Not annoying at all, a fun watch, and I think we agree 100% on the movie order, EXCEPT, I'd switch Spaceballs and Robin Hood, but we agree on everything else.
@matthewnewell4517 the thing is it claimed music I took from artlist. I though the whole point of artlist is that it's free of copyright. Whatever, no biggie.
@@IaMD.B. Oof, that's always annoying. UA-cam our band with a copyright violation for an original song. When we went to fight it, their response was that we had to provide the copyright. Well, we were a small band, so we hadn't copyrighted any of our music, so the song got pulled. And it wasn't a cover and didn't resemble any other song.
You missed one To Be Or Not To Be About a theater troop in Nazi occupied Poland. Best line: "If it weren't for Jews Queers and Gypsies there would be no theater"
After viewing the film himself, Alfred Hitchcock sent Brooks a case of six magnums of 1961 Château Haut-Brion wine with a note that read, "A small token of my pleasure, have no anxiety about this."
Thank you! we had a chateau Margaux sauterne at Le Pyramide, Wiens, France, 1963. Michelin said Ferdinand Point's place best in world. My parents ate with him year or so later, Jour de Bastille, and his wife, were given free wine and champagne. Accent marks too much trouble. Je vous remercie infiniment, as no 'circonflex' needed. My dad did war research versus the naxxy Naxis, spoke 18th century Spanish, as a hobby, and Mom, who also held national directorships in science orgs, spoke fluent Frog. Grandad winemaker, until Prohibition, mayor of Brooklyn. ... Ohio, now west Cleaverlands, Brooklyn Heights, now a daze. What's up, Roc? Never had an Haut-Brion. parents ate at every 3 star of period...me, three. Maxims and L'Auberge du Pere Bise...and at his son's 2 star. Chicken tarragon a specialty. J'aime les moreilles! Morels kick bass. Bored, crippled in pain, after 1 in the A.M. Forgive moi. Mostly get deleted~~just pundemaniac pundemonizing neologistically and nostalgically. The Past is Present, and Lives While the Mind Lives. Well, kinda.
I would say Dracula was easily his worst movie, it had one laugh, the stake through the heart and the blood spouting out, everything else was done before, even the title 'And Loving it" was from his TV show Get Smart, its failure led to his retirement from film.
Yeah. Dracula: Dead and Loving it is the one Brooks film I can't remember a damn bit of. Nielsen just was not of the right style for a Brooks Film. He did best in Zucker productions.
Sorry, have to disagree, but the ABSOLUTE funniest moment in "Spaceballs" is the pastiche of the alien chest-bursting scene with the Warner Brothers' Michigan J Frog. (Even getting actor John Hurd to recreate the scene--his line in the scene, after the alien bursts out is "Oh no, not again"--was just pure genius/hilarity.)
It's all subjective. I think Young Frankenstein is his funniest film, thanks mainly to Gene Wilder. Blazing Saddles and The Producers both have inspired bits but aren't in the same league as YF. I'd put Spaceballs nearer the bottom than the top. And that hurts me to say because I love Rick Moranis.
yes, you can't say Mel doesn't involve previous movie directors cast etc., the lab scene in Young Frankenstein he got the original Frankenstein set director to set it up, Space Balls was sanctioned Spielberg with his takes thrown in, the all-time is his ohmage to Hitchcock he uses his suggestions who do you think helped think up the bird's pooping scene, Blazing Saddles was Mels take on the western genera with the forgotten black contribution to the old west breaking down racism, I remember laughing so hard I fell out of my seat and so did most all colors in the theater as I have said Brooks is a national treasure
@epeck1115 Spaceballs was not great. I was late teens and hated the "comb the desert" joke. It was when I knew he was trying to do a Zucker bros type comedy but failed. Even David Zucker and Jim Abrahams can't do Zucker bros humor without Jerry Zucker. Zucker bros fast pace 3 jokes a minute means you can forgive the bad ones she remember the good ones. Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety have almost all high peaks and no lows. Just wish Wilder starred in High Anxiety.
@@laartwork and where do you think they got their brand of humor; Mel has been doing this for years, chill out we don't pit the comic writers against one another it's not a death match both have their funny merits and are good
Young Frankenstein was written by Gene Wilder. Funniest moment? "Igor, would you give me a hand with the bags?" "Coitainly, you take the blonde and I'll take the one in the toiban."
When Mel went to make Space Balls, he contacted George Lucas who gave him permission to spoof Star wars on one condition - No movie merch. That's why yogurt shows off the goodies, and says That's where all the money is! P.S. I still want the flame thrower....
all of his movies or most he tributed or spoofed whatever you call it he got the original peoples ok or involved, Young Frankenstein he got the set director of the original to set up the lab exactly like it was, Lucas gave impute, High Anxiety he actually got Hitchcock with his sense of humor to suggest some funnies, where do you think the birds pooping came from, Blazing Saddles most everyone involved except the guy that sang the theme song were in on it, like I have always said Mel is a national treasure
I work for a vending company and one day I heard a new kid ask if the women in the count room if all they did was "Count the money " immediately I blurted out De Monet, nobody had a clue what I was talking about.
Don’t know if already mentioned, but Mel brooks knew the guy with the original furniture and props for the original Frankenstein laboratory and asked to borrow all of it for the film (successfully), and the audio as the cast enters the laboratory is the original audio of the cast when they made the monster from the 1930s as well.
"Easy choice for the top spot" - 100% agree! All his movies have something funny, with Blazing Saddles being the most 'joke per second' kind of movie, but Young Frankenstein is a masterpiece, and more than just a comedy. It's gorgeously shot, and the story is just amazing. Brilliant cast, and Marty Feldman is a joy!
It is the ultimate forth wall break, it will never be done better. They break the wall, spill in through the forth wall of another film, bust off the lot, attend the premier (the source joke for Spaceballs "instant video cassettes"), go to watch the end of the film, and that has Gene holding a bucket of popcorn... breaking back through the 4th wall into the movie. And just to top it off, they ride of into the sunset in a limo. That's just a quick description, and my fingers are tired from typing it all out.
