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The Mel Brooks Webring

Life Stinks (Jan 30th 2008)

Aero Theatre (Santa Monica, CA)
American Cinematheque Mel Brooks Retrospective

Oh the highs and lows of life. Right now Life Stinks. That's what comes to my mind this very moment as my fingers dance over the keyboard. Minutes ago my life was at a peak (yes, can you sense the dramatic tension building in this story?). Minutes ago, I was listening to my live audio recording of the Q&A with Mel Brooks & Rudy DeLuca that just wrapped up around 10:45pm at The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, CA. I was contemplating how to best provide the audio to you devoted Mel Brooks fans. Unfortunately, the device I used suddenly came up with an error message stating the compact flash card that the file was being saved on could not be found... yet all the audio was still in some "temporary" memory on the device... able to be played back... for the time being...

I thought about just plugging in the headphone out of device into the line in of my 'puter and painfully going through the digital to analog to digital process... but hastely decided not to, hoping I might have time to get my review and files up in time for the early risers on the East Coast. Hey! It's in temporary memory so it should stay there until I close the application right? So I unplugged the CF card and everything was still working... then I plugged it back in thinking there might have been a loose connection. Beep! The damn program decided to shut itself down and the temporary memory was "erased." So now all you fans will get my shortened review. It's a damn shame as I lost the recording of myself asking Mel a question... which may, in some infitesimally small chance, give a sneak preview of the future. Read on!

Having maintained this site on/off since 1996, I've been asked many times if I have ever met Mel Brooks. The answer I always give is "No, and I don't know if I would go out of my way to meet him. I wouldn't have anything to say other than Thank You, which he probably gets a zillion of... and which wouldn't mean much to me if I knew it didn't mean much to him." Maybe this is because I've already had two opportunities to meet him and nothing materialized.

• The first was being invited to the taping of the Late Show episode with Mel as the guest and Nathan Lane as the host, filling in for Letterman (who had a bypass). I flew out from LA but didn't get a chance to meet Mel or the cool employee who put me on the guest list.
• The second time was at an American Cinematheque screening of Young Frankenstein at the Egyptian theatre. I had naively underestimated the popularity of the film and ended up in a sea of people out in front of the theatre trying to get tickets. Right before the screening began Mel Brooks (entourage & paparazzi) push right by me... and stop about 5 feet from me to talk to some fans and do some publicity shots. Again, no dice. But I guess three times is a charm (see discussion/Q&A below). So...

I got to the Aero Theatre around 6:30pm. Really cold outside. I decided to take some shots of the marquee. There were two guys already there taking shots...

Two guys: Want a picture?
Me: Sure. You work on the movie?
Two guys: Yeah. Director and star.
Me: Cool (a bit confused thinking... Mel didn't direct Life Stinks?).
Two Guys: What's your interest?
Me: Big fan of Mel Brooks.
Guy: Oh, but I'm not Mel Brooks.
Me: That's cool (dawns on me they are from the movie premiering Thursday night). You are the director and star for tomorrow night's movie right? That's cool. Maybe I'll check it out tomorrow.

We take the pictures and I'm on my way. The two guys were Joseph Culp and Jarek Kupsc. Funny. Maybe I'll check out their flick tomorrow. Back to Mel!

Went inside and grabbed a seat a few rows from the front, people trickled in until the theatre was about 3/4 full. A little after 7:30pm Mike Schlesinger, member of the Board of Trustees for the American Cinematheque, gets up onto the stage to announce the nights program. He informs us that tonight we have a special treat in store for us, something that was not previously announced. Apparently, while preparing for the screening, someone (Mike?) asked if they could screen "the Critic," and the response was... who has a copy of that? Of course while he was telling us this story I was thinking to myself... hey, I have a 16mm reel of that! Anyway, we got to see a glorious 35mm print of "the Critic" on the bring screen! Dancing Paper Bags, The Critic, Life Stinks and a Q&A with Mel Brooks and Rudy DeLuca for $10 (yes, I'm not a member of the American Cinematheque... yet). This Mike guys seems pretty cool. Life is Good.

I remember seeing Life Stinks in the theatre when it was released. At the time I was a freshman in high school and not really familiar with Mel's work. I enjoyed it, but it was just another night at the movies with my friends. In particular I had vividly remembered the scene where Mel and Anne are trying to "get it on" and Mel can't find Anne in all of her layers of clothing. Oh to be a pubescent teenager in Western Massachusetts again! Life was really good.

Seeing it again on the big screen... wow. It trully is a really good movie. It has lots of positive messages and really good acting. Leslie Ann Warren does a great job, especially when she is re-enacting her past stories/emotions. Mel on the bring screen, what's not to like. Wow, there are some serious close ups of him! His big screen personality is priceless. Life is Good.

After the credits role the lights come back on and Mike Schelsinger comes to the front of the theatre to introduce Rudy DeLuca and Mel Brooks! There are three seats on the stage, Rudy sits on the left, Mel in the center and Mike to the right. . Life Stinks.

In lieu of the audio here is a breakdown of topics discussed and questions answered. If anyone else reading this was there please feel free to let me know if I've missed anything key (I know I have) and I will gladly amend this page. If anyone knows how to get a copy of the video being taped by the American Cinematheque please let me know. I think there might have been other fans that captured the audio. It would be great just to get the audio so it can be transcribed. Let me know if you have a copy. I assume Friday's event was also taped... but I have not heard anything yet.

