Mel Brooks: Is He Done?- Page 2

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 12:15pm

I love Mel's movies. I have seen Young Frankenstein several times. Do I laugh out loud everytime I see it? No. But I enjoy them. I don't plan to see Young Frankenstein unless, for some reason, a ticket is given to me or I get it on discount. I wasn't crazy about the music for the Producers and not too crazy about what I have heard from Young Frankenstein. But I think most of all, I just haven't been crazy about Mr. Brooks himself over the past few years. He was really annoying in the documentary for the recording of the Producers and there is just an annoying thing about him that I don't remember from years ago. He was funny, not annoying. With that said, if he wrote a new musical for Broadway, I just might go. I would like to see something new by him. Just my random thoughts.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 12:17pm

I am waiting to see the scene where Mongo punches the horse staged by Stroman.

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 12:20pm

I really hope he does men in tights next. I have watched Young Frankenstein (albeit not live on stage...) and I laughed at a lot of it! It's really well done, and what I saw was from Seattle. Roger Bart could be better, but the supporting cast is awesomely funny, and the show itself is very well done. And why do people keep saying there are no good songs in the show? At least half the songs are memorable IMHO. I know I'll get chastised for this, but I really think people want to hate it.

*(runs and hides)*

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 12:23pm

I would like to see his short lived TV series on Robin Hood -"When Things Were Rotten" - released to DVD.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 12:36pm

Forgot all about "When Things Were Rotten"! I remember watching it. Fun show.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 1:14pm

Who is not showing him respect?

I didn't say one bad word about him, even in my original post. I know the man is hysterical. His films are perfection. But, it just seems that since he won ever TONY award in existence for THE PRODUCERS, it's made him a little lazy with his stage work.

I had a good time at YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, but I never was rolling in the aisles like THE PRODUCERS had me doing. I feel he just thinks that as long as he slaps his name on something, the people will just eat it up. And, I know he has more talent than that.

[bk]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 1:59pm

Um, I think Winston89 took it seriously, which is why I posted my response. See his post and mine.

"Unless your like his friend, which I sincerely doubt."

While I wouldn't call Mr. Brooks my "friend", we have met many times, I was on his regular guest list for all his early workprint screenings for every film from Young Frankenstein on (when it was ten minutes longer and unscored), he has attended shows of mine, is a fan of my first film, etc. and I happen to know he's not working on Blazing Saddles, at least not at this point. So you can "sincerely doubt" all you like because you apparently know much more than I.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 2:03pm

A stage full of farting cowboys!

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 2:41pm

bk - do you know if he is working on something, though? I bet he could write something original and it be great!

[sally1112]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 2:45pm

Remember his movie career is full of hits and misses, it's not as if everything he has ever done was a mega-hit.

Other possible movies turned to musicals that you all are forgetting are:
High Anxiety- this could work- 39 Steps is doing a Hitchcock spoof,
or To Be Or Not To Be- his Jack Benny remake, this play within a play could be easily and cleverly made into a musical.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 2:54pm

To Be Or Not To Be is 70% musical movie already-very stagey movie-great fun. I watched it last week and there are so many lines taken from it and put into the stage version of 'The Producers'

[bk]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 3:55pm

Mel's now eighty, I believe. He has unbelievable energy. I don't think he's working on anything specific now, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's got something up his sleeve.

[HalfItalian]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 4:19pm

Updated On: 2/5/11 at 04:19 PM

[mc1227]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 9:19am

Mel is a genius, pure and simple. When the Producers came out, it excited Broadway like nothing else in a very long time. That show was great, had a superb cast and the rush for tickets was crazy. Fast forward to 2008, the country has changed, Broadway has changed and Mel Brooks has come down a few pegs as far as Broadway is concerned. They built him up to be a god and then when he acted like one, we tore him down again. That's how the business is. We don't like to see anyone have too much success I guess.

For YF, the show is not as good as the Producers. It should be funnier because the original movie was funnier, but for me, it was not. But it is an enjoyable show and certainly just as entertaining as any show currently on Broadway. We have to stop comparing everything and just enjoy what is, not what was or what could be.

As far as Blazing Saddles, I don't think that show could ever be made as funny as it was originally. The country is way too politically correct and the racial jokes won't be accepted the way they were at that time. I think Mel needs to give it a rest and spend time with his family. He has contributed so much to our culture and I respect his talent so much. He has conquered every medium and it must be good to be the king!!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 11:07am

whats amazing me is that whilst YF has not blown the critics away its doing well at the box office ...so i would hardly call it a flop.