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List Price: $18.98 | | Label: Decca Broadway
Salesrank: 3369
Released: December 26, 2007 |
| Our Price: $11.88 |
| Used Price: $10.74 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical Track Listing:
1. Overture
2. The Happiest Town
3. The Brain
4. Please Don't Touch Me
5. Together Again
6. Roll In The Hay
7. Join The Family Business
8. He Vas My Boyfriend
9. The Law
10. Life, Life
11. Welcome To Transylvania
12. Transylvania Mania
13. He's Loose
14. Listen to Your Heart
15. Surprise
16. Please Send Me Someone
17. Man About Town
18. Puttin' On The Ritz (Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin)
19. Deep Love
20. Frederick's Soliloquy
21. Deep Love (Reprise)
22. FinaleUltimo
Editorial Review:
ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN MUSIC AND LYRICS BY MEL BROOKS -- IT'S ALIVE!
From the creators of the record-breaking Broadway sensation The Producers comes this monster new musical comedy, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, based on the Oscar-nominated smash-hit 1974 film. A wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend based on Mel Brooks' classic comedy masterpiece, the story follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that's Fronkensteen) as he attempts to complete his grandfather's masterwork and bring a corpse to life. Together with his oddly shaped and endearing helper Igor (that's Eye-gor), his curvaceous lab assistant Inga, and in spite of his incredibly self-involved madcap fiance, Elizabeth, Frankenstein succeeds in creating a monster - but not without scary and quite often hilarious complications.
With such memorable tunes as "The Transylvania Mania," "He Vas My Boyfriend" and "Puttin' On The Ritz," The New MEL BROOKS Musical YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is scientifically-proven, monstrously good entertainment...and the only place you'll witness a singing and dancing laboratory experiment in the largest tuxedo ever made. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN features music and lyrics by the three-time Tony Award® winner Mel Brooks, book by Brooks and three-time Tony Award® winner Thomas Meehan, and is directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award® winner Susan Stroman. The show stars Roger Bart ("Desperate Housewives"), Megan Mullally ("Will and Grace"),Tony-Award winner Sutton Foster ("Drowsy Chaperone"), SCTV's Andrea Martin and Christopher Fitzgerald ("Wicked").
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN opens at Broadway's Hilton Theater - Friday, November 9th!
Young Frankenstein Photos
More from Mel Brooks
The Producers (Musical Highlights) |
The Producers (2005 Movie Soundtrack) |
The Producers (2001 Original Broadway Cast) |
The Mel Brooks Collection |
The History of the World, Part I |
High Anxiety |
Spaceballs |
Blazing Saddles (30th Anniversary Special Edition) |
Twelve Chairs |
Description of Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical:
Unlike The Producers, the musical version of Young Frankenstein was not met with critical adoration when it opened on Broadway in November, 2007. Mel Brooks had followed the same formula, transferring all of his own source movie’s famous lines and plot points to the stage, but oddly, the cast album works better than the stage production, which is indeed often lumbering. Brooks’ songs are still fairly derivative but here, undistracted by director Susan Stroman’s flat staging, you can focus more on Doug Besterman’s excellent orchestrations and on the adept cast itself. As Dr. "Fronkensteen," Roger Bart is much less grating than on stage, for instance. As Inga, Sutton Foster exhibits some mad yodeling skills in "Roll in the Hay" and sounds like a classic Broadway babe on "Listen to Your Heart." Megan Mullally (Elizabeth) sells "Please Don’t Touch Me," "Deep Love," and "Alone" (a bonus track cut from the show), while Andrea Martin (Frau Blucher) kills with the Brecht-Weill pastiche "He Vas My Boyfriend." And yes, Irving Berlin’s "Puttin' on the Ritz" is included, complete with monster grunts and a long tap passage in this extended version. The show may not be worth the hype, but the recording is a pleasant surprise. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical Reviews:
Fails to Put on the Ritz 
2009-06-17 - With the hugely successful adaptation of THE PRODUCERS turned into one of the biggest (and most profitable), most popular, and critically praised Broadway musicals of all time, it was a given that Mel Brooks would attempt to dive back into the well and turn some of his other movies into stage musicals. YOUNG FRANKENTEIN was the movie next chosen for adaptation. Unfortunately, though the show has comical musical numbers that allude and sometimes outright copy from famous composers, musicians, and performers of the past (Irving Berlin, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Danny Kaye, etc.), the show fails to be capture the imagination and wit that made THE PRODUCERS such a huge hit.
THE PRODUCERS was originally a story that Mel Brooks turned into a play which was so long that he made it into a film. The original movie, starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, wasn't exactly a box office smash, but was big enough to usher Brooks onto the Hollywood scene and would lead him to becoming one of the biggest comic powers of the 1970s. Still, until the late 1990s, THE PRODUCERS was an unknown film, except by Brooks' fans and movie buffs. It also had started out as a stage play and already contained two musical numbers. Therefore, that movie was a perfect pick for adapting into a stage musical. On the other hand, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is one of Brooks' best-known movies, has remained hugely popular since its initial release, and is a parody of the classic black and white horror films of the 1930s. The movie also contain one of the best comedy musical song and dance numbers of film ("Putting on the Ritz"), but that's an Irving Berlin song, not a Mel Brooks song.
