Spaceballs (1987)

At some place in time, really far away, Lone Star (Bill Pullman) and his unique sidekick Barf (John Candy) are hired by King Roland (Dick Van Patten) to save his daughter, Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga). As they travel the cosmos together they find themselves at the mercy of the daunting head of the Spaceballs, Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis). Writer-Director Mel Brooks (President Skroob/Yogurt) brings to life an out-of-this-world parody that is sure to tickle your fancy.

Spaceballs sees three of the funniest comedians ever take the stage together. Brooks, Candy, and Moranis are the heart and soul of this comedy, and they are the ones that most effectively employ humor throughout the course of the film. For anyone who’s a fan of cinema and anyone who’s a fan of comedy, it has to be nearly impossible that you watch Spaceballs and not appreciate the things taking place on screen. Every word out of each of their mouths, every facial expression, every movement of their body is perfect, pinpoint accurate. They embody comedy, and there are few people that are able to do what this trio does. With just about any other casting the comedy that drives Spaceballs forward doesn’t reach viewers in the same capacity. These three are ultimately the ones to thank for the success of this hilarious film, demanding laughs at every turn, refusing to alter themselves in any way–simply being true to what has made them successful throughout their careers.

The year is 1987 and the reality is that special effects as we now know them now didn’t exist. The struggles that filmmakers faced, and the hoops that they had to jump through in order to make their ideas come to life–especially when it came to science-fiction films–seems almost unfathomable. Spaceballs is no exception. There’s sometimes a stigma surrounding comedies that their production value can’t compare to dramas, thrillers, or other genres. The reality is, however, that the time that it takes to create any film is daunting–particularly when this comedy includes a massive amount of special and practical effects. Brooks is meticulous in all that he creates, and while the things he often creates are a little campy, seemingly disjointed at times, and downright wild, every single decision he makes is thoroughly planned. Spaceballs is exactly what Brooks excels at, comedy at its finest, full of brilliant detail. The time that Brooks and his team take to create something that exists in the same world of cheesiness as his other masterpieces, but has a high production value and adheres to the quality that Hollywood expects is impressive–and Spaceballs thrives as a result of this dedication and attention to detail.

The beloved Star Wars trilogy was the inspiration for the comedy–and Brooks and the team likely had a small window of what would and wouldn’t be tolerated when creating a parody of the series. There’s an incredible balance of paying homage to what the world already knew and calling it out for its silly mistakes. Spaceballs exists in a place where it will either fail or it will flourish–there’s rarely a middle ground here. The balance that exists throughout, however, lends itself more to success rather than struggle. I find every moment of the film entertaining–and it’s the wonderful juxtaposition of parody and new content that makes this possible.

It’s been years since I first watched Spaceballs, and it’s been even longer since it was first released. Not many films are able to stand the test of time, to endure the constantly changing expectations of Hollywood, its constituents, and viewers around the world–but Spaceballs passes the test with ease. It’s effective in many spaces: comedy, sci-fi, parody, and more. With Candy, Brooks, and Moranis as the front men for the film, there’s no way it can fail–and it’s everything that comedy and sci-fi fans could hope for.

Directed by Mel Brooks.

Written by Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan, & Ronny Graham.

Starring Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, John Candy, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, etc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10