Madeline Kahn Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Many funny women have graced the screen over the years, from Mabel Normand to Lucille Ball to Tina Fey, but one woman's impact was unlike any other -- Madeline Kahn's.

When Star Trek was looming and there was a loud undercurrent of chatter about the previous space-led films, my brain got punny and came up with "The Wrath of Madeline Kahn." At first, I explained away my attachment to the title as part of my love of word play. But soon, I realized it was more than that. Kahn's wrath is a lot of what made her such an indelible comedic figure in Hollywood, one that grabbed two Oscar nominations for her craft.

We always see wrath as this bubbling explosion of anger that hunts down victims near and far. But with Kahn, it was all caught within herself -- wrath (of anger and exuberance) trapped in a human-shaped globe, a sizzling plasma ball. She always seemed like a bomb waiting to explode, whether it be her careful composure in Young Frankenstein, or her desire to find a primitive man as she peels the layers away, or most appropriately, her discussion of anger as Mrs. White in Clue. "I hated her ... so ... much ... I-it-it ... flames ... flames ... on the side of my face ... breathing ... breathle ... heavy breaths ... heaving ..."

Asking me to choose my favorite scene from Young Frankenstein is like asking a parent to pick their favorite child -- it can't be done. Instead, I chose to share one of the many scenes that can reduce me to giggles in five seconds flat. When I first saw Mel Brooks' and Gene Wilder's masterpiece, I might have only been a kid with a limited knowledge of dirty jokes and references to classic Hollywood, but I was in love. Thanks to this classic, Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Peter Boyle, and Marty Feldman have become some of my most lasting examples of comic genius.

It has been 35 years since Young Frankenstein first hit theaters, but I still can't think of a movie that makes me laugh louder and harder every time I see it.

Young Frankenstein Fun Facts (via IMDB)

• When the film was released, Aerosmith was hard at work on their album, Toys in the Attic, and when the band were suffering from writers block for the lyrics to a particular song, the group took a break and went to the movies to see Frankenstein. As the legend goes, Igor's "walk this way" gag was the basis (or phrase) for the hit song of the same name.
• Madeleine Kahn was originally slated to play the sexy lab assistant Inga, but at the last minute decided to play Wilder's fiancée, Elizabeth, instead.

Tomorrow brings Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott to the screen as Role Models. Energy drink and driving bandits, they crash the company truck, and get one of two choices as punishment -- sign up to mentor children, or go to the slammer. Of course, they choose mentoring, having no idea what they're really getting into.

It's always been an interesting idea -- make ne'er-do-wells change their ways by making them do good deeds and be role models. But sometimes it's not such a good idea. In the world of film, there are MANY characters who should never, ever be allowed to act as role models to impressionable youths. Menaces to children everywhere, they'd most likely do the exact opposite of what was intended. This list is, by no means, complete; but consider it a starting point. Read on, reminisce about these bad influences and then comment below about who you would include.

And be warned: These clips may include strong language, and all sorts of adult conduct.

I really, really love Young Frankenstein, as is obvious from my retro review here. It has always been my favorite Mel Brooks movie, and was one of the first DVDs I ever bought. The film began my love of everything Madeline Kahn; it was one of the few great movies in my youth that wasn't a retro Disney movie or '80s crapfest. It's just damned good. After all the success Brooks had with The Producers on-stage, one would think that the same success could be found with source material like Frankenstein, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.

In their Studio Briefing news at IMDb, there's a collection of notes from theatrical reviewers on the Broadway production, and they aren't very positive. In fact, it's looking like this musical is tarnishing all the wonder of the original film. According to Ben Brantley, the production saps the original of its joy, and definitely isn't worth its exorbitant budget and pricey premier seating; Chris Jones called it a "colossal disappointment", while even the nicer reviews still say the magic, spark, and greatness is gone. That's really a shame. On the one hand, at least we'll probably be free of a movie that is based on a musical, which is based on a movie. But it's still sad. Have any of you seen it? Is it as much of a waste as the reviewers describe?

