie—with many of the same gags and jokes in place.  This might actually come to be a fault in the production—as, from what I have gathered from listening to this original cast recording, the cast seems to ham everything up a great deal.  Having a theatre background myself, I do know the tendency for musicals to go over the top—but too much mugging is like highway robbery if you ask me—it just takes the fun factor down a notch rather than sending it over the top.

Now—that being said—I did very much enjoy the album, and some of the songs really made me chuckle.  Mel Brook’s musical style is very much like his film style—old school and kind of campy.  The brand of Mel Brooks Raz-A-Ma-Taz is almost unmistakable—especially after years of producing hilarious cult classics, and now with his fairly recent Broadway success of The Producers under his belt.  Young Frankenstein definitely delivers this—over the top production numbers with a very classic “Mel Brooks Sound.”

(enter campy music)

So, I’m going to change up the format of the Morgue this week a bit, as there really is no way to go about doing a track-by-track review like I usually do.  Instead, this week we’ll go on a journey of my favorite tracks and my thoughts about them.

One of my favorite tunes on the album has to be when Igor and Frederick first meet.  Fans of the 1974 film will remember this hilarious encounter, and I feel that the Broadway cast really live up to this scene on the album.  Brooks has written a very fun song that you just need to hear to appreciate.  So here it is, track 5 “Together Again”.

(“Together Again” clip)

One of my favorite characters from the film and the live show would have to Frau Blücher.  

(Enter horse neigh)

I have always absolutely loved that character—and she has a very fitting song, superbly performed—styled very much after her character, aptly titled “He Vas My Boyfriend”.   

(“Boyfriend” clip)

Similarly to my adoration of Frau Blücher (enter horse neigh) is my adoration of the lonely, blind hermit.  Brooks has written him a lovely number called “Please Send Me Someone” which is so ludicrously funny, as the hermit would be singing this gigantic song in his house, in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the night, all by himself.

(“Please Send Me Someone” clip)

And, maybe it is because I write music myself, one of the best thought out and enjoyable pieces of music from this album would definitely be the Overture.  This track starts the album off with a gloriously over the top all instrumental performance highlighting various melodies and styles used throughout the show.  And given that this is a Mel Brooks piece, it is full of the good ol raz-a-ma-taz!

(“Overture” clip)

So overall, I would give this album one and a half stumps up.  My only real criticism comes from some of the casts performances and the overall tiring quality a string of over the top songs can produce.  That being said, the songs in a live setting would be much easier to enjoy—as there would be spoken interludes or quiet moments between large production numbers.  The album, being an album, can only bring us so much of the show—it is the live experience that really pulls it together and makes the experience complete.

Young Frankenstein’s website can be found at www.YoungFrankensteinTheMusical.com as can all of their fun downloads, video clips, and a slew of other goodies.  There has been mention of a national tour slated for September of 2009—so keep your eyes and ears peeled—this is one performance any of you die hard fans won’t want to miss.

Well Deadites, that about does it for this week here in the Musical Morgue.  Be sure to tune in next time when we’ll have more great tunes I’m sure you’ll want to add to your collection. Until then, I’m Gruesome Joe and I’ll be chilling out here in the Morgue, waiting for you, until next time…