Spaceballs is a classic comedy from Mel Brooks, one that I’ve seen a few times over the years and while it’s not a favorite of mine, still makes for and fun and enjoyable 96-minute watch.
Spaceballs
(1987)
Genre(s): Comedy, Science Fiction
Kino Lorber | PG – 96 min. – $39.95 | April 13, 2021
Date Published: 04/01/2021 | Author: The Movieman
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Kino Lorber provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 3½/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: When the evil Dark Helmet (RICK MORANIS) attempts to steal all the air from planet Druidia, a determined Druish princess (DAPHNE ZUNIGA), a clueless rogue (BILL PULLMAN) and a half-man/half-dog creature who’s his own best friend (Candy) set out to stop him. But with the forces of darkness closing in on them at ludicrous speed, they’ll need the help of a wise imp named Yogurt (MEL BROOKS) and the mystical power of “The Schwartz” to bring peace and merchandising rights to the entire galaxy! Quick Hit Review: Spaceballs, needless to say, is a comedy classic and while not a favorite of mine, I actually prefer Mel Brooks’ Men in Tights, this one still provides plenty of chuckles despite having seen this a few times over the years. Not all of the jokes land but there’s enough to keep one entertained. Everything about it is goofy of course but the cast seemed to be game and struck the right note, especially John Candy as Barf and Bill Pullman as Lone Starr. Mel Brooks pretty much plays his roles as Mel Brooks generally does in all of his films and Daphne Zuniga was fun as the scrappy Princess Vespa. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3½/5 |
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This two-disc release comes with a matted slip cover and the inner sleeve is reversible. It appears all of the bonus material from previous releases has been ported over. Audio Commentary — Co-Writer/Co-Producer/Director/Star Mel Brooks. Also available on the 4K Ultra HD disc. Force Yourself!: Spaceballs and the Skroobing of Sci-Fi (16:44) — This is a retrospective featurette with interviews by members of the cast and crew discussing the origins of the production. Spaceballs: The Documentary (30:04) is an older featurette and has more interview footage. Presented in letterboxed format. In Conversation (20:30) — A one-on-one interview from 2005 between Mel Brooks and Co-Writer Thomas Meehan. John Candy: Comic Spirit (10:02) is a tribute by the Spaceballs cast abot the legendary comedic actor. Spaceballs in Ludicrous Speed (0:30) — Now you can watch the movie at ludicrous speed. Film Flubs (1:24) — A set of movie mistakes/continuity errors. This also comes with a Storyboard to Film Comparison (6:41), Behind-the-Scenes Image Gallery (6:06), Posters & Art Image Gallery (2:46), Exhibit Trailer (2:12) and the Teaser (1:19) and Theatrical Trailer (2:36). |
4K ULTRA HD VIDEO – 4¾/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4¾/5 |
| Kino Lorber releases Spaceballs onto both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, presented in the original theatrical 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and given 2160p and 1080p high-definition transfers, respectively. I don’t know if any restoration work was done nor how the Blu-ray compares with the original MGM release, but from my eye, both look pretty darn fantastic. Detail is incredibly sharp and nicely defined throughout and the natural film grain and noise is very present. Doing a quick comparison between the 4K and Blu-ray I really didn’t discern a huge difference, perhaps somewhat better or brighter colors but only just, courtesy of the HDR. |
AUDIO – 4¼/5 |
| Both formats come with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the same or at least similar to the original Blu-ray release. Even so, dialogue, which this is mostly comprised of for the jokes, comes across with good clarity and any action does show some modest depth. |
OVERALL – 4/5 |
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Spaceballs is a classic comedy from Mel Brooks, one that I’ve seen a few times over the years and while it’s not a favorite of mine, still makes for and fun and enjoyable 96-minute watch. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack does offer good video and audio transfers and bonus features ported over from the old releases. |