My grandfather was a very sick man. You are talking about the nonsensical ravings of a lunatic mind. Dead is dead. Hearts and kidneys are tinker toys! I'm talking about the central nervous system! I am a scientist, not a philosopher! There's more chance of reanimating this scalpel, then you have of mending a broken nervous system. My grandfather's work was doodoo! I am not interested in death! The only thing that concerns me is the preservation of life! Dr. Frederick Frankenstein

For years, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) has tried to distance himself from the mad science of his grandfather, the original Dr. Frankenstein. He is so desperate not to be linked to it that he swears his name is pronounced "Frankensteen," not "Frankenstein." Yet he is still drawn to the science that his grandfather was enveloped in. The young Frankenstein is also a doctor, and he touts the importance of the central nervous system to fresh medical minds whilst damning the name of the first Dr. Frankenstein. But then he is presented with an ornate box, his grandfather's will, and given the key to understanding his relative's madness.

And this is the brilliance of Mel Brooks' stylish, black and white Young Frankenstein. Based on Mary Shelley's novel, and co-written with star Wilder, the comedy was part of a duo with Blazing Saddles that made 1974 a wonder year for the relatively new director -- one that garnered him five Oscar nominations between the two. The solid source material and stellar writing were only part of the film's success. It boasted one of the best comedic casts to ever hit the screen -- Wilder, Cloris Leachman, and Teri Garr, as well as some of the best faces of comedy who are no longer with us -- the purring and wonderful Madeline Kahn, the world's best monster, Peter Boyle, and the scene-stealing Marty Feldman.

With Father's Day coming up this weekend, a film geek's thoughts turn to watching movies with her Dad. I miss the days when we would stay up late watching something attractively awful on TV that had my dad laughing his head off while simultaneously deriding the film. Dad likes a slightly dirty comedy -- something he can watch while saying, "Thank God your mother's not in the room," or even "You shouldn't be watching this," not that I was ever asked to leave the room, mind you. He is also fond of telling you how terrible a movie is, but then not changing the channel, particularly if buxom young females are onscreen.

I've seen very few movies in a theater with my dad, especially after we were old enough that he didn't have to sneak us off to the movies when my mom was holding some kind of meeting at home. Most of the movies I've seen with my dad have been on videotape or more interestingly, on non-cable TV (often UHF channels at odd times). He usually falls asleep in the exact same parts -- it has to be a pretty lively movie to keep my dad from catching a quick nap at some point or other.

I intended to write a Cinematical Seven that recommended movies anyone might watch with their fathers this weekend, movies that Dad has so much fun watching that you can't help liking the movie yourself, even if it's something you wouldn't watch on your own. I started brainstorming a generic list from The Great Escape to The Empire Strikes Back to Grumpy Old Men and then realized that everyone's dad is different, of course -- I have no idea which movies your father might prefer. So the following list includes movies I would like to watch with my dad this weekend if we weren't living 525 miles apart. If your father is like mine, this will be a perfect list for you. If not, I hope you'll share some of the movies you've liked watching with your dad, grandfather or father figure in the comments.

Actress Madeline Kahn died on this day in 1999, from ovarian cancer. I intended to post a still from one of her best-known movie roles, looking particularly for something from Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein. I wouldn't have minded finding a good photo of her as Trixie Delight in Paper Moon, either. However, I stumbled upon a lovely tribute site, Madeline-Kahn.com, found this wonderful photo, and could not resist, considering who else is in it.

The above photo was taken as publicity for a Broadway musical, On the Twentieth Century, which was based on the wonderful 1934 screwball comedy Twentieth Century. The musical opened on Broadway in early 1978. That's a rather young Kevin Kline, pre-movie career, standing to the left of Kahn. Kahn played temperamental actress Lily Garland in the musical, and Kline played her current boy-toy, whom she favors over megolamaniacal producer Oscar Jaffe (played by John Cullum). Cy Coleman, who wrote the music, is standing in the middle. And that's Adolph Green and Betty Comden, who wrote the book and lyrics, on the right side of the photo. Since Comden died recently, do you see why I had to share this photo with you? The only problem with this photo is that it makes me wish very hard that I could have seen this production, although I would have been 9 years old at the time and probably would have fallen asleep in the middle.

I could go on and on about Madeline Kahn, but instead I recommend you visit the above-mentioned tribute site to enjoy dozens of great photos from the actress's films, TV appearances, and plays, as well as other information about her.