Take Two is a series from movie buffs Isabelle Curtis and Fritz Freudenberger to review entertainment options in the region. This Halloween we picked the 1974 horror-comedy “Young Frankenstein,” directed by Mel Brooks and starring co-writer Gene Wilder. It also features Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman. It is showing for free at the Harbor Theater Oct. 31, 7 p.m.

Is: Who knew a penchant for resurrection could run in the family? Our story follows Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the grandson of the infamous mad scientist, who soon finds himself picking up where his grandfather left off after he inherits the family estate in Transylvania.

This film is a favorite in the Boothbay Register office. As a first-time viewer, I can see why. It’s funny. It’s iconic. It’s camp. Bursting at the seams with clever wordplay and slapstick, “Young Frankenstein" is a riff on the classic monster movies of the 1930s, with homages aplenty from black-and-white (B&W) scenery to a frightfully familiar Bride of Frankenstein updo.

Striking visual language was the movie’s strong point. You can’t beat a creepy castle on a hill lit by lightning strikes. There’s something about the extreme lights and darks that only B&W film can achieve that lends itself so well to this story. I also want to highlight Wilder, whose pale eyes, thanks again to the lighting, are simultaneously unworldly and unhinged. Just like his performance. However, my favorite character was the bug-eyed, hunch-backed Igor, who had the best one-liners.

That said, my overall feelings are best described as neutral-positive. While generally amusing, there were few laugh-out-loud moments for me. Plus, I really felt the runtime. However, I can understand why this film is still a classic over 50 years later.

3.5/5 Mad Scientists

Fritz: I have to admit that “Young Frankenstein” was my first Mel Brooks movie and, perhaps related, my favorite. This is a completely biased review. For me, it's a perfect comedy.

By now, I'm sure you know the plot and the characters. It’s a parody that combines such joy for the source material with its own original vision that it's reborn as a masterpiece in its own right.    

It's a remarkably quotable movie with funny bits as numerous as the body parts that make up the monster. Wilder is the driving force, a crazed personification of subconscious obsession that pushes the film onward. However, the supporting cast really makes it shine. There’s never been a better portrayal of Igor than Feldman’s sassy trickster interpretation, and Kahn is as beautifully comedic as always. Boyle steals the show in its sole musical number, and a cameo from the late great Gene Hackman may actually tug on some heartstrings. And that's just the big-name stars.

I adore the choice to go black and white, for reasons including the stunning visuals Is mentioned. It gives a silver-screen feeling of legitimacy and moody spookiness that color would have detracted from. It also feeds into one of the best aspects of the movie. No matter how absurd or weird the film gets, every character is sincere, maybe even deadpan. Each actor plays their role with a professional commitment. They aren't hamming it up for the camera; the world in which their characters live is truly bizarre.

The result is an absurd cast of oddballs that make us, and some of the saner characters, wonder “who’s the crazy one here?”

There is no “if you like” for this review. I think everyone should give “Young Frankenstein” a watch.

5/5 Mad Scientists