Despite all of these challenges, I still thought that YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN would be great. I was wrong. The musical isn't terrible, but I was terribly disappointed. Instead of being unique and original, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN ends up sounding like a poorly made copy. There really aren't any standout numbers on the soundtrack, but there are a few worth recommending and a few others that are half-way good.
2. "The Happiest Town in Town"--the big opening number. If all of the songs were as well done as this, then the show would have been as big a success as THE PRODUCERS.
3. "The Brain"--another early number. Full of words and witty humor. Once again, if most of the songs from the album were done along this vein, then the show would have been huge.
5. "Together Again"--a duet between Igor and Frederick. I don't think it's been acknowledged, but the song was definitely inspired by the Muppets "Together Again".
9. "Life, Life"--one of the few serious songs on the album. It's one of the best all around musical numbers in the whole album. I know Brooks is a comedy man, but from this song alone I would be interested in seeing him trying something a bit more serious.
11. "Transylvania Mania"--another big dance number that's just all around fun.
15. "Please Send Me Someone"--this song is kind of mixed. There is a beauty to it, that gets interrupted by bits of comedy. Once again, if the show had been serious, this could have been a very powerful ballad. Instead, it's ruined by its own comedy.
18. "Deep Love"--sex can make people want to sing.
I was really looking forward to "Puttin' On the Ritz", but the expansion of the song and dance number from what was done in the movie actually detracts from the scene rather than make it better.
Overall, though YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN isn't a terrible musical, it is a disappointment. There are glimpses of the Mel Brooks genius, but in trying to top the biggest Broadway musical success ever, he has given us a show that starts out strong, but ends up falling on its feet.
Love this musical! 
2009-02-22 - When i first heard about this musical i was unsure about how id like it. well i love it! its definetly and aquired taste, not everyone is going to like it. but if you liked the movie and are a fan of mel brooks you should at least check it out.
Just not that good. 
2008-12-23 - Sadly, the Young Frankenstein soundtrack is just not good. If you have seen the movie you will know everything that is going on, but because there is so much physical comedy the soundtrack is only laugh out loud funny if you can watch the movie in your head. The singers are winy, intentionally or not, its not nice to listen too. The lyrics are no where near as clever as The Producers in fact the innuendos are so over done its annoying. The only thing that is slightly enjoyable on the soundtrack is Sutton Foster, but even she can't do much. I was so excited to get the soundtrack but after a couple spins I was greatly disappointed. Of course collectors should get this, and maybe if you've seen the show, get this as a souvenir, but otherwise this is a pass. Favorite song (only because its Foster's Feature): "Listen to Your Heart."
Not "The Producers", But Brooks Still Delivers
2008-11-09 - Let me preface this by saying that while I was not disappointed, this was not "The Producers". The vaudevillian shtick assembled from the elements of "Young Frankenstein" invite comparisons to Brooks' other show all too well. Musical stylings, song purpose/placement, and gags in "Young Frankenstein" can all find a comparable correlation to corresponding components of the book and score of "The Producers", with the latter winning out in every instance. Now, after saying all that, I still do heartily recommend "Young Frankenstein". In fact, I'm bewildered by the critical dismissal of it, and wonder what show the critics instead had seen. The score as captured on this album genuinely reflects the tone and musical delight that can be heard at the Hilton Theatre. Gloriously old-fashioned Broadway classics in the style of Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jerry Herman, Frank Loesser, and Jule Styne (with a touch of high-drama operetta and Kurt Weill) roll effortlessly from track to track in a cohesive and tuneful pastiche. Melodically hummable, lyrically serviceable and witty, Mel has offered his well-known and loved brand of bawdy, bouncy, bright, catchy, colorful, and downright brilliant. I defy you not to give the likes of "Please Don't Touch Me", "Roll in the Hay", "Join the Family Business", or "Deep Love" a second listen. And such production numbers abound with a nonstop fount of talent to support them. There's no need to highlight one original cast member here, as they all range from adequate to superb in a surprising array of textural diversity. And the lush 24-piece orchestra is so intricately weaved into such a rich harmonic web by the marvelous Doug Besterman that you almost feel dizzy and giddy with an energetic rush of excitement. And while I could go on further, there's no point. If you read this, disprove what all the naysayers and detractors want to prevent you from knowing. Obviously, it is a matter of musical taste first and foremost. Don't expect a contemporary rock/pop/Latin-tinged score ala "Spring Awakening" or "In the Heights". But, if you care to indulge in a taste of what Broadway was like during its peak Golden Age, this album is a must, quite simply. But, again, let me remind you that this is not "The Producers", which stands as the only other album capable of evoking a retro feel of 50's-era Broadway standards in modern times. Mel came pretty damn close though, so do yourself a favor and savor it: "Music that soothes the soul when words are useless."
Pleasantly Surprised
2008-09-27 - Being a fan of THE PRODUCERS I was excited when this show first was announced, and then dismayed by the so-so reviews it received on Broadway. Still, having heard a couple of tracks off of the cast recording and loving them, I purchased the YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN cd, and thoroughly enjoyed the entire score. Sure, the critics had it in for Mel Brooks and panned his project, but the score and the cast are all top notch. Definitely not Sondheim, but if you love music along the lines of Irving Berlin, you will not be disappointed in this recording.
