Each Christmas I usually pick a DVD set to ask for that I would normally not be able to purchase on my own. This year I decided to be bold and wish for The Mel Brooks Collection on Blu-ray. I figured why not be bold, right? Much to my surprise, a review copy arrived on my doorstep last week, courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment. Apart from being stunned, I realized I had nothing left to request for Christmas. Ok, that isn’t entirely true and is completely beside the point.
The Mel Brooks Collection consists of nine of the Producer/Director/Actor’s greatest films and they come packages in a 11″ x 8″ hardbound book. Accompanying this in a very sturdy outer slipcase is a second 11″ x 8″ hardbound book that is 120 pages of not only a biography of Brooks’ early life, but each film has it’s own, exhaustive section. The book alone is almost worth owning by itself, that’s how detailed it is. But while the book may be the first delicious course, the films contained herein are really the main dish.
“What’s a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a rustic setting like this?”
Filmmaker, star and paddleball wiz Mel Brooks goes way out west and way out of his mind with a hilarious spoof set in an 1874 Old West where 1974 Hollywood is one soundstage away – and where good-old fun blast prejudices to the high comedy heavens. Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn and more join for horseplay and horselaughs, making Blazing Saddles the #6 choice on the American Film Institute’s Top-100 Comedies.
Disc One starts things off with Blazing Saddles, perhaps Brooks’ most politically incorrect film to date, mostly due to the prodigious use of the much-tabooed “n-word”. Oddly, though, that is one of the funniest aspects of this film as its over-use quickly elevates it and the film into new heights of satire. This is arguably the filmmaker’s best known film and it holds up well over thirty-five years later. Blazing Saddles also serves as a great entry point into the mind and humor of Mel Brooks.
The film is presented in 2.40:1 Widescreen with crystal clear English: 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio. This one the one Brooks film that I was most worried about being transferred to HD as a lot of it is shot softly, but it works, no fear there. There are some Deleted Scenes included that are funny, but were rightly left out of the final film. Brooks provides Scene-Specific Commentary and their are two documentaries (“Back in the Saddle” and “Intimate Portrait: Madeline Kahn (Excerpt)”). One of the gems on this disc is the Black Bart pilot episode that was a spin-off of the film and starred absolutely no one from the original. The Theatrical Trailer rounds things off. Everything here seems to be carried over from the previous DVD release.
“So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.”
The farce is with you in this “uproarious salute to science fiction” (The Hollywood Reporter) that teams comedy legend Mel Brooks with an all-star cast of cutups including John Candy, Rick Moranis and Bill Pullman. When the evil Dark Helmet (Moranis) attempts to steal all the air from planet Druidia, a determined Druish Princess (Daphne Zuniga), a clueless rogue (Pullman) and a half-man/half-dog creature who’s his own best friend (Candy) set out to stop him! But with the forces of darkness closing in on them at ludicrous speed, they’ll need the help of a wise imp named Yogurt (Brooks) and the mystical power of “The Schwatrz” to bring peace – and merchandising rights – to the entire galaxy!
Disc two brings the geeks’ delight, Spaceballs. I’ve watched this film at least a dozen times and I doubt I’ve caught all the sci-fi references, mostly because I’ve been laughing too much. This film is notable for being one of Bill Pullman’s first performances and also being at the height of the late, great John Candy’s. Presented in 1.85:1 Widescreen, you get a Commentary by Brooks, “Spaceballs: The Documentary”, “In Conversation: Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan” and a tribute to John Candy, “John Candy: Comic Spirit.” There are also some Outtakes, a “Storyboards-to-Film Comparison” and the chance to watch the movie in Ludicrous Speed, which you really should do at least once. Trust me, it’s worth it, especially how it sounds in 5.1 DTS.
“For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius.”
Mel Brooks’ hilarious tribute to Mary Shelley’s classic makes fun of not just the legend, but also every other Frankenstein movie! Summoned by his late grandfather’s will to a castle in Transylvania, young Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) discovers a step-by-step manual on how to bring a corpse to life. With help from Igor (Marty Feldman), the hunchback who gets upset when people mispronounce his name, and sweet, curvaceous Inga (Teri Garr), Frankenstein makes a creature (Peter Boyle) with a monstrous lust for life – and love! Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars and Gene Hackman co-star in this inspired vision of lunacy.
Young Frankenstein may just be the best film of Gene Wilder’s career and, yes, I realize that’s saying a lot. He is at his zaniest and most over the top here, I believe, even more so than his stint as Willy Wonka. Having said that, the late Marty Feldman probably steals the movie as Igor (Eye-gor?). Though, having said that, nothing tops the late Peter Boyle as The Monster performing “Putting on the Ritz.” You will watch this many times and you will love it each and every time.
