Spaceballs

Theatrical Release Date: 1987 06 24 (USA)

UPC: 027616810021

Studio: MGM

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language, Profanity]

Summary: A space bum helps rescue a princess from an evil overlord with the help of a benevolent elder in this Star Wars send-up written and directed by Mel Brooks. Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half-man, half-dog co-pilot, Barf the Mawg (John Candy), are content to scour the galaxy living the easy life. But they reluctantly come to the rescue when Druish Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) is threatened by the evil Lord Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis), who wants to steal all of the air from her planet, Druidia. Trapped on a harsh desert world with Vespa and her robot chaperone, Dot Matrix (voice of Joan Rivers), Lone Starr and Barf are helpless to prevent Helmet from kidnapping the girl. But assistance arrives in the form of Yogurt (Brooks), a wizard who turns Lone Starr on to a mysterious power known as The Schwartz. Catching up with Helmet just as he's transforming his spaceship into a giant vacuum cleaner in orbit around Druidia, the reluctant heroes stage a dramatic showdown. Although it borrows most of its plot from the Star Wars series, Spaceballs also pokes fun at Star Trek, Snow White, and Planet of the Apes -- as well as the entire videocassette and movie marketing industries. The large supporting cast includes Dick Van Patten, Jim J. Bullock, and the voice of Dom DeLuise. John Hurt makes a cameo in a parody of the exploding chest scene he played in Alien. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Category: Comedy

Features: Audio commentary by Mel Brooks
Special behind-the-scenes footage
Original theatrical trailer

Spaceballs

Format: DVD

Release Date: 04/25/2000

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, 2 PCM stereo, 1 USA & territories, Canada

Runtime: 96 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 -- Widescreen
0. Scene Selections
1. Logo/Main Title [1:50]
2. Over His Helmet [5:20]
3. Runaway Bride [2:25]
4. Pizza Wants Dough [4:07]
5. Presidential Headache [3:12]
6. Family Of Expletives [1:26]
7. Making A Deal [1:25]
8. Jammed [2:50]
9. Getting Princess Vespa [4:09]
10. Ludicrous Speed [3:26]
11. Sandy Stop [2:37]
12. The Bare Necessities [2:00]
13. Instant Replay [2:18]
14. Living Without Love [3:37]
15. Li'L Red Desert Hoods [2:55]
16. Keeper Of The Schwartz [3:12]
17. Combing The Desert [1:04]
18. Schwartz Training [1:52]
19. The Lure [2:37]
20. Yogurt'S Gift [:58]
21. Dolls, A Love Story [1:26]
22. A Devious Plan [3:23]
23. Trouble She'S Seen [5:28]
24. Mega Maid! [3:20]
25. The Ear Of The Storm [3:29]
26. I'Ll Show You Mine [5:47]
27. How Self-Destructive [3:43]
28. Last Call For Pizza [1:31]
29. "He Had The Special" [2:43]
30. "A Certified Prince" [3:35]
31. Stop That Wedding [2:34]
32. End Credits [5:32]
Side #2-- Standard
0. Scene Selections
1. Logo/Main Title [:04]
2. Over His Helmet [1:50]
3. Runaway Bride [5:20]
4. Pizza Wants Dough [2:24]
5. Presidential Headache [4:07]
6. Family Of Explatives [3:12]
7. Making A Deal [1:25]
8. Jammed [1:25]
9. Getting Princess Vespa [2:50]
10. Ludicrous Speed [4:09]
11. Sandy Stop [3:26]
12. The Bare Necessities [2:37]
13. Instant Replay [2:00]
14. Living Without Love [2:18]
15. Li'L Red Desert Hoods [3:37]
16. Keeper Of The Schwartz [2:55]
17. Combing The Desert [3:12]
18. Schwartz Training [1:04]
19. The Lure [1:52]
20. Yogurt'S Gift [2:37]
21. Dolls, A Love Story [:58]
22. A Devious Plan [1:26]
23. Trouble She'S Seen [3:23]
24. Mega Maid! [5:28]
25. The Ear Of The Storm [3:20]
26. I'Ll Show You Mine [3:28]
27. How Self-Destructive [5:47]
28. Last Call For Pizza [3:43]
29. "He Had The Special" [1:31]
30. "A Certified Prince" [2:43]
31. Stop That Wedding [3:35]
32. End Credits [2:34]

Brian J. Dillard

By the time Spaceballs rolled around, Mel Brooks' brand of zany slapstick and genre parody had long since begun to wear out its welcome. And by 1987, Star Wars was a positively ancient target for satire. It's no surprise, then, that this collection or hoary puns and cheesy sight gags smelled strongly of mothballs even during its initial run. Despite the assembled talent, from John Candy to John Hurt, writer/director Brooks seems more capable of eliciting groans than laughs with his endless sight gags and pointless running jokes. Joan Rivers is actually a hoot as the voice of robot prude Dot Matrix. But it doesn't say much for the rest of the picture that the best acting -- and funniest jokes -- come from a performer who's heard but never seen. With his royal drag and practically dreadlocked fright wig, Dick Van Patten is worth a laugh or two as the hapless King Roland. Brooks also works in a few decent set pieces and swipes at other sci-fi films. But the puns, from "Druish Princess" to "Pizza the Hut," belong in the warmup monologue of a talk show, not the script of a Hollywood feature. And the jokes are even worse when they fall outside the confines of Mad Magazine-style send-ups. The scene in which the characters watch the video of their own movie to find out what happens next is only one example of the labored hamminess on display. In fact, the only consistently funny element is John Morris's score, which takes deadly aim at the bombast of John Williams -- and scores a direct hit. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Tony Cox  Actor 
Tony Griffin  Actor 
Robert Prescott  Actor 
Mitchell Bock  Actor 
Rick Ducommun  Actor 
Jeff MacGregor  Actor 
Ed Gale  Actor 
Ken Olfson  Actor 
Rhonda Shear  Actor 
Wayne Wilson  Actor 
Johnny Silver  Actor 
Stephen Tobolowsky  Actor 
Earl Finn  Actor 
Bryan O'Byrne  Actor 
Felix Silla  Actor 
Dey Young  Actor 
Arturo Gil  Actor 
Michael Pniewski  Actor 
Tommy Swerdlow  Actor 
Gail Barle  Actor 
Henry Kaiser  Actor 
Tim Russ  Actor 
Ira Miller  Actor 
Brenda Strong  Actor 
Mel Brooks  Director 
Mel Brooks  Producer 
Mel Brooks  Screenwriter 
Thomas Meehan  Screenwriter 
John Morris  Composer (Music Score) 
Ronny Graham  Screenwriter 
Don Feld  Executive Producer 
Mel Brooks  Actor 
Mel Brooks  Actor 
John Candy  Actor 
Rick Moranis  Actor 
Bill Pullman  Actor 
Daphne Zuniga  Actor 
John Hurt  Actor 
Dick Van Patten  Actor 
George Wyner  Actor 
Michael Winslow  Actor 
Joan Rivers  Actor 
Lorene Yarnell  Actor 
Sal Viscuso  Actor 
Ronny Graham  Actor 
Jim J. Bullock  Actor 
Leslie Bevis  Actor 
Jim Jackman  Actor 
Denise Gallup  Actor 
Sandy Helberg  Actor 
Jack Riley  Actor 
Tom Dreeson  Actor 
Rudy de Luca  Actor 
Deanna Booher  Actor 
Dom DeLuise  Actor 

Country: USA