Brooks Mel is an actor known for his bright comedic roles, director, screenwriter. This man is often compared with Woody Allen, trying to determine his place in American cinema. The lack of an attractive appearance did not prevent him from rising to the rank of a star of the first magnitude. The comedies, to the creation of which he puts his hand, amaze with a variety of themes. What was the creative way of this extraordinary person?
Brooks Mel: biography of a star
New York became the hometown for this man, where he was born in the distant 1926. The parents of the future famous comedian were immigrants who arrived in the States from Poland. It is interesting that Brooks Mel mastered several foreign languages as a child, among which Yiddish is present. Later, knowledge of this language will be useful to him in the tape "Shinning Saddles", in which he will create the image of a charismatic Native American leader.
In the early years of his life, Brooks Mel discovered the wonderful world of cinemas. Charlie Chaplin was the idol of the boy in those years, he literally memorized all the tapes with his participation by heart. It is possible that it was dumb comedies that first aroused in him the desire to become an actor.
First steps to success
Brooks Mel is a person who is easily categorized as a favorite of fortune. The young man acquired his first experience in the role of a comedian by chance. After serving in the army, the future actor and director was forced to find work, since he did not have the means to continue his education. He got a job as a cleaner of a casino, but worked in this capacity for a short time.
Once, a stand-up participant speaking at a casino was unable to get to work as a result of an illness. The manager, who has probably already received evidence of the comedian’s talent, which the young cleaner had, turned to him with a proposal to replace the artist. So the first show was held with the participation of the future star.
Interestingly, the actor’s name is actually Melvin Kaminsky. But the guy preferred to achieve fame, using Brookman's maternal surname, cutting her in the future as well.
First films
"Producers" - a picture that saw the light in 1968, with the help of which Mel Brooks quickly burst into the world of cinema. The filmography of the man, who by that time was already 42 years old, began with a successful film, during the creation of which he took on the functions of director and screenwriter. It was then that the comedic shade inherent in most of his creations appeared. In the center of the plot were two scammers trying to conquer theatrical circles.
It was not easy to maintain the popularity that the comedy “Producers” presented to the master. His next project - shooting a film based on a work by Ilf and Petrov, did not please the public and critics. Failure does not bother Brooks, who already in 1974 made his debut as an actor-comedian in the film project “Sparkling Saddles”, which gave him a lot of fans. The parody “Young Frankenstein” turned out to be successful, in which he also played a vivid role, finally asserting himself in the title of comedian.
Best parodies
“World History” by Mel Brooks, filmed by the director in 1981, was a tremendous success, remaining in the memory of the audience among the funniest comedies. Its creator also took part in the filming as an actor, depicting five characters at once, among which were the king Louis, Moses. Among the most memorable scenes is the action in a torture chamber equipped with a swimming pool in which beauties and monks relaxed.
Of course, World History is not limited to the list of successful skits that Mel Brooks shot. Films of the director who have won fame: “Cosmic Eggs”, “Fear of Heights”. The first picture comes out in 1987, making fun of the cult Star Wars. The second was demonstrated in 1977, with its help the master “dissects” the Hitchcock thrillers.
Masters and paintings whose heroes are vampires did not go unnoticed. His film "Dracula: Dead and Contented", which saw the light in 1995, immediately parodies all film projects dedicated to the life of the blood-sucking creatures of the night. The legendary Robin Hood also got, whose personality the director laughed with the help of the work "Robin Hood: Men in Tights."
