7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Space-bum-for-hire Lone Starr and his half-dog/half-man sidekick, Barf must rescue a spoiled Druish princess from the evil Lord Dark Helmet in time to pay off Pizza the Hut. Meanwhile, the planet Druidia is being harassed by the Spaceballs, a sinister group attempting to pilfer Druidia's air resources.
Starring: Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne ZunigaComedy | 100% |
Adventure | 60% |
Sci-Fi | 42% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (Original)
French: DTS 5.1
German: DTS 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Hungarian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese only available on Japanese menu settings
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hungarian, Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
If you can read this, you don’t need glasses.
Where have you gone, Mel Brooks? A Comedy-starved nation turns its lonely eyes to you. In an
age
where
Comedy has taken a giant step in the wrong direction, where the greats like Candy,
Murray,
and Belushi, and films like Animal House, Ghostbusters, and
Spaceballs seems as dead as a laptop dropped to the floor (ahem), movie fans can turn
their
lonely eyes to Blu-ray for the rejuvenation of old favorites that, when properly presented, can
make
even the oldest of motion pictures and styles of film long since departed seem new. Such is
certainly the case with the release of Spaceballs, the quintessential
parody
film that spoofs cinema's most widely-known series, Star Wars. Starring writer and
director
Mel Brooks, the comedic genius with titles like Blazing Saddles and
Young Frankenstein
to his credit, Spaceballs delivers across the entire spectrum, much of its story playing as
completely ridiculous, even in the confines of a parody of a Science Fiction story, but therein lies
the magic of the movie. The inane and over-the-top nature of the picture, which plays in stark
contrast to something that is more subtly funny like Ghostbusters, never misses the
mark, and the absurdity of the characters, situations, and dialogue deliver nonstop laughs at
ludicrous
speed.
Behold my ring! It's shiny and cool and can control oversized vacuum cleaners!
Spaceballs lands on Blu-ray with a marvelous 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. Though appearing just the slightest bit dim, the transfer nevertheless dazzles in most every area. Colors appear rather strong throughout, particularly the brighter hues as witnessed in the scenes taking place on Druidia. Even in the other primary locales, all of which feature their own unique colors schemes -- brown and tan dominate the interior of the Winnebago; steely grays are found predominantly inside Spaceball One; shadowy, muted browns make up much of Yogurt's underground lair -- all manage to impress greatly on this Blu-ray release. The higher resolution also greatly improves upon the detail seen throughout. Whether the wear on Lone Starr's Indiana Jones-esque leather jacket or the revelation of some of the imperfections on the set -- scratches, dents, and mediocre paint jobs -- the 1080p transfer allows audiences to see Spaceballs as it was meant to be seen. The transfer also allows for easier recognition of some of the film's more subtle background information that might have been missed in previous releases, for instance a line of Rocky VHS boxes on a lower shelf of the Mr. Rental station aboard Spaceball One. Special effects shots appear noticeably rougher than any other aspect of the film, with a bit more in the way of grain and containing the majority of the scratches, pops, and speckles. Still, the appearance of such anomalies is generally minimal and hardly distracting. Outside the effects shots, the transfer is generally clean and film grain is never overbearing. Also sporting adequate blacks and flesh tones, Spaceballs on Blu-ray looks fantastic for home viewing, better than even the cast and crew could have imagined when viewing the "instant cassette" of the film on the bridge of Spaceball One.
Boasting a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, this Blu-ray release of Spaceballs betters its home video predecessors considerably. No matter what the soundtrack has to offer, the lossless mix handles it expertly. The upbeat track that accompanies the opening scrolling text dazzles across the entire range, playing clearly and cleanly as it engulfs the soundstage, and is equalled in presence by the menacing, Jaws-like track that plays over the opening shot of a rumbling Spaceball One as it slowly maneuvers through space. Throughout the film, music plays with a clarity that dazzles in every instance, and its presence may be enjoyed throughout the entire soundstage. The rear channels come alive with regularity, both in support of the music and offering plenty of information during action sequences. Whether echoing voices, organ music at Princes Vespa's wedding ceremony, Bon Jovi's "Raise Your Hands" as heard during the introductions of Barf and Lone Starr, or laser blasts during a shootout in the final act, the back channels certainly make their presence known and provide great atmosphere and a sense of immersion into the Spaceballs experience. Complimented by crystal-clear dialogue reproduction, Spaceballs soars with a wonderful soundtrack that surpasses all expectations.