@@beauxguss6321I just recently watched Blazing Saddles on my UA-cam TV Library!!! Just an absolute riot of a movie!! The hilarity in that, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, Men in Tights, Dracula Dead and Loving It and History of the World is unmatchable!! Closest thing to them is the Holy Grail Monty Python movie! I think Meaning of Life is so underrated!! It’s freaking hilarious!! Airplane and Naked Gun movies very close by too
I think Young Frankenstein was the movie that solidified the concept of a hunchback named Igor being Dr. Frankenstein's assistant in pop culture. The 1931 movie had Fritz and there was a guy named Ygor in Son of Frankenstein but, well, despite claiming he helped with the creation of the Monster, he wasn't a hunchback and those old movies played fast & loose with narrative continuity anyway. Also, in Son of Frankenstein, the titular Wolf von Frankenstein had his own son as well. So I guess that kid is the character Gene Wilder plays in Young Frankenstein. Neat.
While not a classic like the original Frankenstein or Bride of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein was a really good movie. And it starred Basil Rathbone who was always great. Son of Frankenstein was the target of a lot of the parody in Young Frankenstein, including the great character Inspector Kemp played by Kenneth Mars. Inspector Kemp was based on Inspector Krogh, who was played by Lionel Atwell in Son of Frankenstein.
It's his best movie for me, though I wouldn't write that here. A close second is Young Frankenstein, then Robin Hood, Men in Tights, and Blazing Saddles, though I didn't think it was that good. I didn't laugh once. I was bored by The Producers, Silent Movie
When I was still at work, my partner and I had one way of alerting one another about 'difficult people' - they were always "the common clay of the new west". Ten years into retirement, I still use it.
Some time ago PBS had a kid's cartoon show (containing moral lessons) and Mel Brooks was one of the voices. One show ended with a "behind the scenes" where they were talking to Brooks, who concluded with "I'm Mel Brooks. Ask your parents about me."
I agree with most choices, but I'd put Blazing Saddles over Young Frankenstein. It is a hard choice, but Blazing Saddles is one-of-a-kind. Mel Brooks is a genius!
I think I would still put Young Frankenstein first just because of the excellence lines and the sheer authenticity of doing it in black and white. I do agree Blazing Saddles is certainly an over the top classic that for political correctness could never be made today which makes it very special! Not only did he spoof westerns but he also poked several other sensitive subjects in the eye with ribald humor.
Thanks for this interesting examination of Mel Brooks' films. We'll disagree about which is his best, but my favorite HAS to be "The Producers" (1967). What makes it so great and unique is that it is a true farce and not a spoof (of other movie genres), as so many of his other movies are. Kudos to you for making the point that this film could have actually run longer and still be great. I've always believed that, and I can't recall anyone else making that point. Let's not forget that "The Producers" is the film that earned Brooks his only Oscar. Finally, I appreciate you NOT including the musical remake of this film. It was great on stage. Saw the original cast production on Broadway. Never should have been made into a feature film. Best regards!
Spaceballs was hamstrung by the huge delay in greenlighting. I suspect the funny first half was written when first pitched, which is surely in the late 70s and the second years later when Brooks had lost the feel for it. I mean it's released a whole ten years after Star Wars, which it is parodying. The funniest moments are in the "ludicrous speed" sequence.
A nice thing about the "What knockers" joke is that it's a subversion of a cliche. The cliche joke is a man and a woman say something positive about what they're looking at, but the woman is looking at something else while the man is looking at the woman (but she doesn't know that), and she might even be offended if she knew he was objectifying her. Here, the man, Frankenstein, is the one talking about something else and Inga thinks he's talking about her (and is pleased).
This is my ranking, not of best to worst, but instead of which ones I enjoyed most to least #01) Young Frankenstein #02) Blazing Saddles #03) Spaceballs #04) High Anxiety #05) Robin Hood: Men in Tights #06) History of the World pt.1 #07) Silent Movie #08) Life Stinks #09) The Producers #10) Dracula Dead & LOVING IT #11) To Be or Not To Be #12) 12 Chairs
@@gb1706 Blazing Saddles is probably funnier (and sillier) but Frankenstein Junior is a way more accomplished movie. It works on so many levels. It is really a masterpiece.
@@RodolfLeclerc The more you know about Universal Studios' monster films, the funnier Young Frankenstein is. Practically every scene is spoofing a classic.
@Marveryn I think it was because it was his director/writer movies only. Include the ones where it was just acting video would have been twice as long.
While Dracula Dead and Loving it is an uneven movie, Renfield and the staking scene are so freaking hilarious I almost pissed myself laughing the first time I saw that scene
I respect your list. I can see why you listed them like this. I would list High Anxiety a little higher 😉, because the film is serious with comedic undertones. Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a comedy film with comedic overtones. Nothing wrong with that, but I feel comedy hits better when you aren’t expecting it.
I think the funniest part of 'Young Frankenstein" was when Gene Wilder was using the corpse's arm like it was his own while talking to the constable. Absolutely hilarious. Thanks for giving credit to 'History of the World Part One". That movie is way better than it generally gets credit for.
To me it's Wilder introducing Madeline Kahn as "My financier, uh, financee, uh fiancee." Or the couple of time when the inspector says something in his really thick accent and the whole cast goes "What?" and he has to repeat it.
11 you forgot the corn eating scene where Mel brooks tried to tell the homeless person about the corn stuck to n his nose, but instead of being able to get it off, it just keeps moving around his face until a different homeless guy finally picks it off. Also the fight between Mel brooks and a different homeless guy where their fight is occurring on the edge of the neighborhood perimeter and Mel brooks almost loses the bet by technicality due to his tracking divice going off for almost a whole minute.
Peter Boyle would pay homage to his Frankenstein monster character when his character Frank Barone, in the tv sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” dressed up as the Frankenstein monster in a Halloween episode.
I agree with your 7~11 ranks, but as you referenced, you severely underrated "Spaceballs". 1) Blazing Saddles (no contest) 2) Young Frankenstein 3) Spaceballs 4) The Producers 5) Robin Hood, Men in Tights 6) History of the World, Part 1 (the jokes here are truly uneven)
Awesome list. I agree with the ranking. Watching these makes me want to watch them again. I never watched "Life stinks" because it didn't sound like I would like it.
Bernard Cribbins who starred in the Twelve Chairs (older one with beard), was a legendary British comedy actor. He played the assistant in Doctor Who during the 1960’s-70’s.
