- Title: Spaceballs
- IMDb: link
Released 5 years after the conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy, and long before any glimmer of new Star Wars films ever being made, with Spaceballs writer/director Mel Brooks lampooned the cultural phenomenon along with countless other sci-fi properties including Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, and others. Although Brooks would go on to do other parodies in a similar vein, arguably learning the wrong lesson from the film, Spaceballs marks the end of the director’s better work which peaked far earlier in the early 1970s.
The film throws together scoundrel Lone Starr (Bill Pullman), his sidekick Barf (John Candy), runaway bride Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga), and her droid Dot Matrix (Joan Rivers) running from Lord Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and the forces under President Skroob (Brooks) planning to ransom Vespa to her father King Roland (Dick Van Patten) to steal all the air from the planet Druidia. Lone Starr and Vespa will bicker on the way to falling for each other as Lone Starr’s journey also takes him to learn how to use the Schwartz from the all-powerful Yogurt (Brooks).
The story is really just an excuse to tie together a series of jokes and gags that range from “Mr. Radar,” “Ludicruous Speed,” “Mega-Maid,” “Combing the Desert,” “Pizza the Hut,” Surrounded by Assholes, and countless others culminating with Lone Starr battling Dark Helmet with the Schwartz, and, in the film’s epilogue, learning his destiny as Brooks delivers a happy ending for all.
It’s far from the director’s best work, but as a Star Wars fan (and someone who saw the film as a child) it certainly pulls at nostalgic strings in how lovingly it parodies the franchise. George Lucas reportedly loved the film, as did audiences, although critics were more mixed on the Star Wars parody. Over the years its also found success on home video being released on VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-ray, and even 4K with a long-awaited sequel headed to theaters in 2027. Currently, you can find Spaceballs on several streaming platforms as well.
