Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical
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Free Music Notes for Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical
Free Music Review: BEST MUSICAL SCORE IN YEARS
Hit: 5 Stars
Having been a big fan of The Producers, I was unprepared for how much Mel Brooks has matured as a composer and lyricist since then. The score for Young Frankenstein is nothing short of brilliant and one of the best original scores I have heard in years! Not only does Mel prove himself in comedy numbers like Please Don't Touch Me (excellent), but he also goes into an operatic area for Let My Creature Live, something Sir Webber might have written. Then he goes into a very dramatic "He's Loose" when the creature escapes. There's the vaudeville-style Together Again, a very funny German melody in Roll in the Hay (simple but brilliant), the very old-fashioned Broadway sound in Join the Family Business, a very fun Transylvania Mania, 2 beautiful balleds Listen to your Heart and Please Send Me Someone, plus other songs that are absolutely brilliant.
I could not have asked for a better 2nd score from Mel Brooks. Those who do not like this score are those who do not appreciate the type of musical this is-the score is similar in style to the old-0fashioned broadway sound, and some Broadway moderns just can't accept this style anymore, opting for Phantom, Sondheim or Drowsy Chaperone type scores. But this is Broadway at it's best and if you want a fun, catchy, wonderful score, I recommend this as the best original cast recording and composition in many years, way ahead of the Producers (which I loved) in brilliance.
Bravo to Mel Brooks. I was saddened to see three days ago that the American Theater Wing and the Tony Nominating board chose to completely snub this wonderful musical. I now have absolutely no doubt that the Tony Awards have taken the path of the Academy Awards and are becoming more and more political. The Producers took every single award in it's Tony year, and now they feel they must snub an even greater score. No best music nomination, no best original score, nothing for Susan Strohman, and sadly enough, no best actor nomination for lead Roger Bart. I now have a much lower view of the Tony awards and its process. Xanadu, which was nominated, was mainly NOT an original score, this was. That tells you what is happening to the Tony's and they deserve the loss in ratings they are getting every year on CBS. Sad there won't be a musical number from Young Frankenstein on the show this year.
Give this recording a chance if you love Broadway. Every time you listen to it, you will love it more. Not one song is less than terrific.
Free Music Review: Mel Brooks Creates a Hilarious Musical
Hit: 5 Stars
I listened to the twenty-one tracks on this CD before and after I saw Mel Brooks's musical "Young Frankenstein" on January 10, 2008 in the Broadway production. The star of the show is Roger Bart, from "The Producers," a very talented performer who plays Dr. Frankenstein.
The show has three strong women's parts: Inga, the sexpot, Elizabeth, Frankenstein's New York girlfriend who falls in love with the monster because of his prowess, and the gloomy, brooding housekeeper, Frau Blucher. Igor, the hunchback, becomes the doctor's lab assistant and buddy.
Since it's a Mel Brooks effort naturally there is a lot of sexual, downright crude, coarse, raunchy, bawdy but very funny stuff. It's anything for a gag which sometimes produces weak jokes. Brooks goes the extra mile to milk a joke.
The music is not particularly memorable. The songs move the plot along and delineate character. No one song pops out as a brilliant memorable single. Some are patter songs, funny tongue-twisters. One of best numbers is "Puttin' on the Ritz." The doctor and his monster in white ties, tails with canes sing and tap dance gloriously to Irving Berlin's classic. The song and dance number that Igor and the doctor do, "Together Again" is a solid musical comedy piece.
The overture on the CD sounds derivative, a compilation of familiar old-time Broadway show tunes. In the theater the overture is given short shrift and the curtain quickly rises on "The Happiest Town in Town" number. Much of the show is foolish but still hilarious.
The show and CD are delicious fun, over the top, tasteless humor at times, but whoever said that Mel Brooks in his whole brilliant career showed good taste, just witness the flatulence scene in "Blazing Saddles" that is still a classic bit of bad taste and hilarious comedy.
Some critics panned the show because they thought "The Producers" was better and didn't want Mel Brooks to have another hit. I think both shows are great. It's not fair to keep comparing the two shows. It's like comparing a bagel to an English muffin. People should really see the DVD of the Brooks movie before seeing the show or listening to this CD. I can think of a number of Broadway musicals of the last five years that have less tuneful music than this one.
Free Music Review: Mel Brooks has done it again!
Hit: 5 Stars
Anyone familiar with Mel Brooks' work on the 1974 movie of the same name will adore this musical! I saw it three times during previews in Seattle, and was astounded by the detail put into the show. I believe that this meticulosity is audible on the CD as well. The entire show is filled with wit and jokes relating directly to the movie, that any fan will appreciate. I must say, there is one note in 'The Brain' sung by the amazing Roger Bart (George the pharmacist on Desperate Housewives, won a Tony for role of Snoopy in YAGMCB Revival of 1999), that...irks...me, he sings 'the breeeiiin' (brain), and I wish that he could change that to be...in tone, but otherwise, the CD is a true portrayal of the show.
