"Young Frankenstein" Returns to Theaters for One Night Only - October 5th, 2016

‘Fronkensteen’ or ‘Frankenstein’? Audiences Decide When ‘Young Frankenstein’ Jolts Back Into U.S. Cinemas for One Special Night With a Live Introduction by Legendary Mel Brooks

Presented by Fathom Events and Twentieth Century Fox, This 1974 Classic Spoof on Horror Films Hits the Big Screen October 5, 2016 Only

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It’s alive! It’s alive! up on the big screen for one special night when 20th Century Fox and Fathom Events present the electrifying comedy classic “Young Frankenstein” in cinemas nationwide. Seeing this black-and-white masterpiece on the big screen with fellow audience members is a rarity in itself, but to make this screening a truly one-of-a-kind experience, writer and director Mel Brooks will introduce the classic live from the 20th Century Fox Lot—near the “Young Frankenstein” Mural on Stage 5, which was unveiled on the film’s 40th anniversary.

    .@FathomEvents News: It's alive! It's alive! #YoungFrankenstein is up on the big screen for one special night 10/5

Brooks will also pay tribute to his friend and the film’s star and co-writer, Gene Wilder, who passed away recently.

“Young Frankenstein” comes to movie theaters nationwide on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 5:00 p.m. PT. During the introduction, Brooks will give moviegoers a tour of the Fox studio lot, including Mel Brooks Blvd., the Young Frankenstein mural, and the location of the film’s original shoot.

Tickets for “Young Frankenstein” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 400 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Young Frankenstein brings together Brooks’ inimitable style with a loaded cast of comedy legends, including Gene Wilder as Frederick Fronkensteen, Marty Feldman as shifty humpback Igor, Teri Garr as the hay-rolling lab assistant Inga, Madeleine Kahn as Dr. Frankenstein’s high-strung fiancée Elizabeth, Peter Boyle as the kind-hearted monster, an uncredited Gene Hackman as the blind man who befriends him, and Cloris Leachman as Frau Blücher.

Join the young neurosurgeon (Wilder), as he inherits the castle of his grandfather, the famous Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. Young Frankenstein believes that the work of his grandfather is useless, but when he discovers the book where the mad doctor described his reanimation experiment, he suddenly changes his mind.

“Mel Brooks has sold out venues nationwide, including Radio City Music Hall, when he has introduced his movie classics. It is an incredible honor to be able to bring fans all over the country a live, personal introduction by Mel to one of his most famous and unforgettable films,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “It will be a night to remember.”

Following the massive success of Brooks’ Blazing Saddles, Twentieth Century Fox unleashed Young Frankenstein on audiences on December 15, 1974, and it went on to play for months, grossing more than $86 million – equivalent to nearly $400 million in today’s dollars. Nominated for two Academy Awards®, including its screenplay by Wilder and Brooks, Young Frankenstein has become one of the best-known – and most quoted – comedies of all time, ranking No. 13 on the American Film Institute’s list of 100 funniest films.

Continuing the celebration of this comedy classic, Black Dog & Leventhal, an imprint of Hachette Books, will be publishing Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Book: The Making of the Film, an oversized, illustrated book featuring a complete, behind-the-scenes look at the making of Young Frankenstein, with a foreword by Judd Apatow. This new hardcover will be available wherever books are sold on October 18, 2016.


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 887 locations and 1,354 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About 20th Century Fox
One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, 20th Century Fox produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of 20th Century Fox Film: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

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Gene Wilder Classics, "Blazing Saddles" and "Willy Wonka," Return to Theaters

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY & BLAZING SADDLES to Play at AMC Theatres® Saturday and Sunday

LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In honor of the life and incredible career of the late Gene Wilder, AMC Theatres worked with the Warner Bros. distribution team to bring two of Mr. Wilder’s most popular films back to the big screen.

    .@AMCTheatres showing Blazing Saddles and Willy Wonka this weekend at 55 locations in tribute to Gene Wilder

This Saturday, Sept. 3 and Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Blazing Saddles returns to 55 AMCs nationwide. WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY will play at 5 p.m. at every participating location and BLAZING SADDLES will play at 7:30 p.m.

All tickets are $5 for each title. Tickets can be purchased at the box office at each participating AMC, or online at amctheatres.com.

