With a name like Big Studio, you expect big things, and it doesn't disappoint, with a tagline "If it's a big picture we've made it." However Big Studio is in trouble. The head of the studio, Studio Chief (Caesar) needs a big hit or he risks losing the studio to Engulf and Devour. E&D (Gould and Carey respectively) are a big company that is in the process of overtaking other corporations, but they really really want Big Studio.
Helping Studio Chief avoid a heart attack and able to keep the studio, is has-been director Mel Funn (Brooks). Funn and cohorts Eggs (Feldman) and Bell (DeLuise) want to make a silent film, "Gee boss I don't think the studio will go for a silent movie in this day and age!" It's a tough sell, but Funn manages to convice S.C. that they will get big stars in the film and it will be a smash. So the crazy three begin their quest for stars... Telling anything else just wouldn't be fair.
As the title suggests this is a silent film, full of slapstick (like the quote says). There is one spoken word, by the least likely person to speak. Several stars have cameos in the film, they play caricatures of themselves and seem to be enjoying themselves. I don't think this film could have commercial success now, but it is an entertaining film. There are title pages with dialog, but most of the fun is reading the actors lips, because the cards usually have a toned down version of what the character actually said. The majority of the film is sight gags, since this is a silent film. However not all of the jokes work. The ending battle is amazing, and so is the setup earlier in the film, but there are some running jokes that aren't quite as funny (like driving past the tailor and acupuncture stores). So not the best Brooks film, but it is better than most!
--: very funny. Watch carefully or you'll miss something (like the title card)
Rent it: maybe silent movies aren't your thing, but give it a try...I doubt this will be tried again.
Silent Movie (1976) 87 minutes
Director: Mel Brooks
Starring: Mel Brooks as Mel Funn
Marty Feldman as Marty Eggs
Dom DeLuise as Dom Bell
Sid Caesar as Studio Chief
Harold Gould as Engulf
Ron Carey as Devour
Helping Studio Chief avoid a heart attack and able to keep the studio, is has-been director Mel Funn (Brooks). Funn and cohorts Eggs (Feldman) and Bell (DeLuise) want to make a silent film, "Gee boss I don't think the studio will go for a silent movie in this day and age!" It's a tough sell, but Funn manages to convice S.C. that they will get big stars in the film and it will be a smash. So the crazy three begin their quest for stars... Telling anything else just wouldn't be fair.
As the title suggests this is a silent film, full of slapstick (like the quote says). There is one spoken word, by the least likely person to speak. Several stars have cameos in the film, they play caricatures of themselves and seem to be enjoying themselves. I don't think this film could have commercial success now, but it is an entertaining film. There are title pages with dialog, but most of the fun is reading the actors lips, because the cards usually have a toned down version of what the character actually said. The majority of the film is sight gags, since this is a silent film. However not all of the jokes work. The ending battle is amazing, and so is the setup earlier in the film, but there are some running jokes that aren't quite as funny (like driving past the tailor and acupuncture stores). So not the best Brooks film, but it is better than most!
--: very funny. Watch carefully or you'll miss something (like the title card)
Rent it: maybe silent movies aren't your thing, but give it a try...I doubt this will be tried again.
Silent Movie (1976) 87 minutes
Director: Mel Brooks
Starring: Mel Brooks as Mel Funn
Marty Feldman as Marty Eggs
Dom DeLuise as Dom Bell
Sid Caesar as Studio Chief
Harold Gould as Engulf
Ron Carey as Devour
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