One of the most influential figures in film comedy of all time, not only as an actor, but perhaps more notably as a screenwriter, producer and director.
He gave us The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, High Anxiety and many more.
It's safe to say he is the father of the "spoof" genre. Leslie Neilsen , Jerry Zucker, David Zucker and Jim Abrahams (The Naked Gun, Airplane) as well as The Wayans Brothers all owe a huge debt to Brooks for leading the way to some of the most successful projects of their careers.
Plus, after all the shit Gibson has put us through lately, it's nice to celebrate a Mel that is trouble-free.
I always preferred Woody Allen who weirdly was more like what Brooks is now known for earlier in his own career - at one point the thought that Allen would be a "cerebral" filmmaker more than Brooks was utterly unfathomable when Brooks had plot heavy high concept triumphs like The Twelve Chairs and The Producers...........and Allen was spoof heavy skewering genres (Bananas, Play It Again Sam, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex, Sleeper).
Brooks in 1974 had the Coppola directing 74 year in comedy - Blazing Saddles and maybe the most beautiful comedy ever just aesthetically in Young Frankenstein .......both of those looked like the films Allen was making at the time and Brooks was not......and which Allen would start to become less enamored with and Brooks would continue with in spoofing.
Quite fascinating how those 2 men swapped roles specifically....... Happy Birthday
Post by Tommen_Saperstein on Jun 28, 2020 15:20:59 GMT
Happy b-day, Mel. Could never get into your comedy beyond The Producers but you sure have left an indelible mark and I'm eternally grateful to you for making Madeline Kahn a thing.
Post by therealcomicman117 on Jun 28, 2020 16:09:55 GMT
In addition to being a great director / influential figure in comedy, Brooks was also a hugely influential producer, and was responsible for helping directors like David Lynch, and David Cronenberg get their careers further off the ground. His production company has been involved with some impressive films.
In addition to being a great director / influential figure in comedy, Brooks was also a hugely influential producer, and was responsible for helping directors like David Lynch, and David Cronenberg get their careers further off the ground. His production company has been involved with some impressive films.
Happy birthday to a comedic great.
As I understand the story, Brooks watched the tiny movie Eraserhead was a blast and hired Lynch for The Elephant Man (one of Brooks's pet projects), and the rest is history. Correct?
In addition to being a great director / influential figure in comedy, Brooks was also a hugely influential producer, and was responsible for helping directors like David Lynch, and David Cronenberg get their careers further off the ground. His production company has been involved with some impressive films.
Happy birthday to a comedic great.
As I understand the story, Brooks watched the tiny movie Eraserhead was a blast and hired Lynch for The Elephant Man (one of Brooks's pet projects), and the rest is history. Correct?
What of Cronenberg? I haven't heard that story.
Yes. Brooks loved Eraserhead, enough that he helped get Lynch hired for Elephant Man, the success of which helped jump-started his full career. Jonathan Sanger the other producer, was actually an assistant director to Brooks on High Anxiety.
Brooks company was involved with The Fly, Cronenberg's biggest hit, and was responsible for helping to get the film funded. I think it was less complex and career-effecting, then the Lynch story, though.
Incredibly influential and iconic. As therealcomicman117 he's done so much amazing work behind the scenes as well. Also half of one of the best Hollywood couples ever:
Phenomenal interview - several great quips. I had to seek out that Sid Caesar-matador sketch and it was hilarious. "If you kill all the bulls, you kill show business!"
His new memoir is out today. "When you parody something, you move the truth sideways." Can't wait to read it.