Below is a list of participating theatres:

Atlanta
AMC Barrett Commons 24
AMC Southlake Pavilion 24

Baltimore
AMC Owings Mills 17

Baton Rouge
AMC Baton Rouge 16

Boston
AMC Loews Boston Common 19

Charlotte
AMC Concord Mills 24

Chicago
AMC River East 21
AMC Streets of Woodfield 20

Cincinnati
AMC Newport on the Levee 20

Columbus
AMC Lennox 24

Dallas
AMC Grapevine Mills 30
AMC Mesquite 30

Denver
AMC Highlands Ranch 24
AMC Westminster Promenade 24

Detroit
AMC Livonia 20

Grand Rapids
AMC Grand Rapids 18

Hartford
AMC Plainville 20

Houston
AMC Studio 30

Indianapolis
AMC Showplace Bloomington 12

Jacksonville
AMC Orange Park 24

Kansas City
AMC Barrywoods 24
AMC Town Center 20

Las Vegas
AMC Town Square 18

Los Angeles
AMC Ontario Mills 30
AMC Orange 30
AMC Burbank

Miami
AMC Aventura Mall 24

Milwaukee
AMC Mayfair 18

Minneapolis
AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18

New Orleans
AMC Elmwood Palace 20

New York
AMC Empire 25
AMC New Brunswick 18
AMC Stony Brook 17

Norfolk
AMC Hampton Towne Centre 24

Oklahoma City
AMC Quail Springs Mall 24

Omaha
AMC Oak View 24

Orlando
AMC Disney Springs 24

Philadelphia
AMC Neshaminy 24

Phoenix
AMC Westgate 20

Pittsburgh
AMC Waterfront 22

Raleigh
AMC Southpoint 17

Rockford, Ill.
AMC Showplace Rockford 16

Salt Lake City
AMC West Jordan 12

San Diego
AMC Mission Valley 20

San Francisco
AMC Cupertino Square 16
AMC Metreon 16

Seattle
AMC Alderwood 16

South Bend
AMC Showplace South Bend 16

Spokane
AMC River Park Square 20

Springfield, Ill.
AMC Showplace Springfield 12

St. Louis
AMC West Olive 16

Tallahassee
AMC Tallahassee Mall 20

Tampa
AMC Woodlands Square 20

Tulsa
AMC Southroads 20

Washington D.C.
AMC Hoffman 22


About AMC Theatres
AMC (NYSE: AMC) is the guest experience leader with 386 locations and 5,334 screens located primarily in the United States. AMC has propelled innovation in the theatrical exhibition industry and continues today by delivering more comfort and convenience, enhanced food & beverage, greater engagement and loyalty, premium sight & sound, and targeted programming. AMC operates the most productive theatres in the country’s top markets, including No. 1 market share in the top three markets (NY, LA, Chicago) http://www.amctheatres.com.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 28th to 31st, 2016 - Update #21

Support Leroy on Patreon.

TELEVISION - From TVLine:  Kerry Washington ("Scandal") is developing a drama about female LAPD cops for ABC.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Sean Penn and Mel Gibson are making a movie together.  Natalie Dormer joins the fray.

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MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  John Legend says "National Anthem" is a weak song.

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MOVIES - From EW:  Steve Carell, Laurence Fishburne, and Bryan Cranston lined up for Richard Linklater's next film.

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PIXAR - From EW:  Brad Bird gives a not-really-update on "The Incredibles 2."

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  This Rodney Harrison opinion on Colin Kaepernick is whack and racist.

From YahooSports:  Undrafted Philadelphia Eagles rookie Myke Tavarres talked about joined Kaepernick's sit-out-the-national-anthem protest by agent.

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OBIT - From YahooMovies:  The actor Gene Wilder has died at the age of 83, Sunday, August 28, 2016.  He was known for his collaborations with Mel Brooks ("Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles") and Richard Pryor ("Silver Streak," "Stir Crazy").  He is fondly remembered for playing the title role in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

From YahooMovies:  Mel Brooks, a frequent collaborator of Mel Brooks, is among celebrities remembering Gene Wilder.

From EW:  Gene Wilder - a life in photos.

From YahooMovies:  Peter Ostrum, the actor who played "Charlie" in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," speaks about his memories of Gene Wilder, who played Willie Wonka.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Phylicia Rashad will join FOX's hit show, "Empire" this upcoming season.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Deathstroke will be the villain in Ben Affleck's standalone Batman villain.

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OBIT - From YahooMusic:  Flamboyant Mexican superstar singer-songerwriter, "Juan Gabriel" has died at the age of 66, Sunday, August 28, 2016.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The #1 movie at the 8/26 to 8/28/2016 weekend box office is newcomer, "Don't Breathe," with an estimated take of $26.1 million.

From YahooMovies:  Horror movie "Don't Breathe" knocks "Suicide Squad" out the top spot after a three-week run at number one.  The story of President Barack Obama and Michelle's first date, "Southside With You," had a middling opening, but performed well compared to expectations, apparently.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From YahooNews:  Dallas's top cop, Chief David Brown, tries on his Bull O'Connor draws and apparently likes it.

