Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

Director:

Mel Brooks

Writers (WGA):

J.D. Shapiro (story) &
Evan Chandler (story) ...

Release Date:

28 July 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The legend had it coming... Find out where Robin Hood put his Little John, what made Will Scarlet, and what did Friar Tuck into his tights that Maid Marion all of a quiver?

Plot:

A spoof of Robin Hood in general, and 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' in particular.

Plot Keywords:

Robin Hood | King Richard I | Archery | Spoof | Reference To Mark Twain

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Cary Elwes	...	Robin Hood
Richard Lewis	...	Prince John
Roger Rees	...	Sheriff of Rottingham
Amy Yasbeck	...	Marian
Mark Blankfield	...	Blinkin
Dave Chappelle	...	Ahchoo (as David Chappelle)
Isaac Hayes	...	Asneeze
Megan Cavanagh	...	Broomhilde
Eric Allan Kramer	...	Little John
Matthew Porretta	...	Will Scarlet O'Hara
Tracey Ullman	...	Latrine
Patrick Stewart	...	King Richard
Dom DeLuise	...	Don Giovanni
Dick Van Patten	...	The Abbot
Robert Ridgely	...	The Hangman

Also Known As:

Sacré Robin des bois (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for off-color humor.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (cinema release) (1994) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | South Korea:15 | Canada:PG (Ontario) (Canadian Home Video rating) | USA:PG-13 (Approval No. 32547) | South Africa:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Germany:6 | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | Norway:10 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Brooksfilms

Trivia:

When Robin Hood first comes across Ahchoo, he is being beaten by a group of soldiers, and Ahchoo says, "I hope someone is getting a video of this thing." This is a reference to the Rodney King beating in the early 1990s, when a group of L.A.P.D. officers beat a black motorist and a bystander captured it on video. The acquittal of the officers sparked the L.A. riots.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Asneeze is saying good-bye to Robin he is urging him to hurry because "It is a long way from Africa to England". But Robin's journey marks on the map start from Jerusalem which is not in Africa.

Quotes:

Filthy Luca: I will take these cotton balls from you with my hand and put them in my pocket.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs On the Waterfront (1954)

Soundtrack:

Marian

"Hood"-winked....

Actually, Mel's been here before.

Any of you remember a little TV series Mel wrote and created called "When Things were Rotten", starring Dick Gautier as our man Robin? I do, and the series reran in my mind many times while watching Mel's big-screen take.

I guess he had to do this to take a few shots at Kevin Costner's "Prince of Thieves", but this one also takes aim at and makes points of reference to "White Men Can't Jump", Bruce Lee films, Larry King, seders and even brings out the reserves from Mel's projects of yore (McCann, Van Patten, De Luca, De Luise).

Some gags work, some don't but as always, Mel tries. Too bad he's working under the restrictions of that darned PG rating. What Mel could have done in his heyday with an R rated "Robin Hood"! Though admittedly, the finale of Robin's (Elwes') serenade to Maid Marian (Yasbeck) earns big laughs. Loved finding out the first name of the Sheriff of Rottingham (Rees), as well. You will, too.

As I've said before, any Mel is good Mel. If you've seen any Robin Hood movie, good. You'll get a lot of the references here. Even with the Mafia connections, hot tubs, and the new Club for horses.

Five stars. Bless you!