the m0vie blog

Hosted by Andrew Quinn and Darren Mooney, and this week with special guests Donal Sweeney, The 250 is a weekly trip through some of the best (and worst) movies ever made, as voted for by Internet Movie Database Users. New episodes are released Saturdays at 6pm GMT.

This week, a special commentary on Mel Brook’s Spaceballs.

A long time ago in a franchise not so far away, the evil Spaceballs travel from planet to planet, harvesting their atmospheres to sustain their own lifestyle. They kidnap Princess Vespa from the Planet Druidia, prompting her father to hire the devilish rogue Lone Star to rescue her. So begins an epic adventure about the power of Schwarz.

At time of recording, it was not ranked on the list of the best movies of all time on the Internet Movie Database.

Show notes:

• Recorded 12th July 2024.
• This is not a discussion of Spaceballs, but a live commentary. We clearly indicate in the commentary when we are pressing “play” on the movie.
• Spaceballs at The Internet Movie Database.
• Neil Genzlinger considers the life and career of Alan Ladd for The New York Times, March 2022.
• Mel Brooks writes at LitHub about the origins of Spaceballs, December 2021.
• Mel Brooks talks to Entertainment Weekly about the enduring success and popularity of Spaceballs, August 2012.
• Mel Brooks discusses his life and career with The A.V. Club, December 2012.
• Katcy Stephan at Variety reports on the announcement of Spaceballs 2, June 2024.
• Jennifer Maas at Variety reports on Amazon’s purchase of MGM, March 2022.
• Rick Moranis talks to The Hollywood Reporter about his life and career, October 2015.
• Rick Moranis talks to The New York Times about his album, My Mother’s Brisket, June 2013.
• Rick Moranis talks to Heeb Magazine about his life, his career and the possibility of a Spaceballs sequel, June 2013.
• Mel Brooks talks to The Guardian about his life and career, December 2021.
• Tony Maglio at The Wrap reports on Mel Brooks’ memories of working with Sid Caesar, February 2014.
• Robert Lloyd at The Los Angeles Times considers the relationship between Mel Brooks and Sid Caesar, September 2018.
• Bill Pullman talks to Geek Tyrant about landing the role of Lone Star in Spaceballs, January 2011.
• Bill Pullman reflects on his time working on Spaceballs to The Hollywood Reporter, June 2017.
• Peter Rainer at The Los Angeles Times reflects on the life and career of John Candy, March 1994.
• Bill Pullman writes at The New York Times about his experiences working with John Candy on Spaceballs, July 2017.
• Conan O’Brien talks to The Howard Stern Show about spending a day with John Candy at Harvard, November 2022.
• Jeff Silverman at The New York Times reflects on the posthumous appearances of John Candy, May 1994.
• Roger Ebert reviews Planes, Trains and Automobiles for The Chicago Sun Times, November 2000.
• Brian VanHooker at Mel Magazine puts together an oral history of Pizza the Hutt from Spaceballs, July 2022.
• Mandi Bierly at Entertainment Weekly looks back on the life and career of Lorene Yarnell, August 2010.
• Margalit Fox at The New York Times considers the life of Lorene Yarnell, August 2010.
• Noel Murray, Nathan Rabin and Matt Singer at The Dissolve reflect on what it takes for a stand-up comedian to become a movie star, February 2014.
• Eddie Murphy reflects on his life and career for The New York Times, September 2019.
• Kevin James talks to CBS News about returning to stand-up, March 2024.
• David T. Friendly writes at The Los Angeles Times about the historic MGM soundstages, November 1986.
• Michael Wilmington reviews Spaceballs for The Los Angeles Times, June 1987.
• Mel Brooks talks to Maxim about his life and career, February 2013.
• Dan Kois profiles Peter Dinklage for The New York Times, April 2012.
• Catherine Shoard at The Guardian reports on Peter Dinklage’s criticisms of Disney’s remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, January 2022.
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