I had forgotten how funny this movie was. It has been a while since I last saw it. It feels like Mel Brook's films, such as, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles (both from 1974), or Space Balls (1987), for even younger people, get more respect and recognition then this film does. I can tell you here, right now, that this one deserves to be among the others. It is just as good, if not better. This film might not be in the caliber of Young Frankenstein (1974), which is almost perfect, but it can match up with the style and execution that made Mel Brook's famous.
When it comes to this film, Brook's sets his sights on world history. He takes us through a story, broken up into skits and sequences, highlighting man's journey from cavemen to the French Revolution. Along the way, he runs into a collection of some of the biggest names of the time from Hollywood. Sid Caesar, Madeline Kahn and Harvey Korman, just to name a few.
I think the problem that this film faces today, was the fact that it was way ahead of its time. The film seems to translate better in the 21st century. I think it needed some time to age. The humor and the comedy gimmicks seem so much more modern than 1981. There also is a catch, because of the timing the film came out. The 80s seems like a time in film history where, when watched today, some of the comedy may be too sensitive for some. Brook's pulled no punches with the comedy. He took aim at every aspect of the human existence, from culture to sex, from religion to race, from life to death. Nothing was off limits and some of that humor might not translate well to today. The majority of the humor does however.
The scale of the production seemed grander in style, because it is a combination of five or six stories, that help depict a satirized history of the world. At the center of it all is Mel Brooks, playing five different roles throughout history and directing them all at the same time. Surrounding Brooks is a treasure trove of comedy and acting giants. There is so much fun and laughs for you to absorb, plus the film is a nice 90 mins long, in a tightly pieced-together, gem of a package. He produced it on a grand, widescreen scale, so it rivaled the films that he makes fun of. The sets and the size of the production matches those films, that are seen in his comedic cross hairs. Enjoy a taste of comedy history, about the history of our world.
7.5 (C+ MyGrade) = 7 IMDB.
When it comes to this film, Brook's sets his sights on world history. He takes us through a story, broken up into skits and sequences, highlighting man's journey from cavemen to the French Revolution. Along the way, he runs into a collection of some of the biggest names of the time from Hollywood. Sid Caesar, Madeline Kahn and Harvey Korman, just to name a few.
I think the problem that this film faces today, was the fact that it was way ahead of its time. The film seems to translate better in the 21st century. I think it needed some time to age. The humor and the comedy gimmicks seem so much more modern than 1981. There also is a catch, because of the timing the film came out. The 80s seems like a time in film history where, when watched today, some of the comedy may be too sensitive for some. Brook's pulled no punches with the comedy. He took aim at every aspect of the human existence, from culture to sex, from religion to race, from life to death. Nothing was off limits and some of that humor might not translate well to today. The majority of the humor does however.
The scale of the production seemed grander in style, because it is a combination of five or six stories, that help depict a satirized history of the world. At the center of it all is Mel Brooks, playing five different roles throughout history and directing them all at the same time. Surrounding Brooks is a treasure trove of comedy and acting giants. There is so much fun and laughs for you to absorb, plus the film is a nice 90 mins long, in a tightly pieced-together, gem of a package. He produced it on a grand, widescreen scale, so it rivaled the films that he makes fun of. The sets and the size of the production matches those films, that are seen in his comedic cross hairs. Enjoy a taste of comedy history, about the history of our world.
7.5 (C+ MyGrade) = 7 IMDB.