High Anxiety at 9? no No NO 1) Young Frankenstein 2) Blazing Saddles 3) High Anxiety 4) History of the World Pt1 5) The Producers 6) Robin Hood, Men in Tights 7) Space Balls 8) Dracula Dead and Loving It 9) Silent Movie 10) The 12 Chairs 11) Life Stinks
Spaceballs is top three at least. the merchandising joke was because George Lucas agreed to let Mel Brooks do a parody of Star Wars in exchange that there would be no merchandise sold for the movie so as a joke he had all of this merchandise made that they weren’t going to sell.
I think you pretty much nailed it. Young Frankenstein is not only the best of Mel Brooks movies, in my opinion it is the funniest movie ever made as well as being a loving tribute to the original Frankenstein movie.
A bunch of us 14 yo went to Young Frankenstein. After a week of telling each other jokes, we realized we'd all missed different jokes, so we went again the next week. I saw it three times the first month it was out.
I still cry from laughing every time I watch 'The Producers'! One of my favorite lines comes when they're reading the manuscripts and Zero reads... "One morning, Gregor Samsa awoke to find himself into a giant cockroach... Nah, it's too good." I find it incredibly insightful and ironic considering that in the early '80s, someone tried to turn Franz Kafka's 'Metamorphosis' into a Broadway show, starring ballet great, Mikhail Baryshnikov. 🤣
THE TWELVE CHAIRS wasn't Mel Brooks' movie debut. That came in his very first picture, THE PRODUCERS, where Mel does a zany audition cameo. BLAZING SADDLES is his best work, because it doesn't spoof an already existing film (FRANKENSTEIN).
So many great movies! "The Twelve Chairs" would be my pick for the bottom of the list. It never did much for me; I agree that Brooks is underused as an actor. I used to enjoy "Silent Movie" but I don't anymore. I think it's sort of a one-trick pony and not very interesting once the novelty wears off. "Blazing Saddles" would top my list because nothing like it will ever be made again. Great video!
Not sure if this one was omitted because it was a remake of an old Jack Benny film, "To Be Or Not To Be". Mel Brooks and his real life wife Anne Bancroft play The Bronskis, a husband and wife performing duo, along with a Polish acting troupe just as the Germans were starting to invade Poland during WWII.
I laughed at Yoda selling flame throwers “the kiddies love this one” All those merchandising jokes were inside jokes because he was forbidden from doing any merchandising for Spaceballs due to his contract with the Star Wars franchise
GREAT job! I'm glad you put Young Frankenstein at the top. Myself, I don't think I could decide and stick with it. I liked your reasoning and I agree. SO TOUGH to rank anything above Blazing Saddles, but I liked your reasons.
I was ecstatic to see where "Young Frankenstein" ranks in your list. So many great lines, scenes and actors! And Gene Hackman as the hermit: "Wait! Wait! Where are you going? I was going to make espresso!" This is the improv by Hackman that legendarily broke up the crew so much that they had to make a quick edit there so that we wouldn't hear them all laughing.
The whole merchandising bit in Spaceballs was actually a reference to George Lucas when Mel Brooks asked him if it was ok they make the film, George only made one condition, that they couldn't make official merchandise, good for Mel for keeping that promise even though his movie fell under parody anyways
I politely disagree with you about "The Twelve Chairs": I don't think it's meant to be a comedy so much as a satire, and, in an odd way, the formation of a brotherhood. It's bitter, harsh, and its comedy is dark. The title song sums it up: Hope for the best, expect the worst. I also disagree with you about the the two leads - they are not comic figures: they are dramatic figures with comic shadings. If you are rating in terms of typical Brooks, this movie, I think, falls outside the circle, because it is not typical. But as a movie with its own story to tell and its own characters to develop, I think it does so almost poetically. Your rating also makes me think of why, when Brooks produces a movie like "The Elephant Man", he removes his name out of concern of the movie losing traction by association with type casting Brooks with a specific type of movie. I like "The Twelve Chairs". Very much.
YES! I was unaware of Twelve Chairs until I bought a box set of Mel Brooks films and it was included. Knowing nothing about it, I was very pleasantly surprised. It was not typical Brooks and it was fascinating to watch.
Not commonly known, but Mel was a producer for the David Lynch directed The Elephant Man. He kept his name off the credits because he didn't want the general public to get the impression that the film would be a comedy.
"The Elephant Man" is one of the very few films that I wish I could enter so I could explore beyond the limits of the scenes. I want to know what happens in the hours and days between what we see. I want to know what characters would be doing when not on the screen, even the hospital staff and other sideshow performers. (Kenny Baker -- R2D2 -- was so lovable and noble in "The Elephant Man"!) I want to know more about them, to spend more time with them -- even if we're all stuck in black and white. I'd have to keep in mind, though, that the film diverged significantly from reality, and that I was not gaining significant insight into the lives of the real Joseph ("John") Merrick and the people who actually knew him.
My first thought was that you left out a few movies. But you are talking specifically about ones he directed, right? This does seem like a complete list for that. He's been involved in more than that. Including other movies he was involved in but didn't direct I can give my top 3, from worst to best: Young Frankenstein, To Be or Not to Be, Spaceballs.
You're mistaken. Mel Brooks was in 'The Producers' (1967) and 'The Twelve Chairs' (1970) was not his first appearance in one of his movies. In the opening number from 'Springtime For Hitler', Mel sings the line... "Don't be stupid, be a smarty. Come and join the Nazi Party!"
'Blazing Saddles' is a film so brave it couldn't be made today. It is of course not a Western, but one about the Western genre, which is why it eventually breaks the fourth wall. I would put it on the same level as 'Monty Python's Life of Brian.'
About 6 years ago, I got to see Mel live at a viewing of Blazing Saddles. When it is brought up that the movie couldn’t be made today, Mel responded that he didn’t know how they were able to make it then either. He said each morning when he arrived on set, he was expecting word to come down from the studio heads that they were pulling the plug on the film. But that word never happened, and as a result the world has an amazing comedy.
PS: You should note in the review that with Young Franksenstein at the top of the list, THAT was a story by Gene Wilder, who wrote the screenplay with Brooks help; which kind of says something about the whole subject of "best" Brooks films!
This makes me want to see all of his films. They all seem very unique and funny. I have never seen any of his films (shocker) so this make me want to see them though I have heard of The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Spaceballs which all seem amazing.
