Young Frankenstein (1975) is your classic Mel Brooks movie. Full of goofs, gaffes, and that classic irreverent Mel Brooks humor. But, what truly sets Young Frankenstein apart from other Mel Brooks movies is how its stylized.

This movie looks exactly how it would look if it was truly a classic universal horror movie made back in the 30s, like Frankenstein (1931) which this movie takes a lot of inspiration from. This stylistic choice greatly elevates the film to a whole new level. But, what am I talking about?

Well, for starters, the movie was shot in black and white. Which both helps create the old timey aesthetic but also gives the film that classic, spooky gothic feel to it. To the point that any scene from the movie would fit perfectly in a 1930s horror movie, until the first joke is made of course. Additionally, a lot of the props and sets have that hokey and campy feel that those old Frankenstein movies used to have. Largely, because they were the same. A lot of the props and sets were either specifically made to replicate the props and sets of the old movies or were those exact same ones used to film them. For example, the machinery that decorated the laboratory set is mostly props from the original 1930s movies that Mel Brooks was able to find and rent for filming.

Young Frankenstein excels at both being a tribute to the old 1930s horror movies while also expertly parodying it, as is to be expected from Mel Brooks.