SPACEBALLS - classic or dud

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I remember this as a cultural touchstone of my elementary school experience, the movie that everyone was talking about and quoting when I was in third grade (and I'm sure we didn't understand half the jokes, but IT WAS STILL FUNNY). I think this might have been the first PG-13 movie I was allowed to see (though not the first PG-13 movie I saw, I think that might have been "Critters"). I am afraid to watch it now, because I think it might actually be terrible and dumb (not in a good way).

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Better than Phantom Menace.

― Huk-L, Friday, 10 September 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

COMB THE AREA - get it? Eh? THEY'VE GOT A GIANT COMB!

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

"ooh, your helmet is soooo big ... "

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, it is a terrible film. I loved it when I was at school, but I've barely been able to sit throught it the times I've seen it recently.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:30 (twenty-one years ago)

For some reason this stirs up memories of Siskel & Ebert's review of Dragent (were they released the same summer?): "It was a drag and I wanted to put it in a net."
My best friend and I killer ourselves over that line for some reason.

― Huk-L, Friday, 10 September 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the part where they watch the video of Spaceballs to find out what's going to happen next is kind of brilliant though.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

critters! spaceballs! i love you

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

pizza the hut!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I was seriously repulsed by Pizza the Hut. I still am. That thing makes me gag.

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Dom DeLuise will do that.

― Huk-L, Friday, 10 September 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Joan Rivers is more disgusting than Pizza the Hut.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

More than once I've stolen John "Barf!" Candy's kissyface with middle finger pose.

In my summer daycare we actually PLAYED Spaceballs, pretending to be the different characters. I'm pretty sure I was Barf.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

FUNNY, SHE DOESN'T LOOK DRUISH!

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

THIS THREAD HAS GONE TO LUDICROUS SPEED!

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

john candy was PTH, not dom deluise!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

wait--

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm wrong.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

wow, my Ludicrous Speed comment was well-timed

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

ally c, please.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

It had that guy from Police Academy in it. The one who makes the funny noises with his mouth.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

So I take it this was a cultural touchstone for many other dorky boys of my generation.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

fuckin' a it was

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I've referred to unnecessary sound effects in pop songs as "the bleeps, the fleeps and the creeps" or whatever.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

like when Radiohead presses the "techno" button.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I'M SURROUNDED BY ASSHOLES!

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

"When I first heard that Marge was joining the police academy, I thought it would be fun and zany, like that movie -- Spaceballs. But instead it was dark and disturbing. Like that movie -- Police Academy."

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I SEE YOUR SCHWARTZ IS AS BIG AS MINE!

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

That's one of my all-time favorite Simpsons lines.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

it's actually from spaceballs

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

SPACEBALLS: Classic or Dud

"merchandising!!!"

― You've Got to Pick Up Every Stitch (tracerhand), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

If Al-Qaeda bombed this thread, they would eliminate 94% of America's dorks.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

That line referring to Homer and Marge is from Spaceballs? Whatever, dude.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

"Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal." The sad thing is I frequently do that dance. Unfortunately the alien looks so fake now.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

no the schwartz line, i was making a dumb joke (shockah)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

SUCK...SUCK...SUCK...SUCK...SUCK...SUCK...

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

http://datacore.sciflicks.com/spaceballs/images/spaceballs_large_13.jpg

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

This is Ally C's favorite movie I hear.

― Towelette Pettatucci (Homosexual II), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

They've gone to plaid!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 10 September 2004 17:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I've always been really sad that Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money never really happened.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 10 September 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I've always been sad that Jews in Space never really happened.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Friday, 10 September 2004 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

The SCHWARTZ! The DRUISH! This IS Jews In Space.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 10 September 2004 17:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, yes it all works! Alas it has that crappy song at the end instead of the great Jews in Space song.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Friday, 10 September 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"Spaceballs!?!"

"Oh shit, there goes the planet."

