DVD Review: High Anxiety (but low tolerance!)

Welcome back!

So I decided that I wanted to try a comedy - I've been doing lots of dramas, etc and it was high time for a comedy in the mix. Mel Brooks box set was recently released and I hadn't seen all the films in the set, so I dutifully added them to my Blockbuster Online queue.

The first film from the box set, High Anxiety (Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn), arrived the other day. Now, normally, I don't rent films I've seen (if they're good, I buy them!) and I had seen this film as a kid (for some odd reason, I didn't delete it from my queue when it was added automatically with the other films from the box set). Anyway, I vaguely remember the film as being so-so and I totally forgot it was Brooks' homage to Alfred Hitchcock (an opening blurb mentioning that reminded me!)

Well, I wasn't in for my expected laugh fest - maybe in 1977 when I was 13 years old I found this funny.....but now, when I'm -- um, never mind-- I found it stupid. Madeline Kahn was a hoot (as usual) and her parts held up. The only Mel Brooks part I liked was his routine with Kahn as they tried to get past airport security by playing a bickering old Jewish couple.

The film also starred Cloris Leachman and Harvey Korman in supporting roles. Not very funny overall, but they did have one funny part - which I also thought was comically creative. They are having coffee on a couch with the scene being shot from under the glass coffee table looking up at the actors. As they place their cups and saucers down (along with sugar holder, teapot,etc), they constantly are covering the camera's lens -- it's quite cute - doesn't sound funny, but it was good for a smile and chuckle in an otherwise flat comedy.

Maybe if you're 13 years old you'll get more laughs, but if you're 3 times that age, you probably won't!

I was so ticked off at the end, I deleted the rest of his films from my queue! (Oddly, I still want to check out The Producers, which I saw on stage locally and enjoyed)

I'm giving this the dreaded 2 of 5 stars rating.

I do have a nice review to share with you next time!

Until then, leave a comment  about High Anxiety or Mel Brooks...or anything else you'd like, before you surf away!

Thanks for reading my blog!

Tags: mel brooks, high anxiety, madeline kahn, cloris leachman, harvey korman

Happy Memorial Day!

Welcome back!

Well, it's a long weekend here in the United States - the unofficial beginning of the summer season (which will end unofficially Labor Day weekend in September).

Monday is Memorial Day - a national holiday we set aside to remember the dead, especially those who died in the armed forces serving our country, from major conflicts like World War II to anti-terrorist strikes in Afghanistan and peacekeeping in Iran.

There is a White House Commission on Remembrance which is tasked as follows:

"The White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance was established by Congress as an independent government agency. The Commission encourages Americans to honor the sacrifices of America’s fallen and the families they left behind.  It promotes acts of remembrance throughout the year and asks Americans to pay our debt of gratitude in memory of our fallen by giving something back to the Nation.  The Commission is also tasked to unite the country in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day.

The Commission is dedicated to educating this and future generations of Americans to remember the sacrifices and costs in human life made to preserve our liberties, and to instill in them an understanding of what it means to be an American."

So, today, at 3 P.M. local time, please take a moment to remember all the men and women who have sacrificed their lives so we could live freely -- even to create silly blogs like this one!

Happy Memorial Day!

Peace.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Tags: memorial day, summer, united states, armed forces