Right here is each Mel Brooks film ranked from least humorous to hilarious — together with Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, Younger Frankenstein, and, effectively, all of them.

However First: We Love Mel Brooks

Earlier than he made classics like Blazing Saddles, Brooks was a pivotal comedy author within the early world of tv, together with writing for the famed Sid Caesar. He paired with lifelong buddy Carl Reiner to create genius works together with The two,000 Yr Outdated Man, and Brooks co-created Get Good, the spy spoof sitcom.

However Mel Brooks, who not too long ago turned 98, is most beloved for his movies — virtually all of them parodies of beloved film genres, from silent motion pictures to monster motion pictures to Westerns. Additionally, we’re solely counting movies he directed, not ones he appeared in for others.

Listed below are all 11 Mel Brooks motion pictures, ranked from entertaining to hilarious.

11 — Life Stinks (1991)

Notably, Life Stinks will not be a parody. Although Mel Brooks directed and starred within the movie, he doesn’t break the fourth wall or do any of his basic spoof type of humor. The film was a flop, regardless of Brooks try at social commentary — one thing he did extra efficiently with Blazing Saddles.

Within the movie, Brooks performs a grasping businessman who bets one in all his compatriots that he can stay penniless on the streets for 30 days. If he succeeds, he’ll get to tear down a Los Angeles neighborhood.

It’s like Buying and selling Locations to a level, however with out the kinetic persona of Eddie Murphy. In Brooks’ protection, virtually anyone would have a tough time making a humorous comedy about homelessness.

10 — Robin Hood: Males in Tights (1993)

Life Stinks doesn’t have many defenders, however Robin Hood: Males in Tights certain does. Nonetheless, it’s a kind of erratic Brooks comedies. He’s fooling around even by his requirements.

There are some good jokes, and some well-handled potshots at Kevin Costner’s flip as Robin Hood. Nonetheless, for each good joke, a number of miss the goal.

Males in Tights can be notable for being the primary movie to function Dave Chappelle. He performs Ahchoo, one in all Robin’s Merry Males. And we love Cary Elwes in every thing.

9 — Dracula: Lifeless and Loving It (1995)

Dracula: Lifeless and Loving It is Brooks’ most up-to-date movie, and introduced collectively two of essentially the most important faces of parody movies — to play Dracula, Brooks enlisted Leslie Nielsen, star of Zucker-Abrams-Zucker’s beloved Airplane! and Bare Gun movies. The pairing of Brooks and Nielsen alone makes this price watching.

Do the 2 ham it up? Certainly, these fangs chew some surroundings. We aren’t fairly loving it, however there are glimmers of excellent within the film.

Additionally, that is nearly as good a spot as any to notice that we’re solely rating the films Brooks directed, not 1983’s To Be Or To not Be, which he produced and starred in with the love of his life, Anne Bancroft.

8 — The Twelve Chairs (1970)

Brooks personally is an enormous fan of The Twelve Chairs. After directing his first movie, Brooks took an opportunity on directing… an adaptation of a Russian satire. The Twelve Chairs is an oft-adapted Russian novel from 1928, however within the Americas it isn’t a well-noted textual content. Maybe that’s why The Twelve Chairs got here and went within the blink of an eye fixed.

The film stars, amongst others, Dom DeLuise and Frank Langella. It has a powerful forged, and Brooks has a small function as effectively. He additionally modified the e book’s narrative to make it much less darkish. Brooks wished to let the viewers go away on a excessive word.

We now have not learn the e book, and might’t evaluate it as a textual content. However we’ve got to provide Brooks credit score for attempting to parody supply materials that was in all probability a thriller to giant swaths of the viewers.

7 — Silent Film (1976)

Bear in mind when The Artist gained Finest Image? The Artist is a comedy in regards to the silent movie period, and the transfer to “talkies,” and was filmed prefer it was a kind of motion pictures.

Silent Film did it first, and Brooks went even additional by way of replicating Nineteen Twenties movies. After all, he additionally did the identical goofy stuff he’s synonymous with, which undercuts the verisimilitude.

Silent Film is a few director within the Nineteen Seventies who needs to make a silent film. He’s parodying the movie business round him, and it’s not all the time delicate. Brooks performs “Mel Funn,” Marty Feldman performs “Marty Eggs,” and so forth. Brooks’ spouse Anne Bancroft cameos as herself, and Burt Reynolds is nice as Burt Reynolds, in a bathe scene, no much less.

And Marcel Marceau has a talking function, a basic Mel Brooks joke.

