Summary

• Young Frankenstein quotes cement it as a classic horror-comedy, filled with laughs and memorable characters.
• The film pays respectful homage to the original Frankenstein story while adding innovative and silly twists.
• Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's collaboration creates a hilarious parody with quotable dialogue and iconic moments.

The best Young Frankenstein quotes have cemented the 1974 horror-comedy film as a classic, perfect for bringing laughs into the spooky Halloween season. The movie comes from comedy legend Mel Brooks and takes an innovative and silly approach to Mary Shelley's story of Frankenstein. The result is a film that is wall-to-wall laughs with hilarious sight gags, slapstick humor and memorable characters, as well as some Young Frankenstein quotes that are still repeated decades later.

While it faces plenty of competition for the title of Mel Brooks’ funniest spoof – from such gems as his spot-on satirical critique of westerns, Blazing Saddles to his absurdist lampoon of the Star Wars saga, Spaceballs – Young Frankenstein is a very strong contender. Not only is it a hilarious movie, but Brooks masterfully recreated the eerie black-and-white look of the old Universal Monsters classics that inspired it. As with all of Brooks’ other films, Young Frankenstein, co-written by Brooks and lead actor Gene Wilder, is filled with quotable dialogue.

15 “It’s Pronounced Fronkensteen!”

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein

Instead of being a direct parody of Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein is actually a sequel to the original story, picking up with Victor Frankenstein's grandson. When Wilder first pitched the idea for Young Frankenstein to Brooks, Brooks was reluctant to commit to the project because the Mary Shelley classic had already been adapted so many times. Brooks told the L.A. Times that Wilder suggested the idea of the grandson of Frankenstein being ashamed of his lineage and its ties to these deranged experiments.

He goes by “Fronkensteen” in a desperate attempt to distance himself from his oddball ancestors.

The opening scenes establish this character quirk as Frankenstein objects every time somebody uses the traditional pronunciation of his name. He goes by “Fronkensteen” in a desperate attempt to distance himself from his oddball ancestors. It makes for a fun starting point for the character who clearly has more influence from his ancestor than he cares to admit.

14 “What Hump?”

Igor

While there are so many hilarious actors in the movie, Marty Feldman steals the show as the lab assistant Igor who has a very noticeable lump on his back. Though such a character was never involved in Mary Shelley's original story, he has become a well-known part of the lore with this comedic take being one of the most memorable versions. When Dr. Frankenstein meets his assistant, he kindly tells him,

“You know, I’m a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you with that hump.”

Igor’s deadpan reply denies the existence of his hump. Legend has it that the running joke of Igor’s moving hump came about because Marty Feldman had been shuffling it around in between takes as an on-set prank. This also leads to the hilarious line later in the movie as Frankenstein notices the hump and questions if it used to be on the other side.

13 “Ovaltine?”

Frau Blücher

“Nothing!! Thank you."

Frau Blücher is overly accommodating when Dr. Frankenstein arrives to stay with her. He’s tired after his trip and heads to bed, so she offers him a brandy. When he turns that down, she offers him some warm milk. When he turns that down, she offers him some Ovaltine. Finally, Frankenstein snaps and says, “Nothing!! Thank you." in an attempt to put an end to the questions for good.

It is a common landmark of Mel Brooks' period movies that he is completely willing to be historically inaccurate by including something like Ovaltine if it makes for an unexpected laugh from the audience along with Frau's oblivious nature at how intrusive she is being. Either that or she is unashamedly nosy and really doesn't care if her lingering presence is disruptive to Frankenstein or not.

12 “He Would Have An Enormous Schwanzschtücker.”

Inga

Most movie incarnations of the Frankenstein story don’t address the question of the monster’s genitalia, but Young Frankenstein finds it the perfect subject for some gags. Frankenstein explains that the process will mean that various parts of the monster's body will be enlarged due to the process of bringing it to life. When Inga says that the monster should have “an enormous schwanzschtücker,” Dr. Frankenstein quips, “That goes without saying.”

Mel Brooks' humor in his spoof movies never relied on being overtly blue as there were a variety of jokes of all kinds. However, this is an example of how Brooks was willing to go the raunchy route for a memorable laugh. However, this is more than just a crass gag about Frankenstein’s monster having a big penis; it feeds into the story’s themes of the mad scientist’s hubris.

11 “It’s Alive!”

