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EARLY ACCESS: The Producers

🕑 Added 2021-07-22 13:59:01 +0000 UTC

Comments

Farstar

I saw Silent Movie at the movies at 11 with my mother and cousin who was 10. I felt sorry for my cousin he kept asking what they said.

Elliot Nesterman

History of the World is uneven, which often happens with sketch comedy. The best parts of HotW, IMHO, are the two musical sketches, one being in the coming attractions. My theory about Brooks's parody films is that as they went along the targets of each parody got narrower and narrower, and that meant less and less material for jokes.

Eric Janssen

History of the World is...sort of the dividing line between good Early Mel, and bad Later Mel, where he just stopped caring. Mel was trying way too hard to make Blazing Saddles happen again, and all he remembered was the cusswords, horny Madeline Kahn, a wacky black character, and Harvey Korman's name being mispronounced. (Oh, and another wacky-inappropriate musical number because, well...)

Tyler Foster

I haven't seen History of the World. One of the only videos of Ashleigh's I haven't been able to watch because I haven't seen the movie yet! I agree with everyone that Life Stinks is genuinely bad.

Manuel Johnen

"Silent Movie" is good. It's certainly better than "Dracula", "Life Stinks", "Men in Tights", "History of the World" and "Spaceballs"...

Tyler Foster

I'd put Silent Movie over a few others, including most of his later output (Spaceballs, Men in Tights, Dead and Loving It), but YMMV.

Tyler Foster

Since she loved Robin Hood: Men in Tights, I imagine she'd find stuff to enjoy in Dracula: Dead and Loving It, even if I think she should get to others first.

Eric Janssen

It's not for the first-time Mel Brooks fan, but for those who want to see more Marty Feldman after "Young Frankenstein". Which alone makes it more watchable than Men in Tights.

DEAN JORGENSEN

Mel Brook’s “Silent Movie” is only for the die hard fans.

WEEZER MANN

Gene Wilder was a very nice man! A true gentleman ,and a very generous tipper!!! My friend and I delivered the New York times and the local papers to his house here in North Stamford Connecticut, way back when his wife Gilda was still alive.

Eric Janssen

"Well, it's SUPPOSED to be about Leopold & Loeb, and everyone SAID they were!” (…What is this, a Pixar film? 😅 )

Dylan

Rope is also good… a good thriller and a look into a gay couple in those days of Hollywood

Ken - Kendo161

I noticed she cut Dick Shawn's performance in it's a Mad Mad Mad Mad world. lol probably because of length. that movie does talk a long time to wrap it up.

Tom Castro

Ashleigh, you need to watch "Angels With Dirty Faces" starring James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and The Dead End Kids. Warning: you will probably cry at the end

T.J. Gengler

Thank you for that kind person. I was confident that Ashleigh would like this movie but her reaction to Dick Shawn's performance surprised me. I thought she was going to pop a lung!

Ullatec

Dracula is one of those I find to be “Awesomely Bad movies while Get Smart is one of my favorites!

Gio Vidrio

Thanks TJ for getting us back on the Mel Brooks hot mess express! Glad Ashleigh enjoyed this one. I’m hoping to be within the next month or so in your tier to help choose some bangers for her to watch as well. 🙌🏼

Stevilicious

So glad it wasn't the musical!!! You need to watch High Anxiety to round out the best of the Mel Brooks films.

Manuel Johnen

There's room down there in that barrel for "Life Stinks", too, yeah...

T.J. Gengler

.....and the chroniclers shall write "They died like heroes,..... their faces to the fire."

Eric Janssen

Well, technically "Life Stinks" is bottom of the barrel Brooks, but yeah, Mel thinking Leslie Nielsen would be the future of comedy is a product of its decade...

Michael Atakpa

If you ever get the chance the musical version of this and Monty Python and the Holy Grail "Spamalot" are worth seeing if they ever have any kind of production of it in the Knoxville area!

Eric Janssen

Another bit of trivia--Between his TV years with Sid Caesar and his movies, Mel Brooks had a career book-doctoring the scripts to Broadway musicals, and knew quite a FEW things about Broadway flops from experience. When Max reads the script to "Kafka's Metamorphosis: the Musical" ("'Gregor Samsa awoke to discover he had become a cockroach'...It's too good!"), that could have been an in-joke about Mel's script to "Shinbone Alley", the Archy & Mehitabel musical.

Manuel Johnen

Yeah... really, you don't have to rush to watch "Dracula: Dead and Loving It". It's bottom of the barrel Brooks... :/

Eric Janssen

Historical note, btw: In the late 60's, The Sound of Music had played for literally four years in theaters, and we were freakin' sick of it--Inappropriate jokes about the happy WWII-Austria "Nazi musical" began to surface, and when a reporter asked Mel Brooks on the set of "The Twelve Chairs" what he was making, Mel ad-libbed, "It's called 'Springtime for Hitler, a musical romp with Adolf & Eva'!"

