brando647 It's disappointing to revisit a movie you loved in your younger years only to discover the movie is almost intolerable now. It's even more disappointing when that movie comes from comedy legend Mel Brooks. The movie in question is, obviously, ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS. I seriously loved this movie as a teenager; one of my friends had it on VHS and we would watch it all the time. Since then, I'd always been on the lookout for a good DVD or Blu-ray copy so I could bring it into my collection and remind myself how awesome it was. When I bought the Mel Brooks collection, this was the movie I was most excited to own because I hadn't seen it in probably more than twenty years. Then I sat down and watched it and, man, I don't think I laughed once. Not once. Even my daughter, who'd gotten a kick out of SPACEBALLS, couldn't be bothered to pay attention. I can't say this is Mel Brooks' worst film because I there are still two or three I haven't seen, but I can say with utmost certainty it's the worst one I've encountered. It really kills me to acknowledge it; I haven't been this let down by a movie I used to love since MORTAL KOMBAT. But you know what? I'd rather re-watch MORTAL KOMBAT than MEN IN TIGHTS because at least it doesn't make me cringe. Did it not age well, or was it never good to begin with?No sense in recapping the plot: it's the classic tale of Robin Hood as told through the lens of Mel Brooks. It features Cary Elwes, a young Dave Chappelle, and Richard Lewis with minor roles for Brooks (as Rabbi Tuckman), Tracey Ullman, and even Patrick Stewart. This should have been a sure-fire win and, for many years, I believed it to be one. But, man, this was a rough one to sit through now. It hits you right off the bat with exposition in the form of a Sherwood Forest rap that's just…it's embarrassing to watch. From there we're taken to the Middle East where we're introduced to Robin of Loxley (Elwes) as he's tossed in a dungeon following his capture during the Crusades and we're given a taste of the style of humor we can expect: a dungeon maître d' named Falafel, a gag where Robin's tongue is stretched a foot out of his mouth while he goes cross-eyed, and Isaac Hayes making a "feat of strength"/"feet of strength" pun. None of it, and I mean none, was landing for me. It all came across as just incredibly dumb and at no point did it crawl its way out from that ditch. Recurring jokes, such as the Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees) and his stress-induced speech impediment, hit with a thud but keep coming back whether you found them amusing or not. I felt bad watching MEN IN TIGHTS. A movie shouldn't make me feel bad for not laughing.I love Mel Brooks and I love his movies. He's had a few missteps but I can usually find enough about the movie to enjoy it to some extent. MEN IN TIGHTS tries its hardest to hide those positive notes under a pile of stale jokes, but they're there. Elwes doesn't actually cut it for me here. Sure, as he's proud to brag, he's "the only Robin Hood to speak with an English accent" but he's a freaking cartoon. He just mugs about for the entire movie. It's actually sort of annoying. Get your Elwes fix from THE PRINCESS BRIDE instead. Chappelle is great, even if he feels a little out of place in something so cheesy at times in the movie. His character is a man from Africa named "Ahchoo" so, you know, expect plenty of play from that gag. I also liked Mark Blankfield as Robin's loyal blind servant Blinkin. Sure there are plenty of easy gags to come from his blindness but he's adept at the physical comedy and it works. Let's see…there was a fun meta-gag late in the film that breaks the fourth wall. That's a fun Brooks trope and makes from one of the few honest laughs in the movie. Other than that, there's barely anything here worth a mention. This wasn't written by Brooks usual team. Instead, he's got J.D. Shapiro, the man behind…let's see…Oh…BATTLEFIELD EARTH and one episode of "Charles in Charge". Well I guess that explains a lot now.

Wuchak Released in 1993, "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" spoofs popular Robin Hood flicks, like "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991). Cary Elwes stars in the titular role while Amy Yasbeck is on hand as Marian with Megan Cavanagh as Broomhilde. Richard Lewis and Roger Rees play the villains, Prince John and the Sheriff of Rottingham respectively, with Tracey Ullman as the hideous witch. Robin's merry men include: Dave Chappelle, Eric Allan Kramer, Mark Blankfield and Matthew Porretta.Elwes has that merry persona necessary for the eponymous role. No matter what danger he encounters he always has that jovial smirk on his face. Meanwhile, Yasbeck is stunning and sumptuous, particularly in the chastity belt scene. While there are a few laugh-out-loud jokes, this is mostly a quietly amusing parody and consistently entertaining. I was never bored. Several actors appear in cameos, like Patrick Stewart & Dick Van Patten. Dom DeLuise does a Brando impersonation at one point.The movie runs 104 minutes and was shot in Valencia & Santa Clarita, California, with studio work done in West Hollywood. DIRECTOR: Mel Brooks. WRITERS: Brooks, JD Shapiro & Evan Chandler.GRADE: B

