Review of History of the World: Part I (1981) by Philip S — 14 Aug 2011

Mel Brooks is one of the greatest comic minds in Hollywood. Given, he's had some misses here and there in the likes of Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Spaceballs, etc. But like any other director, he's also had just as many hits. Among his biggest hits is the historical satire, History of The World Part I. History of The World Part I was the last of Brooks' truly great movies. One of the funniest aspects of the movie is the very fact that there was no History of The World Part II. The whole concept of it being Part I was admittedly a joke in itself. It's so funny, especially in Hollywood's current era, in that all audiences are being fed today are prequels, sequels and remakes. So, it's good to see that this is one of the rare classics that hasn't been butchered with any of said treatments.

Probably the most significant factor in the success of History of The World Part I is the movie's cast. It movie marked the third time together for the trio of Brooks, Harvey Korman, and Madeline Kahn. It also marked the fourth time that Kahn and Brooks had worked together, as she joined Brooks and Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein (1974) and Blazing Saddles (1974). Korman joined Wilder and Kahn in Blazing Saddles, then later re-teamed with Brooks and Kahn in 1977's High Anxiety. So it goes without saying that the actors' familiarity with each other played a relatively significant role in the success of this movie, and Brooks' other early works.

That familiarity with each other is what led to the type of comedy that audiences got in Brooks' early movies; especially History of The World Part I. In comparison to movies such as Spaceballs, and Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Brooks didn't use the same cast in each movie. As a result, the difference between his early movies, and his more modern works is obvious, in terms of quality and general style of comedy. Brooks, and his cast give audiences plenty to laugh at in History of The World Part I. Each era has its own hilarious moments. The biblical scene involving the last supper is one of the funniest in the entire movie. There's also the scene in which Moses parts the sea. Brooks' joke about what "really happened" will make anyone laugh. Given, it's a bit irreverent, but it's still funny. There's even a funny musical number in the inquisition portion. The French Revolution act has its own enjoyable moments. The best of those comes from the men on the street who are selling their wares. One man has rats for sale. Another has literally nothing for sale. There's just something really funny about that. Every scene has something funny about it. Though very little of it is aimed at younger audiences.

History of The World Part I is not a movie that's meant for kids or families. It's loaded with blatantly adult content from start to finish. From the sexual jokes and innuendo to the drug references, to the general language, it definitely is aimed at adults. That isn't a hugely limiting factor though. Most of Brooks' older movies are meant mainly for adults. Taking that into account, it's proof of how great Hollywood used to be, and how great it could be again, with just a little effort. Until another movie of its calbier comes along, History of The World will continue to stand not as a relic from a bygone era, but as one of the greatest all-time Summer movies, and as one of the greatest movies of all time.