Great video. My order from best to worst: 1) Young Frankenstein (best scene - Puttin' on the Ritz); 2) Blazing Saddles (scene - horse meets Mongo's fist; runner-up: Frankie Laine singing the theme song - it's perfection); 3) The Producers (scene - L.S.D. performs "Love Power"); 4) Spaceballs (scene - Dark Helmet plays with his action figures); 5) History of the World, Part I (scene - Moses delivering the 15 - oops - 10 commandments; 6) Robin Hood: Men in Tights (scene - Merry Men singing/dancing "Men in Tight" song); 7) High Anxiety (scene - film camera breaks the window); 8) The Twelve Chairs 9) Silent Movie (scene - Marcel Marcaeu "No!") 10) Life Stinks (scene - undressing); haven't seen Dracula Dead and Loving It.
@@skaetur1 Young Frankenstein has so many classic lines, great scenes, and tremendous performances (even in the minor roles - Kenneth Mars, Gene Hackman), we could discuss what the "funniest moment" actually is for days. What a film.
I agree with your ranking. All good films. Also Gene came up with Young Frankenstein when he was on the set of Blazing Saddels. He asked if Mel would co write it with him. Mel said yes, the rest is Comady history.
One thing I found interesting about Twelve Chairs, as it is a very rare depiction of the NEP period in Russian history. A period between the civil war and Stalinism when communism was kind of tuned down for a few years.
In the context of the real world, the merchandising joke was funnier than it seemed... George Lucas had given "Spaceballs" his full blessing, even giving Brooks some unused ILM footage (the escape pod scene). His only condition: no Spaceballs merchandise could be produced. And Mel Brooks, true to form, took the prohibition and made it into the film's longest running gag. And Tim Russ (the "we ain't found 💩" guy) later played Tuvok on Star Trek Voyager... his line is regularly quoted by Trekkies to this day.
Had to cut out the opening 10 seconds due to copyright. That's why the video opens immediately with me talking. Annoying, but that's the way it is.
Not annoying at all, a fun watch, and I think we agree 100% on the movie order, EXCEPT, I'd switch Spaceballs and Robin Hood, but we agree on everything else.
I believe you need to get two minutes into a UA-cam video before you can start getting away with some stuff. Not sure if it's true.
@matthewnewell4517 the thing is it claimed music I took from artlist. I though the whole point of artlist is that it's free of copyright.
Whatever, no biggie.
@@IaMD.B. Oof, that's always annoying. UA-cam our band with a copyright violation for an original song. When we went to fight it, their response was that we had to provide the copyright. Well, we were a small band, so we hadn't copyrighted any of our music, so the song got pulled. And it wasn't a cover and didn't resemble any other song.
@@sydhamelin1265 stupidity on full display. What a joke.
The funniest part of 'Silent Movie' is that the only spoken dialog in the film was spoken by the famous French mime, Marcel Marceau.
I agree, I was coming here to say the same thing. lol
No!
@@michaellurie9138 I guess that Silent Movie was not a Silent Movie.
took the words right out of my mouth I couldn't stop laughing
I like the scene with the table rising.
You missed one To Be Or Not To Be About a theater troop in Nazi occupied Poland. Best line: "If it weren't for Jews Queers and Gypsies there would be no theater"
That wasn't directed by him. He just acts in it:)
And he produced it.
But he also (co-)produced The Elephant Man. Be interesting to see where both of those films would rank if we decided to include them.
@@dadoctah I'd have to see both of them first to know
@@randycunningham7318 I'm aware, but this is a list of the films he directed, only.
After viewing the film himself, Alfred Hitchcock sent Brooks a case of six magnums of 1961 Château Haut-Brion wine with a note that read, "A small token of my pleasure, have no anxiety about this."
Thank you! we had a chateau Margaux sauterne at Le Pyramide, Wiens, France, 1963. Michelin said Ferdinand Point's place best in world. My parents ate with him year or so later, Jour de Bastille, and his wife, were given free wine and champagne. Accent marks too much trouble. Je vous remercie infiniment, as no 'circonflex' needed. My dad did war research versus the naxxy Naxis, spoke 18th century Spanish, as a hobby, and Mom, who also held national directorships in science orgs, spoke fluent Frog. Grandad winemaker, until Prohibition, mayor of Brooklyn. ... Ohio, now west Cleaverlands, Brooklyn Heights, now a daze. What's up, Roc? Never had an Haut-Brion. parents ate at every 3 star of period...me, three. Maxims and L'Auberge du Pere Bise...and at his son's 2 star. Chicken tarragon a specialty. J'aime les moreilles! Morels kick bass. Bored, crippled in pain, after 1 in the A.M. Forgive moi. Mostly get deleted~~just pundemaniac pundemonizing neologistically and nostalgically. The Past is Present, and Lives While the Mind Lives. Well, kinda.
@@JamesSimmons-d1t are these captain beefheart lyrics
Hitchcock had a wonderful sense of humor. dark but wonderful (as did Vincent Price)
Not a bad ranking but I am baffled as to how anyone could rate High Anxiety lower than Dracula: Dead And Loving It.
Dracula was a horrible movie
Not sure what this guy found funny
High Anxiety is one of Brooks best films
I would say Dracula was easily his worst movie, it had one laugh, the stake through the heart and the blood spouting out, everything else was done before, even the title 'And Loving it" was from his TV show Get Smart, its failure led to his retirement from film.
Yeah. Dracula: Dead and Loving it is the one Brooks film I can't remember a damn bit of. Nielsen just was not of the right style for a Brooks Film. He did best in Zucker productions.
@@Summerisle1961 That's what I said & the funniest line in Dracula is the English vs. American way to the pronunciation of Schedule.
Summerisle you’re a fool. Dracula is hilarious and u clearly don’t understand humor at all
Sorry, have to disagree, but the ABSOLUTE funniest moment in "Spaceballs" is the pastiche of the alien chest-bursting scene with the Warner Brothers' Michigan J Frog. (Even getting actor John Hurd to recreate the scene--his line in the scene, after the alien bursts out is "Oh no, not again"--was just pure genius/hilarity.)
It's all subjective. I think Young Frankenstein is his funniest film, thanks mainly to Gene Wilder. Blazing Saddles and The Producers both have inspired bits but aren't in the same league as YF. I'd put Spaceballs nearer the bottom than the top. And that hurts me to say because I love Rick Moranis.
