Creators: Mel Brooks

Creators

A growing list of inspirational artists, writers, poets, filmmakers, and creatives.

Mel Brooks

Melvin James Kaminsky is one funny guy.  He's the kind of funny guy that I would want to be: someone who can effortlessly put a smile on your face.  And if you google him, it's nearly impossible to find a picture of him where he isn't smiling.  He's won an Emmy, a Tony, a Grammy, and an Oscar through his career.  His life of comedy began in standup, and then like so many others went into comedy writing.  From there, he developed the improv act The 2000 year old man with fellow comedian Carl Riener, and developed the pilot for Get Smart before braking into movies.

Mel has created some of my favorite comedies, and with the amount of awards and honors he's racked up, I'm sure they're some of yours too.

Space Balls (1987):

The beginning of my love affair with Mel came in the year of my birth.  Space Balls was probably the first movie that made me laugh so hard I hurt.  The scene in question, EVERY one with Rick Moranis.  This is the essential send up to Star Wars.  All others are crap in comparison.

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Hello Handsome!  Young Frankenstein is certainly a classic in comedy by anyone's standards.  It's one of those movies that people look at you funny if you say you haven't seen it.  As a kid I loved "Put'n on the Ritz" and the catapulted girl to no end.  For the rest of my life, I will expect to hear horses whinny when Frau Blücher is spoken.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

My favorite rendition of the Robin Hood story on film.  It's a hilarious parody of Errol Flynn's The Adventures of Robin hood and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.  It has great jokes, Dave Chappelle, Sir Jean Luc Richard, and "Unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak in an english accent."

Blazing Saddles (1974)

A beautiful movie about race relations.  "Where all the white women at?"

History of the World Part 1 (1981)

Eagerly awaiting the follow up, History of the World Part 1 is a great excuse to load a movie with anachronisms, sight-gags, and subject specific jokes.  My affection for this movie is likened to my affection for "saucy bernaise," "Count De Money," "nvts," Jesus Jokes, and the greatest dance number inspired by the Spainish Inquisition:

Honorable mention to both versions of The Producers.

He was also Big Weld in Robots.  Class act.

Get to know him if you don't already.