Spaceballs (1987) – Mel Brooks countdown #8
Concept: Make fun of Star Wars
A Druish princess – as ever, some of the humour is at that level – escapes from an unwanted marriage and a bounty hunter plus his part-dog accomplice is hired to get her back.
Meanwhile the evil empire is plotting to steal her planet's atmosphere…
What’s good: There are more laughs than in Dracula. I liked Dark Helmet's incompetence, along with the long-suffering Colonel Sandurz, and several good visual jokes.
The non-Star Wars jokes are usually good (being teleported next door or the Alien scene etc), and it breaks the fourth wall nicely several times.
Some of the targets – like the attack on merchandising being more to studios important than the film – are on the right things..
What’s not so good: .. but they're not very well done.
Some of the other jokes also fall very flat. Sorry, having a Winnebago for a spaceship isn't funny. (If you disagree, you'll probably love this film.)
Music: More good work by Brook's favourite composer, John Morris.
Miscellany: As already mentioned, this has been a big hit on video.
Overall: At the time, it was sold as a Star Wars spoof, but coming a decade after the original, it was several years too late.
It's an, at times messy, mix of stuff specific to Star Wars, mostly, and a fairy tale. I think it works better as the latter than the former, but it's not quite enough to have me want to see it again. Apparently, children like it as the fairy tale.
TL;DR Your children will probably like it more than you
Film: 3/5
DVD: 4/5
A look back at the film's history, a look at various mistakes in the film, a 'wasn't John Candy great?' and Brooks and his co-writer talking about how good it all is. There's also a commentary by Brooks, plus trailers etc.