Best songs include
The Brain
Please Don't Touch Me (Megan Mullally is genuis! What a strong voice!)
Roll In Ze Hay (Sutton's yodeling is astounding!)
Together Again (I realize now that Christopher Fitzgerald (IGOR) didn't have a good oppertunity to show off his amazing voice in Wicked)
He Vas My Boyfriend
Trannsylvenia Mania
Listen To Your Heart
Puttin' on the Ritz (AMAZING. Go see it just for this song. The tap dance bit with the strobe lights, anyone? It made the show. Sealed the deal. Whatever you want to call it!)
Deep Love (What a creative song! The entire thing will make you die laughing!)
Alone (Although it was taken out halfway through previews in Seattle, this song is fantastic. Mullally (ELIZABETH) calls Frankenstein as he is about to bring the Creature to life, complaining that she is alone. Reviews said that it seemed as though they wanted Mullally in every scene, and the song seemed forced. Still amazing.)
Really, it would be easier to list the 'okay' songs. Really, they are a true testament to Brooks' wit and wisdom. It is a smart musical, the songs 'The Brain' and 'Together Again' are piled down with obscure referances that bring a smile to my lips.
I highly reccomend this to fans of the cast, Brooks, the movie, really, of witty musical theatre! It has not been dummed down for a general audience!
Enjoy!
Free Music Review: TRANSYLVANIA MANIA(c)
Hit: 5 Stars
"Young Frankenstein" is the second Mel Brooks movie musicalized for the broadway stage by Mel Brooks and as such the humor doesn't rise much higher than the level of a precocious dirty-minded schoolboy but dirty-minded schoolboys can be funny and Mr. Brooks is the head of the crass(pun intended). I enjoy low-brow humor so all this is okay with me. If you take the liner notes at face value Mr. Brooks music and lyrics are intended in the style of his heroes Cole Porter and Irving Berlin-not even close-but Mr. Brooks manages some catchy tunes, in fact at times his music is funnier than his lyrics but they both come together like a tasty potluck dinner.
On CD Roger Bart seems to be a mellower Frederick Von Fronkensteen but his singing is fine and Christopher Fitzgerald as Igor, he with the movable hump, comes across so vividly you can almost picture his performance with your minds eye. Sutton Foster-I fell in love after "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and as Inga her "Roll in the Hay" is an invitation I'd gladly accept and her yodeling is so hot it would melt the snow caps of the Alps.
There are two tricky roles that are impossible to compete with, Cloris Leachman forever owns the role of Frau Blucher but Andrea Martin aquits herself quite well and her "He Vas My Boyfriend is a hoot and a half and I admire her ability to keep a straight face singing those nutso lyrics. The second role is that of Elizabeth, Dr Frankensteins ditzy fiance. Madeline Kahn can't be topped and wisely Megan Mullaly doesn't try to but brings her own personality to the role. I must admit I was kinda impressed with her singing on her big 11 o'clock number "Deep Love" despite the fact the double entendres and innuendos were about as subtle as a ton of bricks.
So if you want to dance the new craze "The Transylvania Mania" or are just as happy to be "Puttin' On The Ritz" the Broadway Cast Cd is there to assist you. Enjoy.
Free Music Review: It's a "shocker" its that good, IT'S ALIVE!
Hit: 5 Stars
Even though I did not see the musical yet? But on a second thought. I will now, that I took a chance and bought this cd. I know it might be a bit different from the original film. But it was worth it. Well, what do you know it was a total "shocker" It had my neck bolts all fired up! The songs went great with the story. I know I am going to love it even more when I see it live on stage. I was just watching Mel Brook's Dracula Dead an Loving the other day. In this one scene were Dracula is dancing with Mina at the ball and in his castle and the song was played during the end cridics. I thought the music took off really good, it had a musical mood to it, and a broadway touch to it. I thought, what would that movie look like if it were to be turned into a live musical version of it on stage? I know the last Dracula on broadway in NYC was not a great success. But I would like to see Mel Brook's "DRACULA DEAD AND LOVING IT" hit the broadway stage. I think if Young Frankenstein goes well and the critics love it, I think Mel, should maybe do Dracula? But I know some of his movies are not cut out to be musicals and some of them are Space Balls, History of the World ,Robin Hood men in tights? Those would not be the best for a live performance? I think he should be picky on which one's he choices to be on stage infront of a live audiences. I think Mel should go Monster Mania and go ahead and make Dracula the next big hit. That's just an idea I had in mind? I think this show is going to go all the way TRANSYLVANIA MANIA BABY! Go for it an buy it, it was a trill ride of a Musical Haunted Hayride. Deffently add this to your Bloody Broadway Collection. That also includes. Phantom of the Opera, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweeney Todd, Jekyll and Hyde. Dance of the Vampires, and now Young Frankenstein...