The Big Screen Comedies of Mel Brooks

<p> Mel Brooks is often regarded as one of Hollywood's funniest men thanks to such highly successful films as <I>The Producers Blazing Saddles</I> and <I>Young Frankenstein.</I> His films do have a tendency to turn out much like the jokes that comprise them--hit-or-miss one minute shoot-the-moon brilliant and the next minute well short of laughs.</p><p> This work provides a thorough synopsis and thematic analysis for each of his twelve films along with complete cast and production credits: <I>The Producers</I> (1968) <I>The Twelve Chairs</I> (1970) <I>Blazing Saddles</I> (1974) <I>Young Frankenstein</I> (1974) <I>Silent Movie</I> (1976) <I>High Anxiety</I> (1977) <I>History of the World--Part 1</I> (1981) <I>To Be or Not to Be</I> (1983) <I>Spaceballs</I> (1987) <I>Life Stinks</I> (1991) <I>Robin Hood: Men in Tights</I> (1993) and <I>Dracula: Dead and Loving It</I> (1995).</p>