And then Check please after it starts to sing hello my baby
yes, you can't say Mel doesn't involve previous movie directors cast etc., the lab scene in Young Frankenstein he got the original Frankenstein set director to set it up, Space Balls was sanctioned Spielberg with his takes thrown in, the all-time is his ohmage to Hitchcock he uses his suggestions who do you think helped think up the bird's pooping scene, Blazing Saddles was Mels take on the western genera with the forgotten black contribution to the old west breaking down racism, I remember laughing so hard I fell out of my seat and so did most all colors in the theater as I have said Brooks is a national treasure
@epeck1115 Spaceballs was not great. I was late teens and hated the "comb the desert" joke. It was when I knew he was trying to do a Zucker bros type comedy but failed. Even David Zucker and Jim Abrahams can't do Zucker bros humor without Jerry Zucker.
Zucker bros fast pace 3 jokes a minute means you can forgive the bad ones she remember the good ones.
Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety have almost all high peaks and no lows. Just wish Wilder starred in High Anxiety.
@@laartwork and where do you think they got their brand of humor; Mel has been doing this for years, chill out we don't pit the comic writers against one another it's not a death match both have their funny merits and are good
50 years ago in 1974 Mel Brooks made his two best movies:
- Blazing Saddles
- Young Frankenstein
In that order
"Werewolf."
"There wolf."
"There castle"
Why are you talking like that?
@@larrybremer4930 "I thought you wanted to"
@@martinputt6421 No, I don't
@@larrybremer4930 "Suit yourself, I'm easy"
Young Frankenstein was written by Gene Wilder.
Funniest moment?
"Igor, would you give me a hand with the bags?"
"Coitainly, you take the blonde and I'll take the one in the toiban."
That was funny, but I think the horses rearing up and screaming every time Fraux Bluker's name was said was sheer comedic gold!
When Mel went to make Space Balls, he contacted George Lucas who gave him permission to spoof Star wars on one condition - No movie merch. That's why yogurt shows off the goodies, and says That's where all the money is! P.S. I still want the flame thrower....
The kids love that one
"Where da real money from da movie is made!"
I want the flamethrower too for crying out loud! I already have “Spaceballs the face mask” 😂
all of his movies or most he tributed or spoofed whatever you call it he got the original peoples ok or involved, Young Frankenstein he got the set director of the original to set up the lab exactly like it was, Lucas gave impute, High Anxiety he actually got Hitchcock with his sense of humor to suggest some funnies, where do you think the birds pooping came from, Blazing Saddles most everyone involved except the guy that sang the theme song were in on it, like I have always said Mel is a national treasure
The kids love this one.
as far as I'm concerned Mel Brooks is a national treasure his movies are funny
I work for a vending company and one day I heard a new kid ask if the women in the count room if all they did was "Count the money " immediately I blurted out De Monet, nobody had a clue what I was talking about.
High Anxiety was my dad’s favorite movie. He passed away in 2008, so we watch it in his honor now and then
I'm a fan of it too, and I met my first girlfriend at the cinema after we both saw it!
Don’t know if already mentioned, but Mel brooks knew the guy with the original furniture and props for the original Frankenstein laboratory and asked to borrow all of it for the film (successfully), and the audio as the cast enters the laboratory is the original audio of the cast when they made the monster from the 1930s as well.
S Martin's "Man With Two lameBrains" was the borrower of bzz bzzz devices?
His name was Kenneth Strickfaden and he had all that stuff getting dusty in his garage
"Easy choice for the top spot" - 100% agree!
All his movies have something funny, with Blazing Saddles being the most 'joke per second' kind of movie, but Young Frankenstein is a masterpiece, and more than just a comedy. It's gorgeously shot, and the story is just amazing. Brilliant cast, and Marty Feldman is a joy!
When I had regular nights out with my brother, it was a line we used between us, 'You take the blond, I'll take the one in the turban..'
Young Frankenstein is the greatest comedy of all-time in my humble opinion,
The "Abby Normal" anger scene was the funniest part in my opinion.
🌻🌼Eyegor, can I speak to you for a moment⚘🥀 ?
Three Syllables. Sedagive!!!
Got to love how the 4th wall break in Blazing Saddles is a literal 4th wall break.
It is the ultimate forth wall break, it will never be done better. They break the wall, spill in through the forth wall of another film, bust off the lot, attend the premier (the source joke for Spaceballs "instant video cassettes"), go to watch the end of the film, and that has Gene holding a bucket of popcorn... breaking back through the 4th wall into the movie. And just to top it off, they ride of into the sunset in a limo.
That's just a quick description, and my fingers are tired from typing it all out.
@@beauxguss6321I just recently watched Blazing Saddles on my UA-cam TV Library!!! Just an absolute riot of a movie!! The hilarity in that, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, Men in Tights, Dracula Dead and Loving It and History of the World is unmatchable!! Closest thing to them is the Holy Grail Monty Python movie! I think Meaning of Life is so underrated!! It’s freaking hilarious!! Airplane and Naked Gun movies very close by too
@@beauxguss6321 "Piss on you, I'm working for Mel Brooks"
@@Tom-os2pt
DOM: "Not in the face! Thank you."
DANCER: "They've hit Buddy... get em girls!"
So this is the director’s video you were talking about. Good choice. Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, living legend, it’s good to be the king. 😊
I think Young Frankenstein was the movie that solidified the concept of a hunchback named Igor being Dr. Frankenstein's assistant in pop culture.
The 1931 movie had Fritz and there was a guy named Ygor in Son of Frankenstein but, well, despite claiming he helped with the creation of the Monster, he wasn't a hunchback and those old movies played fast & loose with narrative continuity anyway.
Also, in Son of Frankenstein, the titular Wolf von Frankenstein had his own son as well. So I guess that kid is the character Gene Wilder plays in Young Frankenstein. Neat.
While not a classic like the original Frankenstein or Bride of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein was a really good movie. And it starred Basil Rathbone who was always great. Son of Frankenstein was the target of a lot of the parody in Young Frankenstein, including the great character Inspector Kemp played by Kenneth Mars. Inspector Kemp was based on Inspector Krogh, who was played by Lionel Atwell in Son of Frankenstein.