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 10 September 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

"Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal." The sad thing is I frequently do that dance. Unfortunately the alien looks so fake now.
-- jocelyn (nalra...), September 10th, 2004.

that joke has forever altered many of my generation's viewing of Alien.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 10 September 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

It's terribly dumb and I love it so.

I still will yell out "Fooled You!" in Helmet's voice every so often.

There are only three movies I like Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters, Parenthood and Spaceballs.

Dink, Dink!

― Pup. E. Dawg (rocknrolldetox), Friday, 10 September 2004 19:41 (twenty-one years ago)

like when Radiohead presses the "techno" button.

Anthony wins.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 10 September 2004 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Dud.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 10 September 2004 23:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Alas it has that crappy song at the end instead of the great Jews in Space song.

Extremely thoroughly accurate. Also, this is the film that will make you want to beat Dick Van Patten over the head with something if you didn't want to already.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 September 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah like much of my childhood this film was forever destroyed by seeing it again about a year or so ago

― jess (dubplatestyle), Friday, 10 September 2004 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

there was a photo in the paper yesterday of Mel Brooks in London. he was wearing a fedora. i think Richard Dreyfuss is doing the Producers over here on the West End or something.

― You've Got to Pick Up Every Stitch (tracerhand), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

You saw much of your childhood last year, jess?

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:12 (twenty-one years ago)

does the "dry british wit" thing ever tire you out?

― jess (dubplatestyle), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Frankly, yes.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:14 (twenty-one years ago)

It's in these moments that I turn to 'Spaceballs'.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:15 (twenty-one years ago)

we ain't found shit

― jess (dubplatestyle), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:16 (twenty-one years ago)

since this mel brooks made life stinks and that robbin hood one? sigh. i guess this was his last great film but its not even that great.

― big chaki (chaki), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:20 (twenty-one years ago)

dracula dead and loving it!!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

wait, maybe he had nothing to do with that

― jess (dubplatestyle), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"to be or not to be" is great

― You've Got to Pick Up Every Stitch (tracerhand), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

This is a bit off-topic, but I always think of it when 'Balls comes up.

Barfly is an okay movie, and it's fun to watch how they brought a Bukowski story to life. The whole film seems to take place in some timeless place, somewhere between 1945 and 1970. The characters, the locations, the bars, the bedrooms all have a certain film noir to it.

EXCEPT for this one scene where "Hank" is in a convertible with a woman who wants to publish his stuff. There, behind them in the scene, is the biggest billboard for Spaceballs ever seen in any Hollywood movie.

Watching that scene feels like being Christopher Reeve looking down at that penny in Somewhere in Time. So DUD to Spaceballs for shinageling its way into Barfly.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Saturday, 11 September 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

to be or not to be is very good. but he hasn't made a watchable movie since. how long before they make the musical of the producers into a film?

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 11 September 2004 02:11 (twenty-one years ago)

then they can do a straight-up play of it

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 11 September 2004 04:04 (twenty-one years ago)

According to IMDB, he didn't write or direct "To Be or Not To Be." It's a remake. So it's almost not a "Mel Brooks movie." Pretty funny, though.

Am I a lout for not liking "History of the World"?

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Saturday, 11 September 2004 04:19 (twenty-one years ago)

wow I could have sworn he wrote that film! I didn't realize he did direct Life Stinks though, I thought someone else was responsible for that.

My favorite Mel Brooks film is High Anxiety. I actually saw this before I ever saw most of the Hitchcock films it references.

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 11 September 2004 04:23 (twenty-one years ago)

the original 'to be...' is one of the greatest movies ever made, mel brooks post-74 is spotty if you're being very generous - the rap single and last season's curb your enthusiasm the only thing i could call triumphs (well the producers too i suppose but that's hardly really post-74 and turning it into a musical was hardly a stroke of genius, the best songs in it were already there). 74 and earlier though the man was a giant.