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TELEVISION - From HitFix:  NBC had horrid plans for "The Walking Dead" if they would have taken it.

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CRIME - From YahooNews:  Investigation into the shooting death of Nykea Aldridge continues.  Aldridge is the cousin of NBA superstar Dwyane Wade.

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MUSIC - From THR:  Beyonce to perform at 2016 MTV VMA (Video Music Awards).

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POLITICS - From teleSUR:  Racist Maine Governor Paul LePage said that "people of color" are the enemy and should be shot.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  It is time for Nate Parker to stop explaining and talking about old rape allegations that have conveniently come up in time to sabotage "Birth of a Nation."

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Another actor on a kind of apology tour is Scott Eastwood of "Suicide Squad."  This time concerning the accidental death of his former girlfriend, the late model, Jewel Brangman.  Eastwood did not attend a memorial, nor do he offer condolences.  WTF, right?

Review: "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" Has Great Songs (Happy B'day, Gene Wilder)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 91 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Running time: 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
DIRECTOR: Mel Stuart
WRITER: Roald Dahl (based upon his book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
PRODUCERS: Stan Margulies and David L. Woper
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Arthur Ibbetson
EDITOR: David Saxon
Academy Award nominee

FANTASY/MUSICAL/FAMILY with elements of comedy

Starring: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum, Roy Kinnear, Julie Dawn Cole, Leonard Stone, Denise Nickerson, “Dodo” Nora Denney, Paris Themmen, Ursula Reit, Michael Bollner, Diana Sowle, and Aubrey Woods

The subject of this movie review is Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, a 1971 musical fantasy film starring Gene Wilder. The film is an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Some of the late-author Roald Dahl’s works have been adapted to screen. Perhaps, the best known of these films is Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, taken from Dahl’s book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It’s a nice movie for children, and two things that certainly make the film worth watching are Gene Wilder (who received a “Best Motion Picture Actor – Musical/Comedy Golden Globe nomination for his performance) and the songs, which received an Oscar nomination for “Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score.”

In the film, the best candies in the world are the chocolate confections of the Wonka Chocolate Factory, owned by the mysterious and reclusive Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder). One day Wonka announces that five lucky candy buyers who find a golden ticket in their Willy Wonka candy bars will be able, with one guest each, to tour his factory. One of the hopefuls is Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum, in his only film role), a boy from an impoverished family. When he finds the last golden ticket, he takes his Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson) as his guest on the factory tour. Of the five children who find the golden tickets, Willy Wonka has his eyes on Charlie, most of all.

The songs in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory are great, especially “The Candyman” (which became of a staple of Sammy Davis, Jr.’s stage show, although the filmmakers declined to allow Davis to play Bill, the candy store owner who first sings the song in the film) and also the Oompa Loompas theme. The sets look cheap (even for the early 70’s) and are only mildly imaginative in their design. Ultimately, this is a curiosity piece for adults, but a fun and fanciful flick for pre-teen children.

5 of 10
B-

Wednesday, June 8, 2005

NOTES:
1972 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score” (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley, and Walter Scharf)

1972 Golden Globes, USA: 1 nomination: “Best Motion Picture Actor - Musical/Comedy” (Gene Wilder)

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Review: "Blazing Saddles" Still Rides Hard and Funny (Happy B'day, Darby)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 11 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Blazing Saddles (1974)
Running time: 93 minutes (1 hour, 43 minutes)
MPAA – R
DIRECTOR: Mel Brooks
WRITERS: Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg, Alan Uger, and Mel Brooks, from a story by Andrew Bergman
PRODUCER: Michael Hertzberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Joseph Biroc (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Danford Greene and John C. Howard
Academy Award nominee

COMEDY/WESTERN

Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Madeline Khan, Slim Pickens, Alex Karras, Mel Brooks, Claude Ennis Starrett, Jr., Liam Dunn, Dom DeLuise, David Huddleston, John Hillerman, George Furth, and Carol DeLuise

Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman), a corrupt political boss, wants to run a railroad through the small western town of Rock Ridge, but he has to ruin the town so its citizens will want to leave. Lamarr appoints a black sheriff named Bart (Cleavon Little), thinking that will certainly demoralize them and make them leave Rock Ridge. Bart, however, joins forces with a washed-up gunfighter Jim (Gene Wilder), also known as The Waco Kid, and becomes Lamarr’s formidable adversary. Lamarr then concocts a plan to have a collection of the vilest criminals, cutthroats, and thieves ravage Rock Ridge. Bart, however, rallies the townspeople (who initially hated having a black sheriff) to a grand stand off against their would be destroyers.