I think the opening scene of High Anxiety at the airport is hysterical
It's his best movie for me, though I wouldn't write that here. A close second is Young Frankenstein, then Robin Hood, Men in Tights, and Blazing Saddles, though I didn't think it was that good. I didn't laugh once. I was bored by The Producers, Silent Movie
Nah- Best scene in BS is when Wilder us explaining what type of people live in the town.
"You know..."😂
Apparently this was an ad lib by Wilder, hence Little's genuine laughter in response 😁
When I was still at work, my partner and I had one way of alerting one another about 'difficult people' - they were always "the common clay of the new west". Ten years into retirement, I still use it.
Some time ago PBS had a kid's cartoon show (containing moral lessons) and Mel Brooks was one of the voices. One show ended with a "behind the scenes" where they were talking to Brooks, who concluded with "I'm Mel Brooks. Ask your parents about me."
All I know is that still to this day I am in love with Madeline Kahn. God never made a sexier woman.
I agree with most choices, but I'd put Blazing Saddles over Young Frankenstein. It is a hard choice, but Blazing Saddles is one-of-a-kind. Mel Brooks is a genius!
Those 2 are neck-and-neck in the race for me. My third choice would probably be History of the World…
Blazing saddles destroyed westerns for a long time. No one could do a campfire scene without thinking of the farming cowboys in blazing saddles
I think I would still put Young Frankenstein first just because of the excellence lines and the sheer authenticity of doing it in black and white. I do agree Blazing Saddles is certainly an over the top classic that for political correctness could never be made today which makes it very special! Not only did he spoof westerns but he also poked several other sensitive subjects in the eye with ribald humor.
@limey,
I agree 100 percent.
Young Frankenstein was funny, but Blazing Saddles was jaw-dropping funny. Literally.
Thanks for this interesting examination of Mel Brooks' films.
We'll disagree about which is his best, but my favorite HAS to be "The Producers" (1967).
What makes it so great and unique is that it is a true farce and not a spoof (of other movie genres), as so many of his other movies are.
Kudos to you for making the point that this film could have actually run longer and still be great. I've always believed that, and I can't recall anyone else making that point.
Let's not forget that "The Producers" is the film that earned Brooks his only Oscar.
Finally, I appreciate you NOT including the musical remake of this film. It was great on stage. Saw the original cast production on Broadway. Never should have been made into a feature film.
Best regards!
Spaceballs was hamstrung by the huge delay in greenlighting. I suspect the funny first half was written when first pitched, which is surely in the late 70s and the second years later when Brooks had lost the feel for it. I mean it's released a whole ten years after Star Wars, which it is parodying. The funniest moments are in the "ludicrous speed" sequence.
lol.... "They've gone to plaid" great line by the late John Candy.
A nice thing about the "What knockers" joke is that it's a subversion of a cliche. The cliche joke is a man and a woman say something positive about what they're looking at, but the woman is looking at something else while the man is looking at the woman (but she doesn't know that), and she might even be offended if she knew he was objectifying her. Here, the man, Frankenstein, is the one talking about something else and Inga thinks he's talking about her (and is pleased).
crudeness aside i actually took her misunderstanding weirdly wholesome ngl lol feels alot cooler w/ the subversive nature in mind
This is my ranking, not of best to worst, but instead of which ones I enjoyed most to least
#01) Young Frankenstein
#02) Blazing Saddles
#03) Spaceballs
#04) High Anxiety
#05) Robin Hood: Men in Tights
#06) History of the World pt.1
#07) Silent Movie
#08) Life Stinks
#09) The Producers
#10) Dracula Dead & LOVING IT
#11) To Be or Not To Be
#12) 12 Chairs
Personally, I would swap 4 and 5 on your list. Other than that, I am with you pretty much exactly on this.
#1 Blazing Saddles #2 Young Frankenstein #3 The Producers #4 High Anxiety.
Frankenstein is better Evonn
@@gb1706 Blazing Saddles is probably funnier (and sillier) but Frankenstein Junior is a way more accomplished movie. It works on so many levels. It is really a masterpiece.
@@RodolfLeclerc The more you know about Universal Studios' monster films, the funnier Young Frankenstein is. Practically every scene is spoofing a classic.
@@dougrobinson8602 Yeap! It does help,...
@@gb1706There isn’t as many laughs in it, fact.
Although he didn’t direct it, the movie to be or not to be is a great one. Mel and Ann are phenomenal as always
i was just wondering about that, since it was not mention.
@Marveryn
I think it was because it was his director/writer movies only. Include the ones where it was just acting video would have been twice as long.
While Dracula Dead and Loving it is an uneven movie, Renfield and the staking scene are so freaking hilarious I almost pissed myself laughing the first time I saw that scene
As a die hard Mel brooks fan going back to "the 2000 year old man" and "get smart" you did a good job. almost exactly how I would have ranked them.
"Life Stinks" is one of his best movies! Criminally underrated. But without doubt you picked the right one for #1!
I respect your list. I can see why you listed them like this.
I would list High Anxiety a little higher 😉, because the film is serious with comedic undertones. Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a comedy film with comedic overtones. Nothing wrong with that, but I feel comedy hits better when you aren’t expecting it.
I think the funniest part of 'Young Frankenstein" was when Gene Wilder was using the corpse's arm like it was his own while talking to the constable. Absolutely hilarious. Thanks for giving credit to 'History of the World Part One". That movie is way better than it generally gets credit for.
To me it's Wilder introducing Madeline Kahn as "My financier, uh, financee, uh fiancee." Or the couple of time when the inspector says something in his really thick accent and the whole cast goes "What?" and he has to repeat it.
I think you pretty much nailed the list. And Young Frankenstein is perfectly perched at #1! It is a true Masterpiece!
"It's Good to be the King"...=)
At the end of "History Of The World Part 1" they were advertising "Part 2" and the "Jews In Space" clip used the same melody as "Men In Tights"
I pretty much agree with this ranking order. My dad's favorite movie is Young Frankenstein. He would be glad to see you put that in the #1 spot.
11 you forgot the corn eating scene where Mel brooks tried to tell the homeless person about the corn stuck to n his nose, but instead of being able to get it off, it just keeps moving around his face until a different homeless guy finally picks it off. Also the fight between Mel brooks and a different homeless guy where their fight is occurring on the edge of the neighborhood perimeter and Mel brooks almost loses the bet by technicality due to his tracking divice going off for almost a whole minute.