― cinniblount (James Blount), Saturday, 11 September 2004 04:30 (twenty-one years ago)

he gets points from me for producing 'the fly' and 'the elephant man' though, thus boosting the careers of 'the two davids' as i call them.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 11 September 2004 04:36 (twenty-one years ago)

how long before they make the musical of the producers into a film?

out 2005 starring nath lane math broad and will farl

― big chaki (chaki), Saturday, 11 September 2004 08:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I hear this is my favourite movie.

― Ally C (Ally C), Saturday, 11 September 2004 10:45 (twenty-one years ago)

No, your favourite movie is Teen Wolf 2, but you think, objectively, that Spaceballs is better.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 11 September 2004 10:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Ok, so actually it was my favourite movie when I was, like, 9 or something. I saw it again at, maybe, 18 or 19 and my heavens it was dreadful.

However I think I have reverted back towards my 9 year old self since then. I am convinced that if I saw it again, it would be great. Should I go out and buy 'Spaceballs' today? Your votes count.

― Ally C (Ally C), Saturday, 11 September 2004 10:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the part where he turns into a wolf.

― Ally C (Ally C), Saturday, 11 September 2004 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, that bit is good.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 11 September 2004 10:49 (twenty-one years ago)

"teen wolf too", you swine.

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 11 September 2004 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 11 September 2004 10:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I too too you.

― Ally C (Ally C), Saturday, 11 September 2004 11:26 (twenty-one years ago)

blount otm, the original to be or not to be is one of my favourite movies ever

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 11 September 2004 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

i love how manthony disses the movie and then posts an image of the very scene that MAKES IT GENIUS

There are only three movies I like Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters, Parenthood and Spaceballs.

what happened to that guy anyway? is he a recluse now? he's nowhere on the extras of the sctv discs and hasn't made a movie this century, as far as i can see...

the original to be or not to be is indeed genius. i loved spaceballs on release but my housemates have warned me not to watch the DVD nestling next to the TV...

― stevie (stevie), Saturday, 11 September 2004 17:10 (twenty-one years ago)

that Spaceballs billboard almost made me spit out my soda when I saw Barfly (a film which had me laughing plenty anyhow)

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 11 September 2004 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

The Passion of the Moranis. He was in that stupid Brother Bear thing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 September 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

don't forget the last polka!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

see! only voice-over stuffz since 1997! has he become very self-conscious all of a sudden???

― stevie (stevie), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Now you see that evil will always triumph over good.. because good is dumb!

― daria g (daria g), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

he's 5'4"!

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Your theory is that he has belatedly realised this and got all self-conscious about appearing in public?

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

"I bet she gives great HELMET" - This line went over my head for so many years. Classic.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Sunday, 12 September 2004 01:19 (twenty-one years ago)

According to this article, since the death of his wife Moranis mostly plays hockey with his sons.

― The Yellow Kid, Sunday, 12 September 2004 07:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Here's my thing with Mel Brooks movies. I think his actors are funny. I think Gene Wilder is one of the funniest people that have ever lived. I think Zero Mostel is *incredibly* funny in The Producers. I think Cleavon Little is a riot. These people were given the right material at the right time... Blazing Saddles would play completely differently if released today. Its racial jokes were edgy on the heels of the civil rights movement, but would be too flat and broad today. Penis size? Puh-leeze.

And once you move Mel Brooks's writing out of a flat and broad context and into an ironic context, it's dud dud dud. He's also not a very good comedian, as those things go. "OMG look at the big Jew!" and whatnot.

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Sunday, 12 September 2004 07:39 (twenty-one years ago)

jeepers... didn't know his wife had passed away, that's tragic... but does explain his absence.

Your theory is that he has belatedly realised this and got all self-conscious about appearing in public?

i didn't have a theory at all, i wondered why he'd been absent for so long.

― stevie (stevie), Sunday, 12 September 2004 07:42 (twenty-one years ago)

i dunno kenan, young frankenstein was pretty brilliant and i think a lot of subsequent comedy (esp the simpsons) owes it a big debt

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 12 September 2004 15:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Moranis was unimpressed. He’s a burly man who moves with the confidence of a quiet bruiser, totally unlike the characters he plays.

this kinda blew my mind

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 12 September 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

That is a nice article.