Spaceballs arrives on Blu-ray with a good selection of bonus features, headlined by a
commentary track with Writer/Director/Actor Mel Brooks. Brooks delivers a suitable yet
somewhat
dry track. He recounts plenty of basic tidbits about the making of the film, covering the casting,
the
score, the process of writing the film, and more. He points out many of the jokes in the picture
that
more often than not speak for themselves, but discusses some of the more nuanced parts of the
films, like "Skroob" almost being the reverse of "Brooks." This is a good commentary that fans
should enjoy. Spaceballs: The Documentary (480p, 30:04) takes an interesting look into
the world of the film, featuring plenty of cast and crew interview clips as they recount not only
the
film but the angles that made it so successful, particularly what makes for a great spoof. The
piece
also covers the special effects, the sets and props, shooting locations, the gags and the fun
on-set,
and much more. In Conversation: Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (480p, 20:30)
contains a discussion amongst the writers recounting several facets of the project, focusing, no
surprise, on the writing. The piece can meander at times but longtime Spaceballs fans
will want to sit down with this one.
John Candy: Comic Spirit (480p, 10:02) is next, a good piece remembering one of
Comedy's all-time great stars through interview clips with Spaceballs cast and crew,
vintage clips of Candy speaking on his career, and clips from his other works. Watch the
Movie in Ludicrous Speed (1080p, 0:29) plays the entire picture in seconds. Also included
are several still galleries: 'Spaceballs:' The Behind-the-Movie Photos, 'Spaceballs:' The
Costume Gallery, and 'Spaceballs:' The Art Gallery. Storyboard-to-Film
Comparison (480p, 6:41) shows several scenes played side-by-side with their hand-drawn
storyboard counterparts. Rounding out the extras on disc one is Film Flubs (480p), a
collection of six scenes with filmmaking errors highlighted, and two trailers: Exhibitor Trailer
With Mel Brooks Introduction (480p, 2:12) and the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:30).
Also included on a second disc is a DVD edition of the film. Containing a 1.85:1 presentation on
one side and a 4:3 cropped presentation on the other, the disc also contains several
supplements: a commentary track, the theatrical trailer, and "Special Behind-the-Scenes
Footage."
Saying that Spaceballs represents Mel Brooks at his best would be a disservice to the director's other works, but the film is definitely his most accessible to audiences thanks to its structure built around Star Wars. A parody of that franchise but certainly a film that is both funny and unique in its own right and capable of standing on its own without the Star Wars crutch, Spaceballs nails the parody concept and certainly surpasses any such endeavor of a more recent vintage, and arguably beats any parody from any era. This Comedy classic arrives on Blu-ray as a great overall package from MGM. Boasting a strong 1080p transfer, a wonderful lossless soundtrack, and plenty of bonus materials, not to mention a DVD copy of the film, adding Spaceballs to the collection is as big a no-brainer as ditching Prince Valium for Lone Starr. Fasten all seat belts, seal all entrances and exits, close all shops in the mall, cancel the three ring circus, secure all animals in the zoo, engage ludicrous speed, and buy this one immediately! Highly recommended.
1987
The 25th Anniversary Edition
1987
1987
MGM 90th Anniversary
1987
1987
"Your Helmet Is So Big" Edition
1987
28th Anniversary Edition
1987
Limited Edition Collectible Cover Art
1987
Limited Edition Collectible Cover Art
1987
2015 Comic Con Exclusive
1987
2015 Comic Con Exclusive / Barf Variant
1987
1987
Retro VHS Collection
1987
"Your Helmet Is So Big" Edition
1987
1987
1987
The 25th Anniversary Edition
1987
1970
1983
1976
1993
2020
2005
1999
1977
Anniversary Edition
1981
2014
Unrated + Theatrical
2011
2009
2008
2010
1991
1987
1982
1980
40th Anniversary Edition
1974
2007