TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Spaceballs (Special Edition) [1987]
![Spaceballs (Special Edition) [1987]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5154KJ7JAAL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £2.51 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Mel Brooks's 1987 parody of the Star Wars trilogy is a jumble of jokes rather than a comic feature, and, predictably, some of those jokes work better than others. The cast, including Brooks in two roles, more or less mimics the principal characters from George Lucas's famous story line, and the director certainly gets a boost from new allies (Rick Moranis and John Candy) as well as old ones (Dick Van Patten, Dom DeLuise). Watch this and wait for the sporadic inspiration--but don't be surprised if you find yourself yearning for those years when Brooks was a more complete filmmaker (Young Frankenstein). --Tom Keogh
A battle of spaceballs under the sun
Review date: 2008-04-08 Rating: 8 out of 10
A parody of Star Wars, and Aliens, and some other films of the type (space science fiction) is of course welcome because we like taking things un-seriously, non-seriously, serious-ness-less-ly. So it is funny and that is not a surprise. Mel Brooks knows how to make things both funny and silly so that we can gargle with giggles and barf with laughter. But the film has the main defect all Mel Brooks's films have. The humor is essentially punctual, so we have one joke after another, one smile after another, one pleasant moment after another, but there is no structural derision of the models. The final birth of an alien is funny both because of the situation in which it happens and it surprises us then, and because the alien is turned into some kind of long-tailed Fred Astaire or Zizi Jeanmaire. With a few bananas it could have impersonated Josephine Baker. The River Kwai song is funny because it surprises us too especially since we were expecting seven dwarves and their song when going down to the mine. But that is all. Beyond this fun nothing, zilch. And that's a shame because the subject could have been a real mine of structural humor against these big space sagas that process the audience into some kind of slightly, and even at times a lot, intellectually and culturally retarded people. The only attempt at this structural humor is to make the king of the good ones regress beyond some kind of constitutional monarchy to look like an old feudal monarchy in the absurd way they dress, a King Lear comic clown. But that does not shoot the moon down from the sky. In the same way the transformation of the bad spaceship into the statue of Liberty is pure derision but the transformation of her beams of light around her head into escape routes that defecate the wrecked soldiers does not really provides the film with some structural meaning, like the satire of American democracy and liberty that are at times quite dark in their general functioning. Funny for sure in the absurd line of definition of this term, funny too when you can read most of the allusions, but the fun is scattered and sprinkled all over, as if the millions of stars could be compared to the unique and sole sun.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
Similar Products
- Blazing Saddles (30th anniversary edition) [1974]
- Young Frankenstein [1975]
- Robin Hood - Men In Tights [1993]
- History Of The World - Part 1 [1981]
- Robin Hood - Men In Tights [1993]
Reviews
absurd and very funny
Review date: 2006-08-28 Rating: 8 out of 10
Yes the humour is a little obvious at times and the continuity is a little dodgy, but this doesn't detract from Spaceballs being a very funny film. It doesn't pay to think too hard whilst watching - it's childishness is really it's appeal. I haven't had such a good time watching a film in ages - a little similar to watching the Muppet show, just switch off and enjoy the absurdity. It's a nostalgic ride in a way too, 1980's rock music (back when Bon Jovi was 'cool'), The ever-warm and sorely missed John Candy, and Rick Moranis being truly humourous. Clearly a long time ago now!
may da schwartz be with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review date: 2006-01-27 Rating: 10 out of 10
one of mel brooks greatest movies. it is starwars , startrek , flash gordon. every sci-fi movie ever rolled into one with great characters including yougurt , barf , lonestar and dark helmet. it has the occasional swearing but it only adds to the humor if you havent seen this movie you havent lived. filled with many jewish puns every one will personaly wet themselves. "it is like the temple of doom" "well it sure isn't the temple beth din"! buy it today you wont regret it may the schwartz be with you !!!!!!!!!!!!
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Rick Moranis
Bill Pullman
Daphne Zuniga
Mel Brooks
John Candy
Creators:
Mel Brooks (Primary Contributor)
John Candy (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070028096
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Anamorphic, Box set, Dubbed, PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen,
Release date: 2005-05-09
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 92 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1987
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Greek (Subtitled)
Language: Hungarian (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Dubbed)
Language: German (Dubbed)
Language: Hungarian (Dubbed)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)
Language: Spanish (Dubbed)