Blazing Saddles is one of the great film comedies (it would certainly make my Top 10), and is still the all-time best parody of movie westerns. Actually, the film takes on a western sub-genre, the horse opera, in which a beleaguered sheriff, all but abandoned by the townsfolk he’s sworn to protect, must stand alone against corrupt, greedy, and murderous men. What really makes Blazing Saddles work as a parody of westerns is that the film really works like a western. It looks and feels like a classic western flick from Hollywood’s golden era of Technicolor westerns. In order for a spoof to work, the spoof has to fell like the thing it’s parodying.

Unlike a lot of parodies, Blazing Saddles also has a plot and solid story structure – a clear beginning, middle, and end, and the characters are excellent. A fine group of character actors also play the parts. Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder are excellent comedians, both fun with a kind of likeable slyness, but Madeline Kahn and Slim Pickens also give bravura performances in small roles that help to define the movie.

Blazing Saddles is funny and brilliant, heavy with belly laughs. Although I’ve encountered many people who don’t like it for various reasons, the is one of the films that firmly established director Mel Brooks as a great American comic, a funny man in any medium.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
1975 Academy Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Madeline Kahn), “Best Film Editing” (John C. Howard and Danford B. Greene), and “Best Music, Original Song” (John Morris-music and Mel Brooks-lyrics for the song "Blazing Saddles")

1975 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Screenplay” (Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, and Alan Uger) and “Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles” (Cleavon Little)

2006 National Film Preservation Board, USA: National Film Registry

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Review: "Young Frankenstein" is Eternally Funny

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 51 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Young Frankenstein (1974) – Black & White
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
DIRECTOR: Mel Brooks
WRITERS: Gene Wilder and Brooks – screen story and screenplay (based upon the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley)
PRODUCER: Michael Gruskoff
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gerald Hirschfeld
EDITOR: John C. Howard
Academy Award nominee

COMEDY/HORROR with elements of drama, sci-fi, and romance

Starring: Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Terri Garr, Kenneth Mars, and Gene Hackman

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein is a tribute to Mary Shelley’s classic novel, Frankenstein, by way of parody. The film pokes fun at the various film versions of the novel, in particular the Universal Pictures versions. Parody’s work best when the parody looks a lot like the material at which it’s poking fun; that is why Young Frankenstein and Brooks’ other famous send-up, Blazing Saddles, work so well. Saddles looks, sounds, and walks like a western, and Young Frankenstein is a beautiful, black and white dream that looks as if it were born right next to the Universal’s Frankenstein films. In fact, this film was shot on the same set with the same props and lab equipment as the original 1931 film, Frankenstein.

After years of trying to live down the family’s reputation, Frederick von Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) is summoned by a will to his late grandfather, Victor von Frankenstein’s, castle in Transylvania. He is joined at the castle by Inga, (Terri Garr), who tells Young Frankenstein that she is his assistant, and by Igor (Marty Feldman), whose grandfather worked for Frederick’s grandfather. Frederick eventually discovers his grandfather’s step-by-step manual explaining how to reanimate dead tissue. He repeats granddad’s experiments and creates The Monster (Peter Boyle). However, despite his imposing size and frightful face, The Monster only wants to be loved, but the local villagers aren’t buying it. The Monster repeatedly tries to escape the fright and ignorance that wants to destroy him, but Frederick wants to bring him home and teach him to live amongst people.

1974 was a good year for Brooks because it also saw the release of his classic send up of westerns, Blazing Saddles. Young Frankenstein is still considered by many to be his best film (I take the other side saying Saddles is his best), and the film remains a gorgeous black and white ode not only to Frankenstein movies, but also to the beauty of black and white films and how the splendor of their superb costume designs and lavish and ornate sets were still evident even without the benefit of color photography.

The cast is also superb, and no one single person needs to be singled out because everyone is at the top of his or her game. However, the late Marty Feldman wasn’t shy about playing up the fact that he was acting in a comedy. Paying special attention to him every time he’s on screen is worth the patience when paid off in comic gems. The film also has a lot of good jokes and clever gags, and the timing is impeccable – apparently due to a lot of editing. That’s probably the best thing about this film; watching it gives the sensation that everything works, makes sense, and that the humor is true. Young Frankenstein is one of the great film comedies, and is not to be missed.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
1975 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Sound” and “Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted from Other Material”


1975 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture Actress – Musical/Comedy” (Cloris Leachman) and “Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture” (Madeline Kahn).


2003: the National Film Preservation Board, USA added the movie to the National Film Registry.

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