A surprisingly idiotic parody of space fantasy and sci-fi films, “Spaceballs” by Mel Brooks debuts in ultra-HD format and packed with extras.
Lone Star’s Eagle 5 Winnebago in “Spaceballs,” now available on 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber. WASHINGTON — So let’s revisit a true Mel Brooks classic. We’re talking about his surprisingly idiotic parody of space fantasy and sci-fi films, “Spaceballs.” The film has finally debuted in the ultra-high definition format. Its new package, Spaceballs (Kino Lorber, Rated PG,1.85:1 aspect ratio,96 minutes, $39.95), is crammed with extras. My first viewing of “Spaceballs,” back in 1987 had me shaking my head and asking, was this really created by the guy known for “Young Frankenstein,” “Blazing Saddles” and “The Producers?” Accessible mainly to 10-year olds, the laughs were always a bit too stale and far between for me. The dialogue felt forced and included too many crotch jokes as this mainly “Star Wars” skewering unfolded. However, one can’t blame the cast. Mel Brooks pulled together an eclectic group of legends and eventual legends. They were led by Rick Moranis as Darth Helmet, Bill Pullman as the cocky space pilot Lone Star, Joan Rivers as droid Dot Matrix, John Candy as the man-dog Barf, Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa and Dick Van Patten as King Roland. Also Read: ‘Resident Evil Village’ review: Thrills abound in this survival horror theme park The story found the citizens of planet Spaceball out of air and looking to extort the precious commodity from the peace-loving Druidia by taking its Princess Vespa hostage. It’s up to Lone Star and Barf to save the day with some help from Yogurt and the mystical power of the Schwartz.
