La Folle Histoire de l'espace

Leave it to Mel Brooks; no one else could make a space movie with references to "The Wizard of Oz", "The Godfather", Mr. Coffee and flying Winnebagos.

"Spaceballs" is just about the best post-"History of the World Part I" film Mel has made and that's saying something, considering how many great jokes Mel and Company is able to pull off while within PG territory.

Easy enough to guess that this is Mel's take on "Star Wars", complete with his own versions of C-3P0 (Dot Matrix), Princess Leia (Princess Vespa), Chewbacca (Barf the Mawg) and a combination of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker (LoneStarr).

Oh, and let's not forget Dark Helmet! The very embodiment of evil (Mel Brooks-style) who not only wears a black cloak and headpiece but also a stylishly-wide black tie. And when he strikes...it's usually not above the belt.

The gags come fast and furious and, as is usually the case, all the regular faces show up (Graham, DeLuise, Van Patten) and Mel gives it all he's got. Lots of space sagas get equal ribbing (the "Star Wars" trilogy, "Alien", "Planet of the Apes") and there isn't a cliche that Mel fails to notice.

You can't blame Mel Brooks for thinking this genre needed a good skewering. He started it in "History of the World" with his "Jews in Space" coming attraction and continues it here. My only complaint: Mel, why did you have to wait so long??

Eight stars, plus a half star more for Pizza the Hutt; I loved it, especially when the pepperoni started running. Also for President Skroob's (Brooks') comment after being mis-transported ("Why didn't somebody tell me my a** was so big??").

Okay, nine stars. Mel Brooks strikes back!