These past few months I've been watching and re-watching all movies directed by Mel Brooks. It's been a blast revisiting favorites and discovering classic comedy I hadn't seen before. Rather than wait until the whole list has been watched and reviewed, here are the first 6 films with a few comments.
The Producers (1967)
Rating: Q=5, P=6 / Average OJ
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The first film is always notable and The Producers is classic. Impressively, it has a whole new generation of fans due to becoming a Broadway musical success. But the original film has always been a love-hate relationship with me because its such a comedy of errors (I can't handle them, usually). Leo Bloom is a wonderful character, by the way...Gene Wilder is magnificent.
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Rating: Q=5, P=5 / Average OJ
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I'd never seen this film before and found it amusing in many ways, though it doesn't have the same spark as other later films. I did enjoy watching Dom DeLuise having hysterical fits.
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Blazing Saddles (1974)
Rating: Q=7, P=8 / Obsession
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Rating: Q=7, P=8 / Obsession
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Still probably my favorite Brooks film and one of my favorite comedies of all time. There are so many glorious comedic moments in this movie and brilliant satire. The comedians are having so much fun and you can tell. I learned--not sure how I didn't know--that Richard Pryor co-wrote this script. I love it even more now knowing that.
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Young Frankenstein (1975)
Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession
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This film is arguably the best comedy film of all time. It still holds up for me in every way. Favorite line: "My grandfather's work is doo-doo!"
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Silent Movie (1976)
Rating: Q=6, P=7 / Can't Get Enough
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I had never seen Silent Movie before. Why, I can't say, because it is hysterical. So much zaniness and random cameos from Paul Newman to Marcel Marceau. I highly recommend this one that doesn't get enough love.
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High Anxiety (1977)
Rating: Q=6, P= 6 / Average OJ
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Another film I hadn't seen before, which is very weird to me since this is a spoof on Hitchcock films. For a whole semester of my life I watched almost nothing but Hitchcock movies... this homage/parody is hilarious and has great references for Hitchcock fans. Not my favorite Brooks film, but it is still very fun.
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