Episode 40: Better Living Through Jameson

, with special guest:

0040 BrooksThis week, dear listeners, Sharon Stiteler (aka Birdchick) joins us again for an episode about Mel Brooks movies! We chat about his filmography, his collaborators, and, of course, My Favorite Year.

If you would like to drink along with us, we suggest Jameson Irish Whiskey, which steered us reliably into silliness by the end of this episode.

Show notes behind the cut!

Mel Brooks movies mentioned:
The Producers
Twelve Chairs
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein
Silent Movie
High Anxiety
History of the World Part 1
Spaceballs
Life Stinks
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Other movies mentioned:
Stir Crazy
Vertigo
Blonde Venus
She’s the Sheriff (TV)
Sibling Rivalry
Ruthless People
Dracula
My Favorite Year
Valhalla Rising

People mentioned:
Mel Brooks
Carl Reiner
Madeline Kahn
Gene Wilder
Frank Langella
Richard Pryor
Cleavon Little
Peter Boyle
Gene Hackman
Cloris Leachman
Alfred Hitchcock
Marty Feldman
Harry Houdini
Gilda Radner
Teri Garr
Harvey Korman
Marlene Dietrich
Bob Fosse
Rick Moranis
George Wyner
Bill Pullman
Jim J. Bullock
Peter O’Toole
Mark Linn Baker
Mads Mikkelsen

Links:
Rob Callahan’s ironic racism article
Dave Graham’s blog

1 comment

  1. I only got to see two of Mel Brooks’ movies first-run in theaters… Robin Hood, and Dracula. Now, I have a soft spot for Robin Hood for a variety of reasons, but not even Leslie Nielsen could make the latter movie watchable.

    I think Mel Brooks got stuck being That Guy Who Makes Style Parody Movies and he’s probably glad to be well away from that gig now. Not that anyone else has really done better at it since, mind you…

    Interestingly, while my son (upon viewing the movies in his late teens) keyed in on Young Frankenstein quite easily, what worked in it, how it fits together, and so on, Blazing Saddles really threw both my kids for a loop. It’s a creature of its time, in some ways. (Still a masterpiece, mind you.)

    My Favorite Year was my first Peter O’Toole movie. Such a joy.

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