HIGH ANXIETY

Here's a Mel Brooks film that's dedicated to the great Alfred Hitchcock called...

The film is a parody on the Hitchcock films and stars Mel Brooks as a Doctor who is now the new administrator of the "Psycho-neurotic Institute For The Very, Very Nervous" who has a fear of heights called "High Anxiety". He notices a lot of suspicious activities going on in the hospital as some of the members are trying to kill him, eventually framing him for murder.

Mel Brooks is funny as the character but for the most part, he plays the character rationally where the surroundings that are weird and crazy seem like its all eerie and dangerous to him instead of thinking that it’s completely over the top and wacko as we the audience feel. Madeline Kahn as the love interest is very beautiful and funny but just like Brooks’ character and performance is too she plays it's her frightened reactions to the absurdities around that make her laughable. Harvey Korman as the villain is just as villainous as he is in "Blazing Saddles", and of course completely owns the role. Cloris Leachman as the crooked Nurse is ridiculously strict and the thick over the top accent that she brings to the character is just as silly as her accent as Frau Blucher (Horses Neighing) in “Young Frankenstein”. Ron Carey as Mel Brook's sidekick is the least funny character in the film for how forced his humor feels, but he's likable enough where you don't dread his on-screen apperance. Finally, we have Howard Morris as Professor Lilleoman and just like how he would later play a similar role in the Roger Corman's horror parody “Transylvania Twist”, he here does as great of a job at playing this kooky smart old man.

 
The film itself is another clever parody film by Mel Brooks. While he parodies Hitchcock films, he still puts respect into it to show how great his films are and gives you the feel of watching a Hitchcock film. The things that Mel Brooks makes fun of regarding Hitchcock films are endless! He satirizes the dramatic music, the shots, the characters, the plots, and the murders. Mel Brooks also throws in a character and parody that’s not at all related to Hitchcock, which is a Bond villain based off of “Jaws” and as out of place as it sounds; the parody of this famous Bond villain still manages to fit within the film’s world. Outside of the parodies, Mel Brooks does puts in his traditional humor such as the fourth wall jokes, suggestive humor, characters with odd names, slapstick and of course throws in a great musical number.

The film is one of Mel Brooks best, funniest and clever parody flick that should not be missed!

RATING 5/5