The Best of Mel Brooks: A Definitive Top 10
Mel Brooks has carved a unique niche in comedy, masterfully blending slapstick, satire, and a healthy dose of irreverence. His films have consistently pushed boundaries, proving that no subject is safe from his hilarious lampooning. Here are 10 of his most memorable works.
10. History of the World: Part I (1981)
“It’s good to be the king!” Brooks packs this historical romp with a mix of visual gags, corny jokes, and old-school stand-up, bouncing through vignettes from the Stone Age to the French Revolution. While some bits are hit-or-miss (and the Ancient Rome segment drags a bit), the utterly tasteless Torquemada musical number remains an absolute scream.
9. The Twelve Chairs (1970)
Set in 1927 USSR, this film follows an ex-aristocrat, a conman, and a priest on a frantic search for a jewel-stuffed chair. Brooks’s second directorial effort, adapted from a Russian novel, feels a bit heavy compared to his later, more manic work. Despite the shameless hamming from Ron Moody, Dom DeLuise, and Brooks himself, Frank Langella feels miscast in his debut film role.
8. Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
Brooks takes aim at the Kevin Costner school of English heroism with this fast, cheap, and silly spoof. Cary Elwes stars as Robin Hood, while Dave Chappelle makes a memorable film debut as his sidekick. The film even includes a perplexing detour into “The Godfather” territory. While some jokes fall flat, many hit the bullseye, delivering consistent laughs.
7. Life Stinks (1991)
Brooks steps into the leading role for this “Trading Places”-esque morality tale, where a billionaire bets he can survive on the streets of Los Angeles for a month. Though a box office bomb, this comedy about homelessness possesses a genuine integrity and delivers some genuinely funny moments, like Brooks’s deadpan reaction to his cardboard shelter washing away: “There goes the neighborhood.”
6. Silent Movie (1976)
With only intertitles for dialogue (“He is truly the lord of the winos” is a personal favorite) and a score of just music and sound effects, Brooks crafted an almost experimental meta-comedy. He plays a Hollywood director attempting to make a silent film, leading to charming celebrity cameos and an adorable tango with his real-life wife, Anne Bancroft.
You may also like:
- Top 10 Best Funny Scary Movies To Consider For A Perfect Relaxing Night
- Top 10 Highest Grossing Pixar Movies That Must Have In Your Watch List
- Let’s Update The Most Anticipated Anime Of 2021 For Not Missing Out
5. Spaceballs (1987)
This “Star Wars” spoof might have arrived a decade late, but it now feels more enjoyable than many of the official sequels and spin-offs. You can expect a certain level of humor from character names like Dark Helmet, Dot Matrix, and Yogurt. The cast, including Bill Pullman and John Candy, is game for anything, and the film features some inspired postmodern gags. And great news: “Spaceballs 2” is reportedly in development!
4. High Anxiety (1977)
In this sporadically brilliant send-up of Alfred Hitchcock, Brooks plays the acrophobic head of the Psycho-Neurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous. He gets framed for murder, menaced by pigeons, and cornered in the shower. Brooks’s penchant for breaking the fourth wall reaches its peak when the subjective camera humorously forgets where it’s going.
3. Blazing Saddles (1974)
This chaotic Western spoof cemented Brooks’s legacy as the heir to “Hellzapoppin’ “-style humor. Cleavon Little shines as the Black sheriff (Richard Pryor, a co-writer, was deemed uninsurable), Madeline Kahn delivers a priceless Marlene Dietrich impersonation, and the flatulent cowboys have secured their place in cinematic history.
2. The Producers (1967)
In his groundbreaking directorial debut, Brooks fearlessly stormed the barriers of good taste. Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder star as a washed-up impresario and a neurotic accountant who scheme to get rich from a guaranteed Broadway flop called “Springtime for Hitler.” The film celebrates showbiz, revels in Jewish and gay caricatures, ridicules Nazis, and even spawned a wildly successful stage musical. As Ulla the Swedish secretary would say, “Goddag på dig!”
1. Young Frankenstein (1974)
Brooks’s affectionate homage to early Universal horror films is now further from its release date than it was from the original movies it parodied. It’s packed with unforgettable moments: Peter Boyle’s zip-necked monster crooning “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” Gene Hackman’s blind hermit, the infamous “Abby Normal” brain, and Gene Wilder’s impeccable performance in the title role. A sweet, genuinely funny classic in its own right, we may never see its like again… unless Brooks surprises us with “Young Frankenstein 2.”