SnoopyStyle Robin of Loxley (Cary Elwes) is imprisoned during the Crusades. He escapes with the help of Asneeze (Isaac Hayes). Returning to England, Robin rescues Ahchoo (Dave Chappelle), the son of Asneeze. Prince John (Richard Lewis) is in control with Richard fighting in the Crusades and he's taking LoxleyHall literally. Prince John has a witch named Latrine (Tracey Ullman). Robin's blind family servant Blinkin (Mark Blankfield) tells him that his family are all dead. Little John (Eric Allan Kramer), Will Scarlet O'Hara (Matthew Porretta) and Rabbi Tuckman (Mel Brooks) join him to battle Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees). He falls for Maid Marian (Amy Yasbeck).This is a Mel Brooks spoof. His brand of humor has grown a bit old. There are simply not enough funny jokes. Dave Chappelle is a great find and he has a few good laughs. He has the majority and the biggest laughs. On the other hand, Amy Yasbeck has no laughs at all. Maid Marian may be funnier as an idiot. Cary Elwes is game and has good timing. The silly names seem to be half of the comedy. It's a mix bag with some good light silliness.

Evan Wessman (CinematicInceptions) As with most comedies, whether you enjoy Men in Tights is a matter of taste. People get a sore throat and an abdominal workout from some comedies, often without knowing what it is about themselves that makes the movie appeal to them. Other times the same people will watch another comedy and think, "How the heck is this supposed to be even remotely funny?" Your sense of humor just something that's wired into you and nobody can control it. That said, if you aren't a fan of Mel Brooks humor. find something else to watch. This isn't a comedy that has other elements in it like the Ocean's Trilogy or many Robin Williams movies. Nothing in this movie is done for any reason apart from getting laughs out of the audience, so if it doesn't tickle your funnybone, Men in Tights will just be a waste of hundred minutes. The rating certification for this movie is listed as "Off color humor", and there is certainly a fair amount of that. I found that this was the main detracting area of the movie. Call me whatever derogatory name you want for it, but the sexual humor just didn't really sit well with me. Despite that, there is still enough cleaner humor to make it enjoyable for (insert plural form of derogatory name mentioned above here). It references the original Prince of Thieves, among other things, to an extent, but not so much that those who haven't seen the original Kevin Costner film won't enjoy it. The references that are made are pretty good though (e.g. Unlike some Robin Hood's, I *can* speak in a British accent). Some of the lines are just ridiculous like Asneeze's "On the count of kick" line. Other jokes have a witty Monty Python feel to them. The lines feel well placed and well worded for the most part, which is the only area where execution comes into play in this sort of comedy apart from the acting, which is fine. Otherwise, as long as it makes you laugh, the execution isn't a problem. After all, comedies are supposed to be enjoyed, not debated. Nobody writes essays about dynamic characters from comedies. There certainly aren't any of these in this movie, though each main role is well established. Robin Hood is an overly gallant and dashing soldier that exits all of his encounters on top, usually after humiliating the Sheriff of Rottingham. The Sheriff is a cocky, though blundering character that is very good at making a fool of himself, though somehow retaining an air of superiority. His sidekick of sorts, and my personal favorite is Prince John. His lines are excellent and the mole that teleports from one spot on his face to another in each scene is pretty funny. Maid Marion is a tragic red-head that has a few good lines namely "'Twould be . . . "Tweriffic". The other main roles lie with the Merry Men. First to be recruited is Achoo son of Asneeze. He brings a modern touch to the Middle Ages setting and he also has some pretty good lines, many of them emphasizing his being a black guy in the middle of England. The next recruit is Blinkin (Did you just say Abe Linclon?), the blind man. He is somewhat of a klutz, being blind, but that does not detract from his verbal humor. Finally, Little John and Will Scarlett join the ranks. Little John sort of leads the Merry Men and is made to be kind of an all brawn and no brains sort of character, exemplified by his introduction at the "river". Will Scarlett is not really developed, but does have a few scattered one-liners. To conclude, Men in Tights is a very slapstick comedy that, while hitting many areas of comedy, may not be well accepted in any given group. The movie is extremely quotable, which can be a bad sign to anyone who knows someone who really likes it. So in a nutshell, its worth a rent, but if you question whether you're going to like it after about twenty minutes, it may not be a good idea to continue. Overall Rating: 8.2/10.