Jesse Thompson
Young Frankenstein and Megamind: Film Comparison
In Mel Brook's film Young Frankenstein Gene Wilder plays the young Dr. Victor Frankenstein, the grandson of the infamous Baron von Frankenstein, who is said to have reanimated life and created a monster that terrorized the Transylvanian town. Victor begins the film very much skeptical of his grandfathers work, labeling it lunacy and distances himself from that familial association by insisting that that his last name be pronounced as "Frahnk-en-schteen." When Victor inherits the old castle of the Frankesteins and discovers his grandfather's secret library and laboratory he soon sets on the path of continuing his grandfather's life's work. In his pursuit of creating life, Victor is joined by Igor, the grandson of his grandfathers minion that helped him with his experiments. Igor is played by Marty Feldman and is hilarious in the role of the googly eyed hunchback who comes off dimwitted but certainly has a sharp comedic wit throughout the film. Victor also has the help and eye of his attractive and bimbo-ish Swedish lab assistant Inga, played by Terri Garr.
The film Megamind is directed by Tom McGrath and produced by DreamWorks Animation. Will Ferrell voices the character of Megamind while Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, David Cross, and Jonah Hill lend their voices to the parts of Megaminds arch-nemesis Metroman, the pretty news reporter Roxanne, Megamind's closest friend Minion the fish, and news cameraman turned super powered bully Tighten respectively. The film's setup is very similar to the Superman origins with both Megamind and Metroman being sent as babies from dying planets out into space to arrive on earth. Always an outsider because of his intellect from a very young age Megamind makes his mind up that if he can't be successful and recognized for his talents while acting good, then he’ll just be as bad as he can be, and starts on the path to becoming a supervillain. He and Metroman, the beloved guardian of Metro City, battle over and over again, with Megamind's plans always ending up in defeat, until one day Megamind believes he has killed Metroman and takes over the city. Missing the meaning his epic bouts with Metroman had given to his life, Megamind decides to create a new hero, and train him so that one day they may do battle.
Young Frankenstein's Dr.'s plans to create life in the form of a superhuman ends up going wrong because the wrong brain is inserted into creature due to the carelessness of Igor, and thus a monster is created. Megamind's plans to create a superhero he may one day defeat in battle go awry when the recipient of his superpowers giving injection ends up being a sort of loser with an insignificant life that ends up turning to a life of crime and destruction when his feelings for Roxanne are rejected. Both Dr. Frankenstein and Megamind, after first sinking into despair and hopelessness end up using their genius intellects and rising to the occasion to pacify the problems created by their own creations. Both films also include the protagonist's getting the girl in the end and enjoying some choreographed dance numbers. The films feature good tongue in cheek comedy with Young Frankenstein certainly being the far superior parody of the horror genre than Megamind is of the superhero genre. The cast of Young Frankenstein are all very funny in their parts and playing off one another, while Will Ferrell and co in Megamind offer some laughs but overall must play it pretty safe with the script falling into routine animated family comedy fare.
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