Actors: Mel Brooks
Directors: Robert Trachtenberg
MPAA Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 90 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars
Who doesn’t love Mel Brooks? He has delivers some of the best comedy in the business over the last 60 years. Whether it is film, TV, music or Broadway. The man has done it all. This latest American Masters program takes a look at Mel Brooks’ career in “Make a Noise”. I grew up watching his films from “History of the World, Part 1” to “Blazing Saddles” to The Producers” and “Young Frankenstein”. This type of comedy always hit home with me and still has as I have grown up. I look forward to sharing these wonderful films with my daughter now as she grows. They are timeless and will remain that way through time. This program was a great look into Mel Brooks, whether you know everything about him or are just meeting him for the first time. There is a little something for everyone.
Official Premise: After 60 years in show business, Mel Brooks has earned more major awards than any other living entertainer; he is one of 14 EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winners. Yet, the comedy giant has energetically avoided a documentary profile from being made, even issuing an informal gag order on his friends – until now. Brooks has agreed to throw himself into a new documentary about his storied career, giving American Masters exclusive interviews and complete access to his film archives.
In the film we get taken through Mel’s life starting from his childhood growing up in Brooklyn to his start in the buisness to his marriage of Anne Bancroft to his Broadway career. There are new interviews with Mel Brooks, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Cloris Leachman, Carl Reiner and Joan Rivers. These are people who know Mel and that have worked wiht him. They give wonderful insight into his career and who the real “Mel Brooks” is. The program runs 90 minutes but I could have watch for at least 3 hours without becoming boring or repetitive. The guy has done so much there is no way to sum it up in just 90 minutes. The bonus feature included on this DVD is over 15 minutes of deleted segments.