• Someone (Mel?) noted how tonight was nicer because all the questions could be answered and signatures could be given without rushing because there isn't a second movie like on Friday night.
• On how Life Stinks was not considered to be a main stream movie but the studio green lit it anyway.
• In response to a question about if he was interesting in making more movies Mel replied "no because there are so many people involved/collaboration in movies now (production houses, etc...) you lose control over it." He followed by saying how he is really into Broadaway and brings up Young Frankenstein (though not really a plug).
• Life Stinks was not received well in the US but in Italy, where it was called "Life As A Dog", it took the top spot for 8 weeks against other movies such as Star Wars. Similar success in France also.
• On performing in the Catskills, where everyone had their own little signature piece. Mel sings his whole little number. Really cool. He has such an awesome voice at 80!
• Story of being in Chicago with Sid Caesar and getting on Sid's nerves about "getting out" of the office... to the point where Sid hangs him out of the window. Also retells story of humoring Sid about driving a rental car? in Chicago, getting into an accident with a cab and having Sid approach the cab yelling and screaming... suddenly stopping and asking the cab driver if he remembers his birth because he's going to bring back all the memories... followed by Sid trying to pull the cab driver out of the car through the small window in the front portion of the driver's door (ya know, those little triangular windows that rotate open).
• Guy who is initially mistaken as a woman states he works for the San Diego International Comic-Con (contact me if this gets to you, we should meet up and exchange some ideas) and asks Mel if he would attend this year's event (I'll be there). Mel asks for the spelling of his name... then mentions that he will be doing the Fangoria Radio show in NY later this year.
• Someone (maybe the same guy above) complements Max Brooks and asks Mel if he would work with Max. Mel explains how he is so proud of Max as a son, father, etc... and how Max tells him all about Big Foot, Zombies, etc... but that he doesn't understand any of it (ie probably not going to work with Max). Also discusses how his son is different by explaining how Max walked away from being a writer on SNL because it wasn't fun... working crazy hours just to try to get one line on a show. Of course, this is exactly what Mel did, if not more extreme (not being formally compensated by the show), earlier in his career.
• Blazing Saddles is the next Broadway show... but he just tells people that as a canned answer... they are looking for good stories...
• I was lucky to be chosen from the hands to ask Mel a question. My question followed the questions about future movies and future Broadway shows, both of which were perfect setups for my question (which I've wanted to ask since I saw Young Frankestein The Musical in Dec). Here is the gist...
  Me: First of all, I'm a big fan (duh). You've already talked about future movies and Broadway shows. Would you consider/how about a History of the World Part 5 Musical with different little scenes/numbers and maybe a Spaceballs 2 segment thrown in. [note: I was nervous so I think it really did come out incoherently like the above]
  Mel: Okay your question is confusing [or something like that]. No, that wouldn't work. That's what they call a review.
  Me: But YOU could do it. You could pull it off. Amaze people.
  Rudy: You write it.
  Me: Okay.
  Mel: On Broadway people won't pay $100 bucks to see a review. A couple other fans (at least one very enthusiatic): I would!
  Mel: Okay, maybe I'll have to think about that. Okay.

  note: Where's Katzenberg when you need him? Please give this idea some serious thought Mel. If only one person can get this right it's you! It would be great. You yourself initially were skeptical, but admit it, a show with so much variety in it that it would appeal to all sorts of folks... you could keep Broadway on the edge of its seat. Forget $100 seats, you could be credited with revitalizing Broadway all over again... you could break records by charging less! It could run forever based on the variety of the material. Every number could be a show stopper because it wouldn't have to "advance" any sort of plot. Every set could wow. The costumes would wow! You could even have a bunch of Broadway stars make guest apperances in the show when they are in town... especially since the pieces would be shorter. Why constrain yourself to HISTORY?(though there is so much material you haven't touched)... you could do a futuristic Spaceballs number that comes out of nowhere and wins over the audience by its sheer ridiculousness... absoultely no one would see this coming... I would love to see this vision on the stage. Dancing guys with balls on their head? No need to recap the material from Spaceballs... make something totally new up in the Spaceballs universe. There are so many directions this could go and be successful. YOU CAN DO IT!. If you need someone with vision I'll take you out to lunch and we can brainstorm. Heck, I'd even quit my job to work with you for free on this.]Life could potentially be Great!

• I lost my recording. Life Stinks.
• On how writer's are creatively more gifted than directors and producers, but are underappreciated (Rudy DeLuca was part of this discussion).
• Rudy did a little "I'll kill him..." routine at the request of a fan.
• On meeting Rudy and working with him on Silent Movie, High Anxiety, Life Stinks, etc...
• Mel directs and produces movies to keep control over the final product but acts in them because he loves the attention.

By the way... if anyone who has an audience with Mel reads this... there are still some unanswered questions... 1)What happened to Spaceballs The Animated Series? It was promoted just a little bit at Comic-Con but no word now. 2)How about a video game a la the old Sierra or Lucas Arts adventure games?

Besides the guy shooting the video, there were several American Cinematheque photographers present. One of them told me the pictures would be posted on-line. I'm not sure where, when or for whom though (members?). If/When I find out I will add a link here.

After the Q&A Mel and Rudy stuck around and did some pictures and signed stuf for everyone that wanted their sigs. It was awesome. Of course I didn't bring any of my cool stuff to get signed... so I had to ask Mel to sign one of my GMAT study guide sheets. Oh well, if I do well on my GMATs and get into a top school like Harvard I'll have to send a letter to Mel thanking him for the good luck.

Well. I gotta get up for work in about 4 hours to prep for a presentation. This is where I should say "Life Stinks," but thinking about the events of the night and FINALLY seeing and engaging Mel IN REAL LIFE... gee... this is what it's all about. LIFE IS GREAT!

Thank You Rudy, Mel & Mike for a wonderfully entertaining and inspiring night!

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