American Masters » Film + Television http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters A series examining the lives, works, and creative processes of outstanding artists. Wed, 08 May 2013 16:23:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Mel Brooks: Spaceballs: The Art of the Trope (or, making the cliché absurd) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/spaceballs-the-art-of-the-trope-or-making-the-cliche-absurd/2608/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/spaceballs-the-art-of-the-trope-or-making-the-cliche-absurd/2608/#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 17:04:40 +0000 Tom McNamara http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=2608 What came first: the Mel Brooks movie or the cliché?

The classic Hollywood Sci-Fi spaceship always gets gratuitous screentime from every camera angle. Mel Brooks’s Hollywood spaceship appears in a continuous one minute and 40 second scene detailing its ridiculous length.

spaceballs.info

Designer: Ricardo Galvez. Producer: Tom McNamara.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/spaceballs-the-art-of-the-trope-or-making-the-cliche-absurd/2608/feed/ 0 Mel Brooks: Young Frankenstein: The Art of the Homage (or, to spoof with accuracy) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/young-frankenstein-the-art-of-the-homage-or-to-spoof-with-accuracy/2604/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/young-frankenstein-the-art-of-the-homage-or-to-spoof-with-accuracy/2604/#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 16:53:11 +0000 Tom McNamara http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=2604 For Mel Brooks the spoofing is in the details.

The classic Hollywood Horror film is always black-and-white and includes scene transitions like iris outs, wipes and fades to black. Mel Brooks’s Hollywood Horror is no different. He even tracks down the original equipment from the mad doctor’s lab first used in the 1931 Frankenstein film.

yf.info

Designer: Ricardo Galvez. Producer: Tom McNamara.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/young-frankenstein-the-art-of-the-homage-or-to-spoof-with-accuracy/2604/feed/ 1 Mel Brooks: Blazing Saddles: The Art of the Stereotype (and turning it on its head) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/blazing-saddles-the-art-of-the-stereotype-and-turning-it-on-its-head/2602/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/blazing-saddles-the-art-of-the-stereotype-and-turning-it-on-its-head/2602/#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 16:26:34 +0000 Tom McNamara http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=2602 Mel Brooks never met a stereotype he couldn’t upend.

The classic Hollywood cowboy is always white. Mel Brooks’s Hollywood cowboy is black. And his Indian chief speaks Yiddish.

blazingsaddles.info.poster

Designer: Ricardo Galvez. Producer: Tom McNamara.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/blazing-saddles-the-art-of-the-stereotype-and-turning-it-on-its-head/2602/feed/ 0 Mel Brooks: Film Excerpt: The Difference Between Comedy & Tragedy Is… http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-excerpt-the-difference-between-comedy-tragedy-is/2585/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-excerpt-the-difference-between-comedy-tragedy-is/2585/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:24:16 +0000 Tom McNamara http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=2585 The logic here is, as long as it isn’t happening to Mel Brooks, it’s funny.

(View full post to see video)

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise premieres nationally Monday, May 20 on PBS (check local listings)

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-excerpt-the-difference-between-comedy-tragedy-is/2585/feed/ 0 Mel Brooks: #ComedyFest Live: Mel Brooks & Carl Reiner with Judd Apatow http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/comedyfest-live-mel-brooks-carl-reiner-with-judd-apatow/2598/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/comedyfest-live-mel-brooks-carl-reiner-with-judd-apatow/2598/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:39:31 +0000 Tom McNamara http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=2598 2000 Year Old Man joins Twitter. ]]> Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner in conversation with director and writer Judd Apatow, marking the day on which the 2000 Year Old Man joins Twitter.

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise premieres nationally Monday, May 20 on PBS (check local listings).

Video Note: Content includes profanity.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/comedyfest-live-mel-brooks-carl-reiner-with-judd-apatow/2598/feed/ 1 Mel Brooks: Film Outtake: Do You Want To Know How ‘The Critic’ Came About? http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-outtake-do-you-want-to-know-how-the-critic-came-about/2572/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-outtake-do-you-want-to-know-how-the-critic-came-about/2572/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:22:45 +0000 Tom McNamara http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=2572 The Critic, a satire of arty, esoteric cinema. Brooks supplied running commentary as the baffled moviegoer trying to make sense of the obscure visuals. The short film won the Academy Award for Animated Short Film.]]> In 1963, Mel Brooks and director/animator Ernest Pintoff came up with the animated short film The Critic, a satire of arty, esoteric cinema. Brooks supplied running commentary as the baffled moviegoer trying to make sense of the obscure visuals. The short film won the Academy Award for Animated Short Film.

(View full post to see video)

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise premieres nationally Monday, May 20 on PBS (check local listings)

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-outtake-do-you-want-to-know-how-the-critic-came-about/2572/feed/ 0 Mel Brooks: Film Excerpt: Mel Brooks, a Bullhorn & Some German Soldiers http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-excerpt-mel-brooks-a-bullhorn-some-german-soldiers/2591/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/mel-brooks/film-excerpt-mel-brooks-a-bullhorn-some-german-soldiers/2591/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:22:07 +0000 Tom McNamara http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=2591 Even while fighting in WWII, Mel Brooks went for the laugh.

(View full post to see video)

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise premieres nationally Monday, May 20 on PBS (check local listings)

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