A parody of the much-done medieval English tale of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS also directly lampoons the politically correct ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES, which starred the hearthrob of the time, the very un-British Kevin Costner. English hearthrob Cary Elwes gets a turn in the role of the hero of Sherwood Forest who robs from the rich to give to the poor when he returns from the Crusades to find his beloved King Richard (Patrick Stewart in an amazing Sean Connery imitation) usurped by the evil Prince John (Richard Lewis) and his henchman, the Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees). In typical Brooks fashion there is much satire, some gross jokes, a dash of screwball farce, and a Jewish spin put on gentile characters: Hence, Friar Tuck is transformed into Rabbi Tuckman (Mel Brooks), who is eager to perform circumcisions on the dim-witted Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Tracey Ullmann further livens up the ensemble as the witchlike cook Latrine. Those familiar with other Brooks films will also note moments parodying some of the director's own past spoofs, including HIGH ANXIETY and BLAZING SADDLES.
In this spoof of Robin Hood movies (and his own comedies), writer-director Mel Brooks goes for laughs in his usual way and off-color humor abounds.
Theatrical release: July 28, 1993.
Cary Elwes made his childhood acting debut at 5 years old as a servant to the Sheriff of Nottingham in a school production of ROBIN HOOD. In inadvertent preparation for his later role, he deliberately tripped in order to create some humor.
Director Brooks also helped create the short-lived 1970s television series WHEN THINGS WERE ROTTEN, spoofing the same subject.
Excerpt: "We're men--we're men in tights
We roam around the forest looking for fights
We're men--we're men in tights
We rob from the rich and give to the poor, that's right!"--Merry Men Singers (Steve Lively, Randy Crenshaw, Kerry Katz, Geoff Koch, Rick Logan)
"Unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent!"--Robin Hood (Cary Elwes)
DVD Features:
Keep Case
Widescreen
Audio:
(unspecified) - English
Director of Photography
Michael D. O'Shea: Director of Photography
Production Designer
Roy Forge Smith:
Story
J. David Shapiro:
Story
Evan Chandler:
Review 1:
"...It's good to have [Brooks] back on screen....Elwes swashbuckles with conviction..."
Source: New York Times
p.C13 07/28/1993
Review 2:
"...Brooks remains a talent....There is tremendous glee to be derived from the spontaneity of his outrageous antics..."
Source: Variety
08/02/1993
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