Spaceballs

I've been waiting a long time to write this review. :) And upon reflection, maybe I should have titled this "Spaceballs: The Movie Review".

But since its release in 1987, Spaceballs has captured the hearts and minds of many—particularly me! Largely a parody of Star Wars (though it also touches upon Star Trek, Alien, Planet of the Apes, Lawrence of Arabia, Looney Tunes, and even his own films), director Mel Brooks has created in Spaceballs possibly one of the best spoofs ever put to film.

The story is pretty well known by now (and if you don't know it, go out and get the DVD pronto!). Princess Vespa, daughter of Planet Druidia's King Roland (Dick Van Patten), flees her wedding, dragging with her the Maid of Honor, the robot Dot Matrix (voiced by Joan Rivers herself), only to be kidnapped by the evil Spaceballs. Led by overlord Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis), the Spaceballs hold the princess for ransom, and in exchange for her return, King Roland must reveal the secret code that will give the Spaceballs access to Planet Druidia's planetary shield—so that the Spaceballs can steal Planet Druidia's entire supply of air. In desperation, King Roland calls upon Lone Star (Bill Pullman) and his half-man/half-dog friend Barf (John Candy) to jump in their interplanetary Winnebago and save Princess Vespa. The only catch is, Lone Star and Barf are themselves on the run from Pizza The Hut (Dom DeLuise) because Lone Star owes him a million space bucks, so their price for saving Vespa is—you guessed it!—a million space bucks.

Wow, where to begin my analysis? There's too many memorable moments and hilarious scenes to sort through! I think the best starting point would be Rick Moranis, who completely steals the show as Dark Helmet, the saggy-clothed Darth Vader wannabe. His entrance into the film is about as fabulous as any entrance John Wayne made into his films.



Moranis was perfectly cast in the role of Dark Helmet, as his ability to instantaneously switch back and forth between evil, dark overlord and complete, utter moron is nothing short brilliant. Like the infamous dolls scene here.



Aiding Dark Helmet is his second-in-command, Colonel Sandurz (George Wyner), a whole family of cross-eyed "Assholes", and the leader of Planet Spaceball, President Skroob (Mel Brooks). Bill Pullman's Lone Star is more Han Solo than Luke Skywalker, but he and Barf make an excellent pairing as a couple of down-on-your-luck space travellers. And let's face it—any movie with John Candy is a good movie! I will admit, Daphne Zuniga's turn as Princess Vespa was a little annoying at first, but as she moves from spoiled rich girl to outright Rambo (from her hair getting singed by gunfire, no less), she grows on you fast.

One of the best elements of Spaceballs, though, is its refusal to take itself seriously. In fact, it even pokes a little fun at itself! After the introduction of Yoda Yogurt (Mel Brooks again, only miniature), we're treated to a barrage of Spaceballs marketing paraphernalia: the little store in Yogurt's lair that sells Spaceballs shirts, lunchboxes, dolls, even flamethrowers. I must definitely give kudos to the creativity of Mel Brooks for his lightheartedness here, for not that many directors would be willing to poke as much fun at themselves in making a movie, even when making a parody! My personal favorite of these moments, though, is when Dark Helmet and Colonel Sandurz view Spaceballs: The Movie in order to locate Lone Star and the escaped princess—with the full knowledge that they're right in the middle of making the movie!



Spaceballs is definitely a movie that stands the test of time (though sadly, we'll probably never see the promised Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money). The only element that feels a little dated, though, is the robot Dot Matrix. The dated feel comes not from her modeling after C3PO, but in her name—Dot Matrix. Computers and printers have come a long way since 1987, so probably the only people who'll recognize the pun within her name are those around the age of 30 (like me). (On the bright side, though, at least she wasn't named Commodore 64 or Atari.) But that's my only real quibble with Spaceballs, for we're otherwise treated with many classic and unforgettable scenes. To start with, I'm sure every parent would love to have a "virgin alarm" for their son or daughter. And "ludicrous speed" is a send-up of warp drive from Star Trek, but far funnier.



And who can you forget "jamming" the radar?



It's hard for me to say whether or not this is Brooks' best film (others I'm sure would argue that Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, or The Producers occupy that slot), but I'm tempted to say it all the same. And I almost feel odd giving Spaceballs a perfect 10, because I usually reserve that for the most superlative films that are filled with the best acting, directing, camerawork, plot, style, and legacy. But at the same time, Spaceballs occupies such a special place in my heart—and in the hearts of other Brooks fans—that to score it anything less than 10 would be an insult to the film. So on that note, I give Spaceballs a 10.

And on that note, may the Schwartz be with you!!!