All About
Mel Brooks
In honor of the approaching Halloween season — and the arrival of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein musical on Broadway (now in previews, it opens Nov. 8) — EW.com asked Brooks and his colleagues, director Susan Stroman and stars Roger Bart and Megan Mullally, to offer up their favorite fright flicks of all time. So read on...if you dare!
MEL BROOKS
The Son of Frankenstein is my favorite of all the Frankensteins. I love that film. It has Basil Rathbone [as Dr. Frankenstein]. The first guy, Colin Clive [who played the mad scientist in the 1931 Frankenstein], seemed lost in it. Basil Rathbone was focused, demonic. And the storytelling is perfect.
Also, I have soft spot for The Fly [David Cronenberg's 1986 remake which was produced by Brooksfilms]. Love The Fly. In the original, the Vincent Price one, there's a flash and suddenly there's a man with a fly's head and a fly's arm. Our idea was completely different. We said: metamorphosis. It's more grotesque and insane that he slowly and surely turns into a fly. It's a magnificent film. I think it's Cronenberg's best. And Jeff Goldblum's best work ever. You know, he begged us to use his girlfriend [at the time] — Geena [Davis]. We said, maybe.... But she turned out to be spectacular. It was a remarkable film.
See a scene from Mel Brooks' Halloween pick, The Fly:
NEXT PAGE: Susan Stroman: ''Even a monster wants love!''
You Might Also Like
- Hit List Scott Brown's Hit List | Scott Brown
- Movie Commentary Mel Brooks' greatest musical moments (1974) | Clark Collis
- Stage News Mel Brooks' career triumphs | Clark Collis
- All About Mel Brooks