Eric Janssen

"I have yet to meet a Mel Brooks I don't love!"- Be careful what you wish for: Dracula is one of the REASONS we teach the young kids born after the 00's that Mel Brooks made actual movies before Spaceballs, Men in Tights and History Pt. 1.

Elliot Nesterman

Huzzah!

Ullatec

You are going to see Dracula: Dead and Loving It and Get Smart, right... Right?!

Tyler Foster

Mel's To Be or Not to Be is good, but it's a distant second to the Lubitsch original.

Paul Krueger

I think Mel not being in Young Frankenstein was mostly because the story idea was mostly Gene’s. The Producers actually predates Mel’s cameos, although he does dub the singer who says “Don't be stupid, be a smarty. Come and join the Nazi Party," Oh, and one bit of trivia, you’ve previously seen Dick Shawn (L.S.D.) as Sylvester in Mad Mad Mad Mad World. And Kenneth Mars was also the guy with the wooden arm in Young Frankenstein.

1000thghost

Good pick TJ!!! I got your back dog!!!

Nicholas & Heather

"You can't get to the end until you've been changed by the journey."

Michael Waldrep

I saw this movie fairly recently and I was surprised how much I liked it and I'm glad you liked it too!

Mark Finley

At least TJ didn't pick the remake this time. We can put away the pitchforks for the time being.

Dylan

Especially her face Ans in that iconic dress

Alexander Fish

Zero Mostel (Max) originated the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway. He was also blacklisted in the 50s during the "Red Scare" for refusing to out communists in Hollywood.

Dylan

Yes yes Absolutely she does Grace Kelly is one of the greats up there with Elizabeth Taylor

Lynnetta

She needs to be introduced to the beauty of Grace Kelly!!

Paul Johnson

Love your reaction...very funny movie and I would like to give a shout out to a couple of the supporting actors...Dick Shawn who played LSD/Hitler a very funny guy who actually died onstage during a standup act(and the audience initially thought it was a joke) and one of my favorites the very underrated Kenneth Mars who played Franz a very talented comic/character actor who worked steadily in films and TV for many years and honorable mention to William Hickey the drunk guy who falls over in the bar...in later years he made a career out of playing cranky/eccentric old guys...have a wonderful weekend!

Paul Johnson

Larry Storch is my guy lol...and Estelle Winwood the "Hold Me! Touch me!" lady actually made it to 101

Dylan

I think so too I love rear window if nothing els she will love grace Kelly

Mark Sylvester

I think she would like Rear Window. It has mystery, suspense and the great Jimmy Stewart.

Dylan

After you watch a few more Hitchcock movies you’ll have to watch high Anxiety

T.J. Gengler

Many thanks. That’s good advice for all of us.

T.J. Gengler

I’m not able to watch the full watch along until this evening but I’m so happy that Ashleigh enjoyed this bit of classic cinematic history. Ashleigh, Thank you so much for your kind words of support and for your understanding in dealing with some of my choices. This film is very funny but it’s also very much a product of it’s time. That’s neither a good thing or bad thing but it does mean some bits don’t translate well. “Why is he wearing soup?” Looking forward to seeing the full reaction after work and I should probably stop humming “Springtime for Hitler” in the break room.

Billy Hogner

One of my favorite Gene Wilder movies is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It should be required viewing for Gene Wilder fans.

Laura Neary Smith

Oh I'm so glad you got to watch this one! Such a classic. Can't wait till you get to watch Gene as Willy Wonka.

Eric Greenwood

Haunted Honeymoon is a great Gene Wilder movie but its rarely mentioned

Bill Bevins

One of my favorite movies of all time. Glad you did the original. Will do the watchalong later.

Louise Brooks

So glad you enjoyed this! Zero Mostel was always so funny. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a great one too. To Be or Not to Be is another great Mel movie, and his wonderfully talented wife is in it with him.

Manuel Johnen

He pleased me very much with "Cape Fear"... <3

Mark Lee

Mel didn't put his face in the movie, but he did put his voice in it. He sang in Springtime for Hitler.

Gordon Davis

Blue blankey.

Louise Brooks

Poor TJ, you can never please everyone, so don't bother. LOL

SCSponge

Love Power

Mark Dunham

Thumbnail song: Springtime for YouKnowWho?

Tony Williams

Keep up the good work T.J. and don't let the bastards get ya down.

Manuel Johnen

A couple of years ago, Christopher Lee was my vote for "Will make it past 100", but at the moment, Mel Brooks seems like a safe bet... Clint Eastwood is still a contender, though...