Mel Brooks--Seriously!: Essays on the Films, Television Shows and Standup -- Sue Matheson, Paperback

A National Medal of Arts winner, Mel Brooks has kept us in stitches for 70 years, laughing at the human condition. Brooks is well known for his New York Jewish humor, but as Roger Ebert says, the engines that drive his comedy have rarely been noticed.

This work offers new insights into Brooks' creative genius. Fifteen scholars discuss the social satire and genre parody that fuel well-known films like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety, and History of the World, Part I, along with deep dives into overlooked films like Twelve Chairs, Silent Movie, and Life Stinks. The essays herein cover how Brooks' comedy developed, his standup roots, Get Smart, and his work as a producer for The Elephant Man and The Fly, and more, together presenting a detailed look at one of comedy's most influential voices.

Author: Sue Matheson
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Published: 09/25/2025
Pages: 278
Binding Type: Paperback
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.45d
ISBN: 9781476690032

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 08/01/2025 pg. 70

About the Author
Sue Matheson is a professor of English at the University College of the North in Manitoba, Canada. She is the author, editor, or co-editor of more than a dozen scholarly volumes, specializing in American popular culture and film.