Peter Boyle would pay homage to his Frankenstein monster character when his character Frank Barone, in the tv sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” dressed up as the Frankenstein monster in a Halloween episode.
"Young Frankenstein" was highly patterned after "Son of Frankenstein".
I agree with your 7~11 ranks, but as you referenced, you severely underrated "Spaceballs".
1) Blazing Saddles (no contest)
2) Young Frankenstein
3) Spaceballs
4) The Producers
5) Robin Hood, Men in Tights
6) History of the World, Part 1 (the jokes here are truly uneven)
The Dracula Dead and Loving it Stake scene has made me laugh more than any other scene ever.
In Sweden, every Mel Brooks movie was called "Springtime for..."! He loved it :D
Awesome list. I agree with the ranking. Watching these makes me want to watch them again. I never watched "Life stinks" because it didn't sound like I would like it.
Best scene in Blazing Sadles…Madeline Kahn claiming..”it’s twoo, it’s twoo”
Bernard Cribbins who starred in the Twelve Chairs (older one with beard), was a legendary British comedy actor. He played the assistant in Doctor Who during the 1960’s-70’s.
High Anxiety at 9? no No NO
1) Young Frankenstein
2) Blazing Saddles
3) High Anxiety
4) History of the World Pt1
5) The Producers
6) Robin Hood, Men in Tights
7) Space Balls
8) Dracula Dead and Loving It
9) Silent Movie
10) The 12 Chairs
11) Life Stinks
Spaceballs is top three at least. the merchandising joke was because George Lucas agreed to let Mel Brooks do a parody of Star Wars in exchange that there would be no merchandise sold for the movie so as a joke he had all of this merchandise made that they weren’t going to sell.
I think you pretty much nailed it. Young Frankenstein is not only the best of Mel Brooks movies, in my opinion it is the funniest movie ever made as well as being a loving tribute to the original Frankenstein movie.
Life stinks is a great movie and it's probably more relevant now than it was when it was made
Oh my god, I've been trying to remember where I saw THAT scene, and it was Life Stinks?! Now I don't need to watch it again! Thank you.
A bunch of us 14 yo went to Young Frankenstein. After a week of telling each other jokes, we realized we'd all missed different jokes, so we went again the next week. I saw it three times the first month it was out.
There’s no worst when it comes down to Mel Brooks
I'm happy we agree on the funniest scene in Dracula: Dead and Loving It.
Zero Mostel delivers a great performance of an award winning script. It's original and wonderful. #1 for me.
I still cry from laughing every time I watch 'The Producers'!
One of my favorite lines comes when they're reading the manuscripts and Zero reads...
"One morning, Gregor Samsa awoke to find himself into a giant cockroach... Nah, it's too good."
I find it incredibly insightful and ironic considering that in the early '80s, someone tried to turn Franz Kafka's 'Metamorphosis' into a Broadway show, starring ballet great, Mikhail Baryshnikov. 🤣
@@aisforapple2494
I actually saw that play!
@@PaulTesta
You were probably the only one. 🤣
@@aisforapple2494
From what I recall, the theatre was full.
@PaulTesta
Everyone came to see Mikhail.
I saw clips on some news show with Baryshnikov walking on his fingertips and toe tips! 🤯
My favorite funny in Young Frankenstein is Gene Hackman's improvised line "wait! I was going to make espresso!"
Your ranking was spot on.; In my opinion, the most iconic line was "It's good to be the iking."
It's good to be the King!
This sunday one of my local movie theaters is showing Blazing Saddles for its anniversary.
THE TWELVE CHAIRS wasn't Mel Brooks' movie debut.
That came in his very first picture, THE PRODUCERS, where Mel does a zany audition cameo.
BLAZING SADDLES is his best work, because it doesn't spoof an already existing film (FRANKENSTEIN).
I've always thought the 4th wall breaks in Blazing Saddles were due to the accidental cars that appeared several times in Leone's dollar trilogy.
So many great movies! "The Twelve Chairs" would be my pick for the bottom of the list. It never did much for me; I agree that Brooks is underused as an actor. I used to enjoy "Silent Movie" but I don't anymore. I think it's sort of a one-trick pony and not very interesting once the novelty wears off. "Blazing Saddles" would top my list because nothing like it will ever be made again. Great video!
Not sure if this one was omitted because it was a remake of an old Jack Benny film, "To Be Or Not To Be". Mel Brooks and his real life wife Anne Bancroft play The Bronskis, a husband and wife performing duo, along with a Polish acting troupe just as the Germans were starting to invade Poland during WWII.
I didn't include it because Mel Brooks didn't direct it.
@@IaMD.B. Yea I caught that this morning when I checked the almighty IMDB...lol my bad.
I believe Mel did this as a homage to his mentor Jack Benny.
The funniest moment in High Anxiety is Harvey Korman as a werewolf scaring a patient.
This film should be ranked much higher.
I laughed at Yoda selling flame throwers “the kiddies love this one” All those merchandising jokes were inside jokes because he was forbidden from doing any merchandising for Spaceballs due to his contract with the Star Wars franchise
All of the movies by Mel Brooks are my favorites.
He’s a living legend
Good ranking, friend.
Gene delivered an Oscar-worthy performance
GREAT job! I'm glad you put Young Frankenstein at the top. Myself, I don't think I could decide and stick with it. I liked your reasoning and I agree. SO TOUGH to rank anything above Blazing Saddles, but I liked your reasons.
I was ecstatic to see where "Young Frankenstein" ranks in your list. So many great lines, scenes and actors! And Gene Hackman as the hermit: "Wait! Wait! Where are you going? I was going to make espresso!" This is the improv by Hackman that legendarily broke up the crew so much that they had to make a quick edit there so that we wouldn't hear them all laughing.
The whole merchandising bit in Spaceballs was actually a reference to George Lucas when Mel Brooks asked him if it was ok they make the film, George only made one condition, that they couldn't make official merchandise, good for Mel for keeping that promise even though his movie fell under parody anyways
I politely disagree with you about "The Twelve Chairs": I don't think it's meant to be a comedy so much as a satire, and, in an odd way, the formation of a brotherhood. It's bitter, harsh, and its comedy is dark. The title song sums it up: Hope for the best, expect the worst. I also disagree with you about the the two leads - they are not comic figures: they are dramatic figures with comic shadings. If you are rating in terms of typical Brooks, this movie, I think, falls outside the circle, because it is not typical. But as a movie with its own story to tell and its own characters to develop, I think it does so almost poetically. Your rating also makes me think of why, when Brooks produces a movie like "The Elephant Man", he removes his name out of concern of the movie losing traction by association with type casting Brooks with a specific type of movie.
