2.67, B- | "This is Rick Moranis' second greatest role." "In the end, I laughed. "The Spaceball functionaries have funny helmets." |
Mel Brooks is a comedic genius. He knows exactly how to spoof a franchise and do so hilariously. Star Wars is one of the greatest stories ever told but Brooks made Spaceballs into a comedic classic with memorable and quotable lines that fit any situation.
The quality of the film is pretty good. The chemistry of the star studded cast is great. John Candy as Barf was classic John Candy. His ability to have funny moments was never beyond him and it shined in his supporting role.
This is Rick Moranis' second greatest role - behind Ghostbusters - and he did not disappoint. He captured every scene that involved him and was funny. The coffee statement and the line about the assholes should be in comedic history.
While the on-film chemistry was great, the thing I learned from watching documentaries on comedians is the importance of timing in the genre. Jerry Lewis' Bellboy scene is legendary due to its impeccable timing. Moranis, Brooks, (Bill) Pullman, and Candy nail the timing when possible. That is why Spaceballsis so funny to me. It is a slapstick with amazing timing. The only one who rushed the timing sequence was George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz. Maybe Sandurz was a pushy character and Wyner played it great but there were times when I felt Wyner was a step too quick with the line. His sequence with Moranis on the "You're looking at now" bit, however, was pretty great.
The story itself was pretty silly. Ran out of fresh air? That was just dumb but Brooks made it work because while it revolved around the actions of the characters, it was never at the forefront of the film. The comedy, which was spoofing Star Wars and the point of the film, was.
Another great thing about Brooks is his ability to include popular culture in his films. Viewers see the late 1980s throughout Spaceballs. A Winnebago? An actual lunchbox? Spaceballs the cereal! The music and so many others are present in the film that I will not mention but the point is made. Brooks' skill of inclusion is shown.
Now when it comes to comedies, not everyone enjoys the same kind. As with Bobby's pick of In a World..., I had no idea it was a comedy until halfway into the film. With Spaceballs, however, this is clearly a spoof and slapstick comedy. Those are the kind I revel in. To me, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a top ten comedy of all time and with that in mind, Spaceballs gets high marks from me for its comedy. Its story, however, is another thing.
Was Spaceballs a commercial success? Well, it had an estimated budget of $22.7 million and grossed $38.1 million in the U.S. Making more than the budget is always a good thing but what do others think of it? It holds a 7.1 rating on IMDb, which is pretty good, yet RT gives it a 54% but somehow 83% of its audience liked it. Interesting.
All in all, the comedy was great. Memorable and quotable lines with a cast that could do no wrong. The story was disappointing but the comedy drowned it out.
Grade: B
The quality of the film is pretty good. The chemistry of the star studded cast is great. John Candy as Barf was classic John Candy. His ability to have funny moments was never beyond him and it shined in his supporting role.
This is Rick Moranis' second greatest role - behind Ghostbusters - and he did not disappoint. He captured every scene that involved him and was funny. The coffee statement and the line about the assholes should be in comedic history.
While the on-film chemistry was great, the thing I learned from watching documentaries on comedians is the importance of timing in the genre. Jerry Lewis' Bellboy scene is legendary due to its impeccable timing. Moranis, Brooks, (Bill) Pullman, and Candy nail the timing when possible. That is why Spaceballsis so funny to me. It is a slapstick with amazing timing. The only one who rushed the timing sequence was George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz. Maybe Sandurz was a pushy character and Wyner played it great but there were times when I felt Wyner was a step too quick with the line. His sequence with Moranis on the "You're looking at now" bit, however, was pretty great.
The story itself was pretty silly. Ran out of fresh air? That was just dumb but Brooks made it work because while it revolved around the actions of the characters, it was never at the forefront of the film. The comedy, which was spoofing Star Wars and the point of the film, was.
Another great thing about Brooks is his ability to include popular culture in his films. Viewers see the late 1980s throughout Spaceballs. A Winnebago? An actual lunchbox? Spaceballs the cereal! The music and so many others are present in the film that I will not mention but the point is made. Brooks' skill of inclusion is shown.
Now when it comes to comedies, not everyone enjoys the same kind. As with Bobby's pick of In a World..., I had no idea it was a comedy until halfway into the film. With Spaceballs, however, this is clearly a spoof and slapstick comedy. Those are the kind I revel in. To me, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a top ten comedy of all time and with that in mind, Spaceballs gets high marks from me for its comedy. Its story, however, is another thing.
Was Spaceballs a commercial success? Well, it had an estimated budget of $22.7 million and grossed $38.1 million in the U.S. Making more than the budget is always a good thing but what do others think of it? It holds a 7.1 rating on IMDb, which is pretty good, yet RT gives it a 54% but somehow 83% of its audience liked it. Interesting.
All in all, the comedy was great. Memorable and quotable lines with a cast that could do no wrong. The story was disappointing but the comedy drowned it out.
Grade: B
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