― Ally C (Ally C), Sunday, 12 September 2004 16:08 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

jeez guys::

http://www.filmfodder.com/mt-weblog/archives/000349.htm

Mel Brooks: Spaceballs Will Return
It's been 17 years since "Spaceballs" took aim at "Star Wars," but the Schwarts is still strong with writer/director Mel Brooks. Strong enough, in fact, that Brooks is penning a "Spaceballs" sequel.

― Professor Challenger (ex machina), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

ILX SINGLEHANDEDLY REVIVES HOPES OF SPACEBALLS SEQUEL

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 16:51 (twenty-one years ago)

The Schwartz is strong in this one.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

it should be a spaceballs prequel!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:21 (twenty-one years ago)

you're right.

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

FUCKING CLASSIC. i can quote this entire film from start to finish. for real.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

it's shit.

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean, you're wrong.

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Spaceballs 2 - "coming out sometime between a week before Episode III and a year after"

― Girolamo Savonarola, Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

RJG, we're allowed to disagree. i just happened to watch this film everyday when it came out on video. its a part of my fifth grade self. i cant deny that.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

okay

: )

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

six months pass...

IT'S ON!!

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007O38XU.01._PE30_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 20:07 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870980/

WAHT

― strongohulkington, Thursday, 26 April 2007 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

Oh noes :(

― kv_nol, Thursday, 26 April 2007 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870980/board/nest/71223407

― kingfish, Thursday, 26 April 2007 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

Timely.

― n/a, Thursday, 26 April 2007 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

Not much out there about this, except for the initial announcement back in September.

― kingfish, Thursday, 26 April 2007 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

four months pass...

http://www.popoholic.com/2007/09/17/spaceballs-animated-series-trailer/

― Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved, Tuesday, 18 September 2007 15:52 (eighteen years ago)

...>:[

― Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved, Tuesday, 18 September 2007 15:52 (eighteen years ago)

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE

― the schef (adam schefter ha ha), Tuesday, 18 September 2007 15:55 (eighteen years ago)

you know, when I'm 80, I hope I'm doing something as awesome as producing Spaceballs: The Animated Series.

― da croupier, Tuesday, 18 September 2007 16:02 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

"lock 1.. lock 2... lock 3... loch lomond..."

― Tracer Hand, Saturday, 9 January 2010 22:54 (sixteen years ago)

Not as good as Galaxy Quest.

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 9 January 2010 23:19 (sixteen years ago)

COMB THE AREA - get it? Eh? THEY'VE GOT A GIANT COMB!
― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 10 September 2004 15:29 (5 years ago)

Lol. <3<3<3 dumbass fucking jokes like this.

― retrovaporized nebulizer (╓abies), Saturday, 9 January 2010 23:25 (sixteen years ago)

dark helmet getting caught playing with his action figures is yoga flame for all time

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 10 January 2010 00:25 (sixteen years ago)

i actually think it's aged really really well - there's less insider geek humor than you might think - most of it is people bumping their heads on doorways

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 10 January 2010 00:33 (sixteen years ago)

i have to admit I'm intrigued by tuomas' contention that life stinks is brooks' chef d'oeuvre

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 10 January 2010 00:36 (sixteen years ago)

Fucking huge fuck-off classic when I was ten. I haven't seen it for many years.

― Communi-Bear Silo State (chap), Sunday, 10 January 2010 01:53 (sixteen years ago)

don't.

― Audrey Wetherspoons (sic), Sunday, 10 January 2010 08:51 (sixteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/haters-gonna-hate.gif

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 10 January 2010 11:13 (sixteen years ago)

nah for real, I liked it when I was 10, and had a terrible experience having to watch it at a party (of sorts) four or five years ago

― Audrey Wetherspoons (sic), Sunday, 10 January 2010 23:48 (sixteen years ago)

i think it's still awesome.

― The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall, Sunday, 10 January 2010 23:54 (sixteen years ago)

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