# What is the greatest Mel Brooks movie, and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946 "2009-11-09T21:30:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/1 "2009-11-09T21:30:59Z")
Public poll, no set ending date, one answer per respondent, yadda yadda yadda. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/2 "2009-11-09T21:35:27Z")
The Producers – for taking a great premise to wonderful extremes. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/3 "2009-11-09T21:36:58Z")
**Young Frankenstein** – the perfect mixture of cast and writing and homage, and Brooks didn’t go too far overboard. I’d put the original **Producers** up there near the top, along with **SpaceBalls** and **To Be or Not to Be** (heresy – I prefer it to the original) and the under-rated **The Twelve Chairs**. Below that I’d put **Blazing Saddles** (heresy, I know, but I don’t care for it that much), **High Anxiety** , **Silent Movie** , and **History of the World, Part I** Then below that his later movies, **Dracula, Dead and Loving it** **Robin Hood – Men in Tights** I haven’t seem **Life Stinks** , but it doesn’t look good. I’m not sure when I’d put the new **Producers** , but I don’t feel compelled to see it again. That’s not a good sign. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/4 "2009-11-09T21:52:43Z")
Young Frankenstein I would have named anyway, but mentioning Teri Garr, that just cemented it. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/5 "2009-11-09T21:54:25Z")
I really couldn’t care less about Terri Gar - I’m not even sure which female she is, the assistant or his girlfriend back home - but Young Frankenstein is at the top of the list for me, with History of the World close behind. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/6 "2009-11-09T21:55:49Z")
Sorry, it’s _Blazing Saddles_, all the way. Do NOT waste any of your precious seconds on this earth with the new version of _The Producers_. \ ---
**Author:** ![StoutHearted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@StoutHearted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StoutHearted)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/7 "2009-11-09T21:59:25Z")
I’m torn between Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles; both are superb parodies of distinct film genres. I’m a tad more partial to YF for sentimental reasons: I lost my first tooth watching it, and my sister used to crack me up as a kid with her Marty Feldman impression: “I ain’t got no booooody…” ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/8 "2009-11-09T22:00:51Z")
This is tough, but I think I’d have to go with Blazing Saddles. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/9 "2009-11-09T22:01:36Z")
My favorites are Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles The scene with Peter Boyle as the monster and Gene Hackman as the blind monk may be the funniest five minutes of film I have ever seen. a close second is the following exchange: Sheriff Bart: “Are we awake?” Waco Kid: “We’re not sure. Are we…black?” Sheriff Bart: “yes, we are.” Waco Kid: “Then we’re awake, but we’re very puzzled…” ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/10 "2009-11-09T22:02:07Z")
I selected _Blazing Saddles_, because it’s one of those movies where if I’m not doing anything else, and I see it’s on, I will stop and watch it immediately. However, _Young Frankenstein_ is a close second; I can’t hear “Putting on the Ritz” without singing it like the monster… ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/11 "2009-11-09T22:07:49Z")
I’ve gotta go with _Blazing Saddles_ - not only outright funny as hell for almost the entire movie, but amazingly subversive in its racial commentary, considering it was a studio movie, made by a middle-aged Jew. And this quote is 32 flavors of awesome, for an elitist liberal such as myself who grew up in an ass-backward hick farming town: [QUOTE=The Waco Kid] You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons. [/QUOTE] Don’t get me wrong, I love _Young Franksenstein_. I’d like to say it comes a close second, but it doesn’t - not through any fault of its own, but **Blazing Saddles** is just so damn good, nothing else Brooks has done comes close. Oh, and say what you want about Teri Garr in _Young Frankenstein_, give me Medeline Kahn as Lili Von Shtüpp any day - rowwr. Yes, indeed, I would like some schnitzengrüben. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/12 "2009-11-09T22:09:55Z")
_Young Frankenstein_, because I can recite the whole thing by heart, and it is still funny. Although yes, I vould like a roll in ze hay. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/13 "2009-11-09T22:10:28Z")
IMO there is nothing, nothing, committed to the silver screen that comes anywhere close to _Springtime for Hitler_ in terms of satirical gnaw-your-knuckles-to-the-bone tastelessness. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/14 "2009-11-09T22:11:50Z")
**To be or Not To Be** - one word: SCHULTZ!!! This and \*\*Blazing Saddles \*\*have to be some of the most quotable movies ever made. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/15 "2009-11-09T22:29:12Z")
I really like _To Be or Not To Be_, but… I’m going with _Blazing Saddles_. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/16 "2009-11-09T22:38:29Z")
I chose **Young Frankenstein** , but I almost went this direction… _Gilligan, you moron! What about **High Anxiety**?_ ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/17 "2009-11-09T22:38:55Z")
As for _Spaceballs_, I find that it’s best reminisced about, and not watched - it’s one of those movies that just doesn’t hold up. Some funny bits, but overall forced and badly dated - outside of the fact that it targeted its satire (or more accurately, parody) at a specific franchise instead of an entire genre, it also really suffers for lack of a better cast. And the script is really not that good - when your funniest lines are “she doesn’t look Drewish”, “use the schwarz”, and “she’s gone from suck to blow”, you’re reaching a bit. If anyone cares, here would be my top Mel Brooks movies, in descending order: [ol] [li]Blazing Saddles[/li] [li]Young Frankenstein (I told you it wasn’t a close 2nd)[/li][li]The Producers[/li][li]High Anxiety[/li][li]ETA: To Be Or Not To Be - can’t believe I forgot this one![/li][li]History of the World, Part 1[/li][li]Silent Movie[/li][li]a bunch of other movies not worth repeat viewings[/li][/ol] ETA: THANK YOU, **Equipoise**! I was hard pressed to pick _The Producers_ over _High Anxiety_ as my # 3 - but the latter has nothing that approaches the brilliance of _Springtime for Hitler_. ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/18 "2009-11-09T22:43:18Z")
Blazing Saddles comes in second to YF only because I didn’t like the deconstructionist ending. It really lost focus and just kind of fell apart there. Not funny and didn’t have anything to do with the rest of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/19 "2009-11-09T22:47:50Z")
Brand me as being a product of my age, but _Spaceballs_ is the greatest. Too much Gene Wilder in _Young Frankenstein_. The ending of _History of the World, Part 1_ falls flat, which couldn’t come soon enough after the sloooooooow-ass musical numbers. _The Producers_ is good and funny, but rarely rises above its premise. _Blazing Saddles_ is closest to _Spaceballs_, the biggest single tripping point is the reliance on racial humor, the style of which doesn’t translate well today. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-mel-brooks-movie-and-why/516946/20 "2009-11-09T22:59:03Z")
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