Spaceballs: The Commentary
As has been mentioned in many DVD reviews, Mel Brooks doesn't do commentaries very well. However, I would rather have a bad commentary than none at all. I've listened to the Spaceballs commentary a handful of times and jotted down some notes. So some of these comments are rather basic as he does tend to watch what is on the screen and laugh and chuckle at his own jokes from time to time. But I know some people without a laserdisc or a DVD player would like to know what he says.....so here is my abridged version of Mel Brooks' Spaceballs DVD commentary.
Spaceballs was written by one Jew and two gentiles.
Welcome to the commentary and the directors foolish comments
Our egos took a flight of fancy (with regard to giant ship beginning)
We carried it out to the zillionth degree....largest spaceship in the history of space movies.
First version of the script was 247 pages and was trimmed to 140 pages of pay dirt
The original cut of the film was 2 hours and 20 minutes and was cut down to the current running time of 95 to 100 minutes.
"Casting was superb"
George is from Boston and during the desert scenes we were watching the World Series. George was the only one rooting from Boston because he's from Boston. We all hated them. I remember it worked out in our favor.
Ronny Graham, one the writers plays the space priest in the marriage scenes.
"Winnebagos are very maneuverable, even more so in space"
Brooks loved wearing the little mustache, it reminded him of Louis the 16th.
Rick Moranis was laid back on the set, he was very much at the forefront of the creative process.
On remembering John Candy....can't believe how sweet, cooperative and how damn funny he was.
"I am both proud and ashamed of that joke" (a**holes routine)
"Yes, Yes....Hyperactive...another lousy joke that worked"
"He looks like a Spanish policeman" (dark helmet after he flies into control panel)
"That's gonna leave a mark was his ad lib"
Yuma has the virgin untouched dunes they were looking for.
Bill fit the Bill, a leading man with comedic timing
"This concept was truly one of the more innovative we've come up with....instant cassettes"
The night desert scenes were shot indoors at MGM.
A Little Lawrence of Arabia in the music of the desert scenes.
"He hit his head a little bit too hard I thought on that shot. I was a little worried about him but it turned out it didn't bother him a bit"
You may recognize the voice of the 2000 year old man, only thing missing is Carl Reiner (yogurt's voice)
"Just plain Yogurt.....terrible terrible joke"
Yogurt was a tough role to play. 1st of all I got a terrible rash on my face and neck and 2nd my knees were killing me, but I loved the character so it was all worth it.
The budget was 25 million which is the most I have ever spent on a movie
The producers cost 941,000 dollars to make and it took 8 weeks in NY. I didn't have to beg Gene Wilder to do it, he leap at the chance to play Leo Bloom
I would never have been the actor you see here if Gene hadn't deserted me to do his own movies. The first one Sherlock Holmes' Smarter brother did good. Gene just became a road company Mel Brooks.
If Fellini had Alberto Sorte, Mel Brooks had Gene Wilder...and it was a pity.
This was all made up by Rick Moranis (doll scene)
I just gave him an idea, no dialogue, and he made it all up
That whole scene was born in the head of Rick Moranis.
I miss him very much. I hope me and Gene can get back doing movies together. Then I can quit acting because Gene does it so well.
Writing is good, acting is fun, directing is hard work
He wanted to direct the producer and 12 chairs because they were his babies. Once blazing saddles became a hit he was stuck in the directors chair. After Young Frankenstein, Gene left and I became a phony baloney movie star.
"The intellectuals hate me and the people who never heard of Kafka don't know what the hell I'm talking about."
Terence March the production designer is the drum guy.
Columbia declined Young Frankenstein for 2 million. YF was Gene's concept. Mel was so grateful when Gene agreed to play the Waco Kid in Blazing Saddles that he cowrote YF with him. Gene and Mel wrote it at the Bel Aire Hotel. Mel showed it to Alan Ladd jr and they went with fox. Mel followed Alan to MGM and they released Spaceballs.
George Lucus watched a rough cut of Spaceballs with brooks. He was smiling, laughing and very generous.
Irreversible like my raincoat doesn't make sense....reversible like my raincoat does.
Pongo was the name of one of Mel's dogs. Named after a 101 dalmation. After Pongo named his next dog Purty.
"Kids like it because its a space fairy tale, I like because I'm a kid."
Worked with John Hurt in History of the World, he played Jesus at the last supper. So he called him up with this idea and he agreed to reprise his role in alien.
Goodbye and Good Luck