6 — Historical past of the World, Half I (1981)

Sketch comedy is usually broad, and in addition usually hit-or-miss. Mel Brooks comedy i additionally usually broad and infrequently hit-or-miss, so it’s type of shocking that Brooks solely directed one sketch film.

For Historical past of the World, Half I, the title was a part of the bit — the movie options an assortment of sketches set throughout historical past. Brooks and his forged of characters get to play a number of notable figures, and carry out enjoyable musical numbers.

The sketch nature of the movie sevbes the shaggy nature of the challenge, and it’s enjoyable to see Brooks swinging for the fences and having fun with some inventive freedom after his most profitable decade.

5 — Excessive Anxiousness (1977)

If there’s a most missed Brooks film, it’s Excessive Anxiousness. Brooks’ spoof of Alfred Hitchcock, especifically Vertigo, is the primary Mel Brooks movie that he stars in. He handles every thing deftly.

The parody components of Excessive Anxiousness are well-appointed, as with Silent Film. What’s completely different is that the plot is, effectively, extra of a plot. Thrillers are literally good fodder for spoofs, since they’re inherently heightened. You throw a comedic twist on that, and it may possibly present plenty of comedic heft.

Brooks properly surrounded himself with a powerful supporting forged too. If you happen to missed Excessive Anxiousness, give it a watch.

4 — The Producers (1967)

All of it started right here. The Producers was Brooks’ directorial debut, and whereas the movie wasn’t very profitable, it discovered new life as a Broadway musical, which was then was one other movie.

The Producers is about an unethical producer and accountant who understand they’ll make more cash with a flop than a success on Broadway. Enter: “Springtime for Hitler.” Brooks, a Jewish-American who fought in World Battle II, was all the time eager to joke about Nazis.

This was Brooks first collaboration with Gene Wilder, whom he met when Wilder appeared in a play along with his spouse, Anne Bancroft. Zero Mostel was additionally broadly acclaimed, and Dick Shawn deserves a shout out for his efficiency as effectively.

3 — Spaceballs (1987)

As large as Star Wars was, it’s just a little odd that parodies of Star Wars haven’t been commonplace. Star Wars rip-offs are a dime a dozen, however Brooks acknowledges sci-fi was a style ripe for parody, and Spaceballs just about nailed it.

Spaceballs is goofy as all get out: Yogurt as a parody of Yoda? The Schwartz? However there are many large laughs, from Ludicrous Pace to Rick Moranis is nice as Darkish Helmet. Invoice Pullman and John Sweet are pleasant.

You possibly can learn 12 behind the scenes tales of Spaceballs right here.

2 — Blazing Saddles (1974)

Mel Brooks’ 1974 was nearly as good a 12 months as any director has had. The highest two movies on this listing each got here out that 12 months. Each are basic comedies. Each are humorous and totally satisfying. The one query was which one would end first, and which might end second.

In the long run,  we give Blazing Saddles the silver, however that’s not faint reward. Listed below are 12 behind the scenes tales of Blazing Saddles.

Some individuals will say that “You couldn’t make Blazing Saddles at present,” which is type of an empty assertion. You can, aside from the very fact it was already made. Sure, it’s crass and crude and vulgar. It’s additionally foolish and dumb at occasions.

The humor is lowbrow, however the satire is robust. Brooks, with the assistance of Richard Pryor on the screenplay, crafted a quintessential ‘70s racial commentary, however it didn’t condescend, and it didn’t pull punches on the jokes. Having Gene Wilder within the forged subsequent to Cleavon Little helped, and we will shout out Madeline Kahn as effectively.

1 — Younger Frankenstein (1974)

The winner, in the long run, is Younger Frankenstein. Wilder stars as a descendent of the physician from the novel, who takes over the household fort — and in addition the household experiments.

The forged is star studded, from Kahn to Feldman to Terri Garr (with Wilder, above). And naturally, we’ve got to say Peter Boyle, who performs the monster.

The comedy will not be precisely delicate, however it’s subtler and stronger than that in lots of Mel Brooks motion pictures. It’s additionally some masterful filmmaking — Younger Frankenstein even used props from the outdated Common movies.

Listed below are 12 Younger Frankenstein Behind the Scenes tales, largely from Mel Brooks himself.

Favored This Listing of Mel Brooks Motion pictures Ranked?

You may also like these behind the scenes tales of Airplane!, that includes Dracula: Lifeless and Loving It star Leslie Nielsen.

Or this listing of 12 Rad ’80s Motion pictures Solely Cool Youngsters Bear in mind.

Predominant picture: Lee Meredith in The Producers. Embassy Photos