1974 was a landmark year for film, a convergence of exciting international cinema and the original voices of New Hollywood that still resonates 50 years later. In our new series we invite a different guest for each episode to choose a 1974 movie to talk about, ranging from giant blockbusters to minor cult curios and everything else in between.

Despite the domination of Coppolas, Polanskis and Cassaveteses, 1974 really belonged to Mel Brooks. Nearly 50 at the time, the legendary comedy writer had risen from his Borscht Belt origins to release two classic films in one year, 1974's #1 box office smash Blazing Saddles and trailing all the way back at #4 highest grossing picture Young Frankenstein. While both films became instant perennial favorite parodies of then out-of-style genres, Young Frankenstein is a true love letter to the Universal Monster movies of yore and a masterfully-made horror flick that just happens to have jokes in it.

We welcome back Pink Smoke favorite and wig expert Kate Wilkinson to join our chorus of praise for co-writer Gene Wilder as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (sorry, Fronk-en-steen), Marty Feldman as Eye-gor, Teri Garr as Inga, Cloris Leachman as Frau Blücher, Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth, Kenneth Mars as Inspector Kemp, recent Oscar-winner Gene Hackman as the Blind Man and true 70's superstar Peter Boyle as The Monster - each performer at the absolute top of of their game. We discuss the film's origins being deeper than the iconic 1931 James Whale movie, whether this is more a triumph for Brooks (who was banned from casting himself) or Wilder (it was his baby) and how it fit into the comedy mindset of the mid-70's.

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Intro music: Unleash the Bastards / “Tea for Two” Outro music: Marcus Pinn / “Vegas"

Broadcast on:

07 May 2024