I like "The Twelve Chairs". Very much.
YES! I was unaware of Twelve Chairs until I bought a box set of Mel Brooks films and it was included. Knowing nothing about it, I was very pleasantly surprised. It was not typical Brooks and it was fascinating to watch.
Not commonly known, but Mel was a producer for the David Lynch directed The Elephant Man. He kept his name off the credits because he didn't want the general public to get the impression that the film would be a comedy.
"The Elephant Man" is one of the very few films that I wish I could enter so I could explore beyond the limits of the scenes. I want to know what happens in the hours and days between what we see. I want to know what characters would be doing when not on the screen, even the hospital staff and other sideshow performers. (Kenny Baker -- R2D2 -- was so lovable and noble in "The Elephant Man"!) I want to know more about them, to spend more time with them -- even if we're all stuck in black and white. I'd have to keep in mind, though, that the film diverged significantly from reality, and that I was not gaining significant insight into the lives of the real Joseph ("John") Merrick and the people who actually knew him.
My first thought was that you left out a few movies. But you are talking specifically about ones he directed, right? This does seem like a complete list for that. He's been involved in more than that. Including other movies he was involved in but didn't direct I can give my top 3, from worst to best: Young Frankenstein, To Be or Not to Be, Spaceballs.
You're mistaken.
Mel Brooks was in 'The Producers' (1967) and 'The Twelve Chairs' (1970) was not his first appearance in one of his movies.
In the opening number from 'Springtime For Hitler', Mel sings the line...
"Don't be stupid, be a smarty. Come and join the Nazi Party!"
It's his voice dubbed over someone else.
@@IaMD.B.
Sure looked like a younger Mel. 🤷
@@IaMD.B. Happened again in the musical version.
no, the funniest moment was the horses responding to the frau's name...LMAO
Yes, if you understand ein bischen Deutsch.
I thought Brooks was finished when World History Part 1 came out. Then came my absolute favorite Space Balls!
Every time, the spaceballers comb the desert, I'm waiting for them to find the hairdryer of the princess.
'Blazing Saddles' is a film so brave it couldn't be made today. It is of course not a Western, but one about the Western genre, which is why it eventually breaks the fourth wall. I would put it on the same level as 'Monty Python's Life of Brian.'
About 6 years ago, I got to see Mel live at a viewing of Blazing Saddles. When it is brought up that the movie couldn’t be made today, Mel responded that he didn’t know how they were able to make it then either. He said each morning when he arrived on set, he was expecting word to come down from the studio heads that they were pulling the plug on the film. But that word never happened, and as a result the world has an amazing comedy.
It's nice they're gonna release Blazing Saddles on 4k Blu-ray for the movie's 50th anniversary this year.
PS: You should note in the review that with Young Franksenstein at the top of the list, THAT was a story by Gene Wilder, who wrote the screenplay with Brooks help; which kind of says something about the whole subject of "best" Brooks films!
No mention of, 'The Elephant Man'? I know Mel removed his name from the film intentionally but it was his film.
He only produced it. Lynch directed
"History of the World.." is the funniest. I quote that movie more than any outside maybe Caddyshack and Monty Python's Grail.
This makes me want to see all of his films. They all seem very unique and funny. I have never seen any of his films (shocker) so this make me want to see them though I have heard of The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Spaceballs which all seem amazing.
"Send a wire to the main office. Tell them that I said OW!" - "Send wire. Main office. Tell then I said, 'Ow'. Gotcha!"
The man is nearly 100 years old let that sink in.
Great video. My order from best to worst: 1) Young Frankenstein (best scene - Puttin' on the Ritz); 2) Blazing Saddles (scene - horse meets Mongo's fist; runner-up: Frankie Laine singing the theme song - it's perfection); 3) The Producers (scene - L.S.D. performs "Love Power"); 4) Spaceballs (scene - Dark Helmet plays with his action figures); 5) History of the World, Part I (scene - Moses delivering the 15 - oops - 10 commandments; 6) Robin Hood: Men in Tights (scene - Merry Men singing/dancing "Men in Tight" song); 7) High Anxiety (scene - film camera breaks the window); 8) The Twelve Chairs 9) Silent Movie (scene - Marcel Marcaeu "No!") 10) Life Stinks (scene - undressing); haven't seen Dracula Dead and Loving It.
You telling me puttin on the ritz is funnier than “put … ze …. candle …. back!”?
I was surprised he didn't even mention the Marcel Marcaeu scene. Funniest line in the movie: "What did he say?" "I don't know. I don't speak French."
@@blindleader42 Agree. That whole scene's a classic.
@@skaetur1 Young Frankenstein has so many classic lines, great scenes, and tremendous performances (even in the minor roles - Kenneth Mars, Gene Hackman), we could discuss what the "funniest moment" actually is for days. What a film.
Honorable mention: Get Smart
Clearly tastes different, High Anxiety is in the top three for me.
I love the Yiddish-speaking Sioux (also played by Mel Brooks) in Blazing Saddles.
I agree with your ranking. All good films. Also Gene came up with Young Frankenstein when he was on the set of Blazing Saddels. He asked if Mel would co write it with him. Mel said yes, the rest is Comady history.
One thing I found interesting about Twelve Chairs, as it is a very rare depiction of the NEP period in Russian history. A period between the civil war and Stalinism when communism was kind of tuned down for a few years.
5:18 this wasn't an original brooks film. The role of Dracula was written for anyone but Leslie.
In the context of the real world, the merchandising joke was funnier than it seemed... George Lucas had given "Spaceballs" his full blessing, even giving Brooks some unused ILM footage (the escape pod scene). His only condition: no Spaceballs merchandise could be produced. And Mel Brooks, true to form, took the prohibition and made it into the film's longest running gag.
And Tim Russ (the "we ain't found 💩" guy) later played Tuvok on Star Trek Voyager... his line is regularly quoted by Trekkies to this day.
High Anxiety was classic and hilarious. One of my favorites.
I want to see "Jews in Space" and "Hitler on Ice."
High Anxiety deserves to be higher on the list.