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein

Like many of the best spoof movies, Young Frankenstein thoroughly enjoys poking fun at the famous story, but it is also clear that the filmmakers have a great deal of respect for some of the incarnations that came before. The title character in Young Frankenstein utters his grandfather’s catchphrase from the Universal Monsters classic that inspired Brooks’ spoof. When his monster sparks to life, he proudly declares it to be alive.

It feels like Brooks and the team paying respectful homage to the iconic scene.

“It’s alive!” from the original 1931 James Whale-helmed Frankenstein movie is one of the most memorable cinematic quotes of all time. It might seem like a cliché to include it in this parody, but Gene Wilder delivers the line with such intensity that it actually works as one of the movie's rare non-comedic moments. It feels like Brooks and the team paying respectful homage to the iconic scene.

10 "Abby Normal."

Igor

As memorable of a character as Igor is, his performance as a lab assistant leaves something to be desired. He willingly goes along with Frankenstein's work, but his intelligence makes him a bit of a bumbling partner in the process. Without his dimness, the experimentation might have gone very differently. In fact, Igor is largely responsible for how the monster turns out once he is brought to life.

Igor confesses that he actually got the brain of someone named Abby Normal which Frankenstein quickly deduces as an abnormal brain.

After Frankenstein gives Igor specific instructions for which brain to take for the experiment, Frankenstein can see by the way the monster behaves that he didn't follow those instructions. Igor confesses that he actually got the brain of someone named Abby Normal which Frankenstein quickly deduces as an abnormal brain. The confidence with how he says the name shows just how little of a clue Igor really has about how badly he messed up.

9 "Put... The Candle... Back!"

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein

Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's take on the horror genre feels like it is a playground for the two comedic geniuses, as they are clearly having fun with the tropes and clichés of the genre. One such element is the hidden doorways in the creepy castle. While it is a gimmick that has been seen endlessly in such movies, Young Frankenstein turns it into a brilliant sight gag and a bit of physical humor to make the scene all the more memorable.

After accidentally triggering the swinging secret door by removing a candle, Frankenstein tries to escape only to be smashed between the door and the wall. Barely able to talk, Wilder's delivery of this line to free himself is hilarious. Wilder is phenomenal in delivering his lines as a man holding back a great deal of anger and frustration, which makes the scene even funnier.

8 “Why Don’t You Get Out Of There And Give Someone Else A Chance?”

Igor

Igor becomes such an entertaining character in Young Frankenstein that the audience would likely not mind if the whole movie was about him. However, even as a supporting character, Igor is able to share some funny details about himself and his questionable past. While reminiscing about his father, Igor remembers all the things he used to tell him, and it seems that the most memorable fatherly words he gave to him were wondering why he was taking up so much time in the bathroom.

It is such a random line that sticks out in Igor's memory as a particularly noteworthy interaction between them. However, it is also funny to imagine Igor as a young child, living his awkward youth and frustrating his parents with his unusual ways. It just makes the character an even stranger addition to the story.

7 "A Riot Is An Ugly Thing... And, I Think, That It Is Just About Time We Had One."

Inspector Kemp

Another memorable member of the Young Frankenstein cast is Kenneth Mars as Inspector Kemp. He is the local police officer with an incredibly thick accent which makes it hard for even his fellow locals to understand. Once the monster gets out on the loose, Kemp begins to organize the means of bringing him down. This hilarious line shows that there is no line he will not cross and perhaps that he actually enjoys the mayhem and violence of a riot as he puts a mob together.

He comes in with an over-the-top performance and delivers hilarious lines like this.

Mars is such a late addition to the movie, and given the number of hilarious characters already introduced, he runs the risk of being quite forgettable. However, he comes in with an over-the-top performance and delivers hilarious lines like this, quickly cementing himself perfectly as part of this wacky ensemble.

6 “I Was Gonna Make Espresso!”

Blind Hermit

Gene Hackman makes a hilarious cameo appearance in Young Frankenstein as the blind hermit who takes in the monster and unwittingly scares him away. Though the kind elderly man is just trying to be hospitable, his attempts prove dangerous as he pours hot soup into the monster's lap and lights his hand on fire. As the monster flees from his house, the hospitable hermit rushes out and tries to lure him back with the promise of coffee.

Apparently, Hackman ad-libbed this line and the reason the scene immediately fades to black is because the whole crew burst into a collective fit of laughter after he improvised the bit (via What Culture). Hackman is regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time, but this brief scene is a reminder that he should have done more comedic roles.

5 “Wait, Master, It Might Be Dangerous... You Go First.”

