Spaceballs (1987)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Mel Brooks

Writers:

Mel Brooks (written by) &
Thomas Meehan (written by) ...

Release Date:

24 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

May The Farce Be With You

Plot:

Planet Spaceball's President Skroob sends Lord Dark Helmet to steal Planet Druidia's abundant supply of air to replenish their own, and only Lone Starr can stop them.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Princess | King | President | Space

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Mel Brooks	...	President Skroob / Yogurt
John Candy	...	Barf
Rick Moranis	...	Dark Helmet
Bill Pullman	...	Lone Starr
Daphne Zuniga	...	Princess Vespa
Dick Van Patten	...	King Roland
George Wyner	...	Colonel Sandurz
Michael Winslow	...	Radar Technician
Joan Rivers	...	Dot Matrix (voice)
Lorene Yarnell	...	Dot Matrix
John Hurt	...	Himself
Sal Viscuso	...	Radio Operator
Ronny Graham	...	Minister
Jim J. Bullock	...	Prince Valium
Leslie Bevis	...	Commanderette Zircon

Also Known As:

Planet Moron (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:12 (2000) (re-rating) (uncut) | Portugal:M/6 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-12 | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | USA:PG (#28661) | Brazil:Livre | Australia:PG | Canada:14A | Iceland:L | Ireland:PG | Norway:12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:12 (video re-rating) (2000) (uncut) | UK:PG (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) (cut) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Imperial County, California, USA

Company:

Brooksfilms

Trivia:

A full face mask resembling a wrinkled bulldog was originally constructed for the character of Barf, but Mel Brooks quipped that 'if they were going to hide John Candy behind a mask, he might as well hire someone else for half the price'. A nose and upper lip piece was tried next, which Candy approved but again Brooks did not. They finally settled on animatronic ears connected to a hairpiece, a small nose application and a patch over one eye just like the dog from the 'Our Gang' shorts.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Lonstar sprays shaving cream in the guard's face, he gives him the "Vulcan Nerve Pinch" to knock him out. As the guard falls, he knocks Lonestar's ring off his finger. In the next shot, Lonestar has the ring on again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Radio Operator: Colonel Sandurz!
Colonel Sandurz: What is it, Sergeant Ricco?
Radio Operator: You told me to let you know the moment Planet Druidia was in sight, sir.
Colonel Sandurz: So?
Radio Operator: Planet Druidia's in sight, sir.
Colonel Sandurz: You're really a Spaceball. You know that, don't you?
Radio Operator: Thanks, sir.

Movie Connections:

References Young Frankenstein (1974)

Soundtrack:

My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own

Very funny "Star Wars" spoof

"Spaceballs" is one of my favorite Mel Brooks comedies. Brooks has made some of the funniest movies of our time ("The Producers", "Brazing Saddles", "High Anxiety", etc.) and I think "Spaceballs" is up there in the same league. This film spoofs the "Star Wars" movies in general, but there's also references to "Star Trek", "Alien", and "Planet of the Apes" just to name a few. The actors are all very funny, with Brooks in two roles: President Skroob and Yogurt (his version of Yoda); the late John Candy as Barf the mawg (half man, half dog); Rick Moranis as the Darth Vader clone Dark Helmet; Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, the Luke Skywalker takeoff; Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa, similar to Princess Leia; and Dot Matrix, the robot with the voice of Joan Rivers who's obviously in the C-3P0 role. There's plenty of silly gags throughout "Spaceballs", and I laughed most of the time. Very funny, entertaining sci-fi comedy from one of the great comedic filmmakers of all time.

***1/2 (out of four)