Gene Wilder, 1933 - 2016

Above, Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein.

Gene Wilder died at age 83.

It is hard to imagine that he was at that age because it seems like only yesterday we were enjoying the movies he was in. Young Frankenstein. Blazing Saddles, Silver Streak. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The list goes on.

Just the other day (well, we do this all the time), my former roommate Jes and I were mimicking his and Marty Feldman's "walk this way" routine from Young Frankenstein.

Wilder left a great legacy of comedy movies. For a look back at his career, go to The Federalist's tribute post.

R.I.P.

"Young Frankenstein" Pushing 40

Time and life goes by so fast that it sometimes seems incredible that favorite movies are pushing 40 (or more) years.

Such is the case of Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein, the 1974 spoof of the Universal Frankenstein movies of the 1930s and 1940s. Young Frankenstein was released in December 1974, 40 years ago.

A 40th anniversary screening was held Tuesday at the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences.

An article on the event was posted on the Japan Times website. It starts with:

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – “Young Frankenstein” is pushing 40, but is by no means over the hill. 

The film’s writer-director, Mel Brooks, and actresses Cloris Leachman and Teri Garr gathered at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday night for a 40th-anniversary screening of their comedy classic. 

As they posed for photos, Brooks and Leachman flanked Garr, who was in a wheelchair. Garr has long battled multiple sclerosis and also suffered a brain aneurysm in 2006.

To read more, go here.