Growing up, I constantly watched Mel Brooks films, but the one that stood out the most to me was Young Frankenstein. I can’t even tell you how many times I watched it, especially with my father. We know all the lines by heart, and if it’s ever on TV, I’d drop everything to watch it. Hell, I even saw the Broadway musical version THREE times during its brief run.

This past Halloween season, this wonderful book, Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Book: The Story of the Making of the Film, came out, and really brightened my day. How could you go wrong with some new tidbits about the film?

The book, written with Rebecca Keegan, is full of Brooks’ distinctive voice and wit. He shares tons (but not nearly enough) behind the scenes stories on the making of the film, but I could have stood to heard many, many more.

This book is not a film study, so you’ll only hear how great it was to work on the film in the brief anecdotes from the cast and crew, but that said, did you expect anything else?

The book is filled with wonderful photos as well, really showcasing the film in all its glory.

It’s a quite read, since it’s more of a coffee table book than anything else, but it’s one that fans of the film, and Brooks, will love reading. Keegan does a wonderful job of collecting the stories from the film, and laying it all out in a fantastic manner.

Even me, a diehard fan of the film, learned more than I ever realized about it.

All in all, this is a great book, and one you will definitely enjoy if you love the film.