Lots of extras are packed in with the film. In addition to 2.35:1 Widescreen and 5.1 DTS Sound, there’s a Commentary by Mel Brooks, “Inside The Lab: Secret Formulas in the Making of Young Frankenstein,” some great Deleted Scenes, “It’s Alive! Creating A Monster Classic,” “Making FrankenSense of Young Frankenstein,” “Transylvanian Lullaby: The Music of John Morris,” “The Franken-Track: A Monstrous Conglomeration of Trivia – Trivia Track,” “Blucher Button” and some Outtakes that are almost as funny as the best parts of the film. last, but very much not least, is the Isolated Score Track (DTS MA).
“Those who are tardy do not get fruit cup.”
In this outrageous homage to the Hitchcock thriller, Mel Brooks plays renowned Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Richard Thorndyke, a nut-job with a paralyzing fear of heights, who’s just become head of the Psycho-Neurotic Institute for the Very Very Nervous. After the jittery doc learns that his predecessor died under suspicious circumstances, he looks for help from his resentful associate (Harvey Korman) and his evil head nurse (Cloris Leachman) – who, not surprisingly, offer no help. To make matters worse, events take a murderous turn, and Thorndyke is accused of the crime. Co-starring Madeline Kahn, High Anxiety is considered one of Brooks’ best.
Having a love of Hitchcock films is certainly not necessary to thoroughly enjoy High Anxiety, but it helps. I have seen many of the films that this film spoofs, so it is difficult for me to say what you will think if you are coming in cold. Much like a basic understanding of sci-fi films is necessary to “get” Spaceballs, you’ll want to at least know how suspense films are supposed to work to get in on the joke here. Watch Vertigo, North By Northwest, Spellbound and Psycho if your first viewing of High Anxiety doesn’t illicit more than a guffaw of two. And Cloris Leachman as Nurse Diesel still creeps me right the hell out.
High Anxiety is presented in 1.85:1 Widescreen: 1.85:1 with sound greatly enhanced by 5.1 DTS. Features include “Hitchcock and Mel: Spoofing the Master of Suspense,” “The ‘Am I Very, Very Nervous?’ Test,” “Dr. Thorndyke’s Ink Blot Test,” “How Anxious Am I?,” “Don’t Get Anxious! The Trivia of Hitchcock – Trivia Track” and a great sounding Isolated Score Track (DTS MA).
“Ah, now there’s a naughty bit o’ crumpet!”
Mel Brooks gives new meaning to the term “revisionist history” with this laugh-filled version of the story of mankind. This far-from-accurate romp teaches the “real” truth behind the Roman Empire (in which Brooks plays a stand-up philosopher at Caesar’s Palace), the French Revolution (where he pops up as King Louis XVI), and the Spanish Inquisition (in which monks and nuns participate in a splashy songand-dance number). Featuring an all-star cast including Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Gregory Hines and Sid Caesar, History of the World: Part I proves that nothing, including history, is sacred.
Back in the days when Cable TV was a decided luxury, I was thrilled to have a channel that showed nothing but movies without commercials! Once my Mom feel asleep I would sneak into the living room and watch a couple of late night movies that I was probably too young to be watching. One of those was History of the World, Part I.” I actually woke my mother up I was laughing so hard and it was several months before I got to see the last half of the film. For that reason, History of the World, Part I will always have a place in my heart. Strangely, this film spark a rabid interest in history in my young, impressionable mind and, more importantly, was my gateway into the risque, irreverent and hysterical world of Mel Brooks. Thank you HBO and thank you Mom for being a mostly sound sleeper. This movie never looked so good as it does here presented in 2.35:1 Widescreen and DTS 5.1 Surround Sound, the latter of which does unbelievable justice to the Isolated Score Track. Throw in “Musical Mel: Inventing ‘The Inquisition’, “Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World” and “The Real History of the World – Trivia Track” and you have a nice little disc of fun! Now, if Mel would just come through with the promise of that trailer for “Part II” at the very end…
“I lost? Wait a second, I’m not supposed to lose. Let me see the script.”
The master of comedy, Mel Brooks, pulls off another serious spoof on a classic with Robin Hood: Men in Tights. The all-star cast includes: Cary Elwes as the head of the merry men, Roger Rees as the evil dyslexic Sheriff of “Rottingham,” Richard Lewis as the seriously neurotic Prince John, Amy Yasbeck as the put-upon Maid Marian, Patrick Stewart as ultrrrra-Scottish King Richard, Tracey Ullman as a muchsought-after soothsayer named Latrine and Dave Chappelle and Isaac Hayes as hilarious characters named Achchoo and Asneeze.
