History of the World Part I

Amazon.com essential video

Mel Brooks's 1981, three-part comedy--set in the Stone Age, the Roman Empire, and the French Revolution--is pure guilty pleasure. Narrated by Orson Welles and featuring a lot of famous faces in guest appearances (beyond the official cast), the film opens well with Sid Caesar playing a caveman, then moves along to the unlikely but somehow hilarious juxtaposition of Caesar's soldiers (the other Caesar, not Sid) with pot humor, and ends on a dumb-funny note in the French bloodbath. This is a take-it-or-leave-it movie, and it works best if you're in a take-it-or-leave-it mood. --Tom Keogh

Description

Mel Brooks' uproarious version of history proves nothing is sacred as he takes us on a laugh-filled look at what really happened throughout time. His delirious romp features everything from a wild send-up of "2001" to the real stories behind the Roman Empire (Brooks portrays a stand-up philosopher at Caesar's Palace), the French Revolution (Brooks reigns as King Louis XVI) and the Spanish Inquisition (a splashy song-and-dance number with monks and swimming nuns.) It's Mel and company at their hilarious best.

Customer Reviews:

History of Hysteria.......2007-08-28

This is one of the funniest movies of all time. Mel Brooks has a great sense of humor and seems to see things completely different than any other commedy writers.

A gifted satirist looks at history!.......2007-08-27

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I love how Mel Brooks recasts major historical events as laugh riots. The 2 best segments of this movie are the Spanish Inquisition and the French Revolution. In each, he makes fools of the pivotal figures in these events, giving them their comeuppance. This is one of Brooks' best movies, and you can tell from the acting (he makes many appearances) that he had a great time making it.

A mel brooks's humorous history of the world!.......2007-07-23

Mel brooks is one of my favorite directors and actors he has shown us a mockery of ancient history like blazing saddles which I thought was funny but not as funnier as this. When you watch real history stories they can get very boring and uninteresting that will put you to sleep but melbrooks makes it hilarious and interesting that will make you laugh so hard. For anyone who loves mel brooks I recommend this movie to them.

Not one of Mel Brook's best but still funny and entertaining........2007-06-08

An anthology of three generations through time from the dawn of man, to the time of Moses (Mel Brooks) to the Roman empire with the story of Julia Caesar (Dom DeLuise) and Christ (John Hurt) to the Spanish Inquisition and finally the French Revolution with King Louis XVI (Mel Brooks).

Highly entertaining and funny parody of history and the bible that has some of the charm of Mel Brooks but it's not as good as his "Young Frankenstein", "Blazing Saddles", "Spaceballs", "The Producers" or even "Robin Hood: Men In Tights". There is a good supporting cast such as Madeline Khan, Sid Caesar, Jackie Mason, Gregory Hines, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman and narrated by Orson Welles with Mel Brooks playing multiple roles, the real showstopper of the movie is the funny musical number called "The Spanish Inquisition".

The DVD has excellent picture and sound with one extra that is a trailer, still it's a must have if you like Mel Brooks.

Una de las Peliculas Mas Comicas de Todos los Tiempos.......2007-05-29

Esta pelicula la ví desde que tenía aproximadamente 13 años de edad y desde ese entonces marcó para mi el conocer y enteder el humor desde otro punto de vista diferente al latino. Mel Brooks, gran genio, nos ha hecho reir de muchas formas y lo único que hay que reclamarle, es que nos haya dejado solo con la primera parte, quedando pendiente una segunda, tercera y así hasta que la historia lo permita.

Average customer rating:

History of Hysteria
A gifted satirist looks at history!
A mel brooks's humorous history of the world!
Not one of Mel Brook's best but still funny and entertaining.
Una de las Peliculas Mas Comicas de Todos los Tiempos

History of the World -- Part I
Starring: J.J. Barry , Sid Caesar , Ron Carey , Susette Carroll , and Rudy De Luca
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000K3CQ
Release Date: 1999-12-28