Igor

Marty Feldman nails the comic timing of all his lines in Young Frankenstein. Usually, when a character notices danger up ahead, they’ll offer to lead the way and face the music. However, when Igor mentions that what lies ahead could be treacherous, he encourages his master to go first. The line really lands because of Feldman’s perfectly timed pause before saying, “You go first.”

Frankenstein's reaction shows he wasn't expecting that twist from Igor either, making for a memorable Young Frankenstein moment.

As much as Igor can seem like a bumbling fool at times, he is at least smart enough to understand the concept of self-preservation. While he and Frankenstein do make for a good team, this is someone Igor just met and it makes sense that he is not overly eager to be risky his life on his behalf. Frankenstein's reaction shows he wasn't expecting that twist from Igor either, making for a memorable Young Frankenstein moment.

4 “You Just Made A Yummy Sound.”

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein

Dr. Frankenstein’s attempt to animate the monster doesn’t work right away. He gives up and goes to the dining room to eat dinner with Igor and Inga. When they hear the monster growling from the basement lab, Frankenstein mistakes it for “a yummy sound.” Igor denies making “a yummy sound” and Frankenstein insists that he made one, leading to a petty debate before they finally realize the noises are coming from downstairs and that the experiment was a success.

The “yummy sound” discussion brings a hilariously mundane angle to one of the most iconic horror moments of all time. The audience knows what it means long before the characters and they are just waiting for them to figure it out. The more the characters argue without coming to the realization the funnier the scene becomes.

3 "My Name Is Frankenstein!"

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein

Along with Young Frankenstein's black-and-white look, the parody feels akin to the classic 1930s movie in the arc of the scientist gradually going from arrogant to dangerous. In both the Mel Brooks classic and the original Frankenstein, there is a moment where madness seems to overtake the scientist and though it's not a laugh-out-loud funny scene, it's surprisingly compelling.

Seeing the potential of his experiments, the next time Frederick is referred to as Fronkenstein, he boisterously declares his name is Frankenstein. It is a strange and compelling mix of victory and horror in this moment of him embracing the dark past he initially ran from. It shows that, even within this hilarious and off-the-wall comedy, there can be a complex character at the center. Wilder also shows his versatility in the role with a thoroughly unique yet entirely perfect delivery of the line.

2 “Puttin’ On The Ritz!”

The Monster

The buildup to the monster coming to life is a long one, and once it is achieved, there is a huge question mark about what will come next. Dr. Frankenstein debuts the monster for the scientific community in the most ridiculous way possible: with a duet of “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” They have a choreographed dance to go with the performance, but only Frankenstein has the smoothness and mobility to nail the timing of the dance moves.

It is a hilarious unexpected scene that has become one of the most iconic in the movie.

Throughout the song, Frankenstein sings all the verses himself, but he leaves the chorus to the monster. Whenever his master calls upon him, the monster screams a fractured version of “PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ!!!” at the audience. It is a hilarious unexpected scene that has become one of the most iconic in the movie. Peter Boyle's performance as the monster is hilarious in this moment.

1 “Walk THIS Way.”

Igor

Mel Brooks has several different ways of getting laughs in this movie, from sight gags to innuendos to winks at the audience. However, one of the best jokes shows just how silly he is willing to get with his movies. When Igor meets Dr. Frankenstein at the train station and tells him to “walk this way,” the scientist thinks he means “way” as in direction and simply follows him. However, Igor stops and says, “Walk THIS way,” prompting Frankenstein to mimic his hunched style of walking.

This is easily the most iconic quote from Young Frankenstein, even though it’s a classic joke that predates the movie. It is a hilarious play on the kind of cryptic line that would be common in such black-and-white horror movies, but turned on its head in a comedic way. According to The Guardian, Aerosmith got the name for their song “Walk This Way” from Young Frankenstein.

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  Young Frankenstein

  Summary:

  Directed by Mel Brooks, Young Frankenstein is a comedy that parodies Mary Shelley's classic horror novel with Gene Wilder in the role of the infamous mad scientist's grandson. Marty Feldman portrays Igor, Teri Garr plays Inga, Cloris Leachman plays the scary housekeeper Frau Blücher, and Peter Boyle gives life to the Monster.

  Release Date:

  1974-12-15

  Budget:

  $2.8 million

  Cast:

  Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle, Gene Wilder

  Director:

  Mel Brooks

  Genres:

  Comedy

  Rating:

  PG

  Runtime:

  106 minutes

  Writers:

  Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks

  Studio(s):

  20th Century

  Distributor(s):

  20th Century