Robin Hood: Men In Tights was my least favorite Mel Brooks film for a very long time. In fact, the first time I saw it, I hated it and I’m not really sure why. Over the years I’ve come to appreciate it a lot more, but there are still some scenes that I feel fall flat and aren’t as funny as they should be. Still, this still rises above most comedies available so is certainly a worthy addition to this collection. The picture is in 1.85:1 Widescreen and the sparse features include “Funny Men In Tights: Three Generations of Comedy,” the HBO Special: Robin Hood: Men In Tights – “The Legend Had It Coming”, the old LaserDisc Commentary by Mel Brooks and an Isolated Score Track (DTS MA).
“No!”
Only Mel Brooks would tell his laugh-packed tale about a silent movie—as a silent movie—with one word of dialogue. Joining him in his outrageous, nonstop parade of sight gags are Marty Feldman, Dom Deluise, Sid Caesar, Harold Gould, Bernadette Peters and Ron Carey. As the ruthless conglomerate Engulf and Devour targets a floundering movie studio, has-been director Mel Funn (Brooks) convinces the paranoid studio chief (Caesar) to make a star-studded silent picture. Aided by his sidekicks (DeLuise and Feldman), the devious Funn actually manages to sign some of the biggest names in Hollywood: Paul Newman, Liza Minelli, Burt Reynolds, Anne Bancroft and James Caan. Filled with hilarious spoofs of just about everything that happens in tinseltown, Silent Movie is one of Brooks’ funniest, most original films.
The greatest thing about this film is that the only line of dialogue, the word “No”, is spoken by noted mime Marcel Marceau. Think about that for a minute. Before, during and after, much hilarity ensues. Enough said, I think.
Presented in 1.85:1 Widescreen. Special Features: “Silent Laughter: The Reel Inspirations of Silent Movie” and “Speak Up! Historical Hollywood – Trivia Track.”
“Oh, but that’s enough talk about me. Let’s talk about you. How’d you like me in the first act?”
Mel Brooks lets the Nazis have it with both barrels in this hilarious remake of Ernst Lubitsch’s classic comedy. Brooks stars as Frederick Bronski, the great Polish actor an amazing amount of people have never heard of. Anne Bancroft co-stars as his actress wife, with whom he fights an eternal tug-of-war for center stage. He should only know about her backstage meetings with a handsome fighter pilot…But all that is put aside when the Nazis invade Poland and the entire troupe gets involved in a frenzy of murder, mistaken identities and maniacal improvising to thwart the Gestapo and save the Polish underground. Co-starring Charles Durning as the SS colonel who stands in their way, To Be Or Not To Be will have you on your feet, yelling encore!
To Be Or Not To Be is interesting for the fact that it is not directed or written by Brooks, but he instead focuses on being the main actor, which is also the only role he takes on in this film. That doesn’t mean that it is any less funny than his other films. In fact, I think it benefits from Brooks only wearing one hat here and throwing his all into his performance. Anne Bancroft and Christopher Lloyd are equally amazing here. The 1.85:1 Widescreen pictures looks terrific in HD and the Isolated Score Track is a very welcome surprise. Also on the disc you’ll find “Brooks and Bancroft: A Perfect Pair,” “How Serious Can Mel Brooks Really Get?,” plus Profiles of Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning and “To Be Or Not To Be: That Is The Trivia! – Trivia Track.” The trivia track is especially informative this go ’round.
“I hate people I don’t like.”
Set in Russia in 1927, this much-loved, hilarious Mel Brooks comedy classic is the tale of a former aristocrat (Ron Moody) who is now a Russian clerk under the new Soviet regime. When he learns that his dying mother-in-law sewed a fortune of family jewels into one of the twelve dining room chairs, he sets off across Russia to find it—with an opportunist (Frank Langella), a priest (Dom DeLuise) and his former servant (Mel Brooks) all in equal pursuit.
Disappointingly, all we get for The Twelve Chairs is the film in 1.85:1 Widescreen with no extras whatsoever. On the bright side, we get perhaps Brooks’ most underrated and ignored film in a beautiful transfer. This was the first film work I remember seeing from both Frank Langella and Dom DeLuise and, even as a kid, I thought they were both geniuses. However, it’s been so long since I’ve seen this that it alsmost felt like wtaching it for the first time. I almost recommend you watch this one first, but that’s almost like trying to pick one of your children as a favorite.
This is a superlative set that belongs in every cinephiles’ collection. You should definitely surprise your favorite film buff with this under the tree, but I strongly recommend you pick up a copy for yourself!