Film series: Happy Birthday, Mel Brooks!
Among the most prolific and idiosyncratic filmmakers in American cinema history, the legendary director Mel Brooks celebrates his 100th birthday this year. To celebrate, Cornell Cinema is partnering with the Jewish Studies Program to present three of his most unforgettable comedies.
Born in Brooklyn in 1926, Mel Brooks is a filmmaker, writer, actor, comedian, and songwriter whose career has spanned more than seven decades. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Brooks began working in television comedy, writing for Sid Caesar's influential Your Show of Shows and later co-creating the hit television series Get Smart with Buck Henry. He made his directorial debut with The Producers (1967), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and established his reputation for fearless satire and parody.
Brooks is best known for creating comedic films that cleverly spoof popular genres and indiscriminately lampoon numerous cultural groups, all the while celebrating the history of cinema. His most acclaimed works include Blazing Saddles (1974), a satire of Westerns; Young Frankenstein (1974), a loving parody of classic horror films; High Anxiety (1977), inspired by Alfred Hitchcock thrillers; History of the World, Part I (1981), a mock epic tracing the history of humankind; Spaceballs (1987), a parody of science-fiction blockbusters; and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).
In addition to directing, Brooks produced acclaimed films such as David Lynch’s The Elephant Man (1980) and later adapted The Producers into a hugely successful Broadway musical that won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. He is one of the few entertainers to achieve EGOT status, having won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards during his remarkable career. What better way to celebrate a century of comedic genius than laughing out loud with The Producers (1967), Spaceballs (1987), and Young Frankenstein (1974) at Cornell Cinema?
Cosponsored by the Jewish Studies Program
