THE PRODUCERS (1968)

I thought it was odd when I first heard they were making a Broadway musical adaptation of my favorite Mel Brooks movie, The Producers. * But let me tell you, it’s going to be a hit! **

You will not see the hippie Hitler (played by Dick Shawn*** in the original) in the musical remake. I guess Mel thought the character was too dated. Of course, he’s my favorite character in the original and I kept waiting for him to come on stage in the updated version…but, alas, it was not to be. ****

Why do I keep talking about the musical? I guess because I just watched it. I watched both of them, the 1968 The Producers and the musical based on the 1968 The Producers. ***** To tell you the truth, I’m a little Springtime for Hitlered****** out right now. But if you are a fan of the musical, or if you aren’t, don’t forget to check out the original ******* because Zero Mostel is great! ********


*My favorite after Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety and Spaceballs. Well, The Producers is probably tied with Spaceballs.

**I know, it’s already been a hit for years. Let me at least pretend its opening night, Okay?

***Mr. Shawn was also very funny in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. He was just a funny guy all around.

****Having the gay director play Hitler in the new version was still pretty funny.

*****And not to be confused with the 80’s band called The Producers, who did a couple of songs I like including She, Sheila. I think I’m getting off topic.

******Yet over the years, I admit to singing Springtime for Hitler to myself more than a few times.

*******Is original even the proper term? The Broadway show isn’t a remake. It’s a musical adaptation. My Fair Lady isn’t a remake of Pygamalion exactly. Is it?

******** I'll say it again. Zero Mostel is great!

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

I’ve seen a number of the classic Hollywood movies of the 1930’s.But going over some of the titles in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, I noticed more than a few omissions from my movie viewing resume. For the past two weeks I've tried to try to fill in some of those gaps as well as re-watch some old favorites. I’ve listed my expectations for each film going in and stated whether these expectations are reached or not. And I gave each film my Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award strictly for the reason that I thought it would be fun to do so. It was and I gained a new appreciation for movies of this era also. And my fourteenth and final entry for this segment is...

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Expectations:I don't think I've seen this all the way through since...could it be the 60's?

After viewing:If I thought Frankenstein was criticism proof, this one is probably even more etched on the movie going public. The dwarfs are a magnifcient creation, the witch is dastardly evil, and Snow, though not overly complex, fills the heroine role nicely. Only the prince, practially edited out of the whole picture, comes up short. But I guess you need him to fill the prophecy.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to...Grumpy. It's tempting to give this to the Queen/Witch who set the standard for those evil Disney villains to come. But it's really Grumpy who holds the piece together. Differentiates himself from the other dwarfs by initially being so hostile to Snow White. So when he does come around to Snow, it is that much more meaningful. And when Grumpy weeps after Snow dies, well...I'm going to need a tissue just thinking about it.

BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

I’ve seen a number of the classic Hollywood movies of the 1930’s.But going over some of the titles in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, I noticed more than a few omissions from my movie viewing resume. For two weeks I’m going to try to fill in some of those gaps as well as re-watch some old favorites. I’ll list my expectations for each film going in and state whether these expectations are reached or not. And I’ll give each film my Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award strictly for the reason that I think it would be fun to do so.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Expectations: See expectations for yesterday’s Frankenstein listing and throw in a hissing bride, a blind hermit and a little Shelley and Byron to give the proceedings some class.

After viewing: I have to call into question the basic structure of my memory palace when it comes to The Bride of Frankenstein. I’ve certainly seen it, But only vaguely remember Dr. Frankenstein’s mentor/associate/rival/villain Dr. Pretorious. I don’t remember Pretorious’s experiment of growing little people in specimen jars, either. Many film historians prefer this one to the original. I’m a little torn. Boris Karloff pulls off his fractured speech scenes well, but I still like the rawness of the original. So it goes.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…O. P. Heggie as the blind hermit. O.P. Heggie? Why would I choose O. P. Heggie over such supporting stalwarts as Ernest Thayer as the sinister Dr. Pretorios! Or Elsa Lanchester, who plays Mary Shelley and the Bride? Or the always funny comic relief actress Una O’Connor? Or again to the ubiquitous Dwight Frye? Or even to cameos by future character actor Hall of Famers John Carradine and Walter Brennan?

Heggie (as the blind hermit who befriends the moster) has only one scene. As audio commentator Scott MacQueen points out, this scene could easily lapse from being touching and giving important insight into the monster’s character into a Mel Brooks parody forty-five years too soon. But the scene works, and credit is often given to Karloff, but give the kindly Heggie a nod, too.

FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

I’ve seen a number of the classic Hollywood movies of the 1930’s.But going over some of the titles in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, I noticed more than a few omissions from my movie viewing resume. For two weeks I’m going to try to fill in some of those gaps as well as re-watch some old favorites. I’ll list my expectations for each film going in and state whether these expectations are reached or not. And I’ll give each film my Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award strictly for the reason that I think it would be fun to do so.

Frankenstein (1931)
Expectations: Seeing this one again elicits plenty of expectations and memories such as,
1. Boris Karloff billed as ?
2. Colin Clive yelling (It’s Alive! I’ts Alive. Now I know what it’s like to be God!)
3. Those villagers and their handy torches at ready to change down any monsters that trouble their village
4. Frankenstein’s memorable growl
5. My Aurora monster model of the Frankenstein monster, which I still have.
6. That great Dr. Frankenstein laboratory with those flashing mechanisms that are all quite important I’m sure!
7. The hunchbacked dwarf, Fritz
8. The monster’s fiery death, which of course he escapes from for the next film.
9. The burgomaster. The only other time I think of burgomasters is if I see I rerun of Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
10. And of course, a lot of Young Frankenstein references.
11. Oh yeah, and little girls still don’t float like flowers.

After viewing: Frankenstein is almost criticism proof. It is just too iconic.

One note on the Karloff vs. Lugosi debate. Despite Lugosi’s kitsch appeal and portrayal in Tim Burton’s film Ed Wood, (The credits state Lugosi memorabilia outsells Karloff memorabilia two to one.) the clear winner in this battle is Karloff, through memorable performances as heavies in films like The Body Snatcher and Tower of London to his last major film Peter Bogdanavich’s Targets, where he essentially plays himself, to the voice of The Grinch That Stole Christmas…Karoloff is the man. I'm glad I could clear this up.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Dwight Frye as Fritz, the hunchbacked dwarf who takes pleasure in tormenting the monster. I’ve given Mr. Frye a tribute on these pages before for Renfeld in Dracula (1001 Dracula entry from 1/12/10) but he’s the clear winner here not only for Fritz, for his return as a different but equally creepy assistant in Bride of Frankenstein.