88. MEL BROOKS: MAKE A NOISE

mel brooks is a funny man.  this pbs documentary reminds us just how funny.  he basically sits at a table and discusses his career, interspersed with clips from his films.  i did NOT know that he created "get smart" with buck henry.  he talked about how he fought to make the gross fart scenes in "blazing saddles"; to film "young frankenstein" in black and white; to make "silent movie" silent.  he had some misses along the way, but in one real success, alfred hitchcock told him the newspaper print down the drain scene in "high anxiety" was "genius".  mel brooks finished his career with the production of "the producers", for which he won a ton of tony awards.  i enjoyed being reminded of several old films, and learning the reasons why certain scenes, actors, music, styling was used for each.