Robin Hood: Men in Tights
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| Robin Hood: Men in Tights | |
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 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Mel Brooks |
| Produced by | Mel Brooks |
| Written by | Mel Brooks J.D. Shapiro Evan Chandler |
| Starring | Cary Elwes Richard Lewis Roger Rees Amy Yasbeck Dave Chappelle Isaac Hayes Tracey Ullman Patrick Stewart Dom DeLuise Dick Van Patten Mel Brooks |
| Music by | Hummie Mann |
| Cinematography | Michael D. O'Shea |
| Editing by | Stephen E. Rivkin |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | July 28, 1993 |
| Running time | 104 min. |
| Country |   |
| Language | English |
| Gross revenue | $35,739,755 (domestic)[1] |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a 1993 parody film of the story of Robin Hood. Produced and directed by Mel Brooks, the film stars Cary Elwes, Amy Yasbeck, and Roger Rees. The film includes frequent references to previous Robin Hood films (most particularly Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) and real-life subjects. One recurring joke was that the film included over a hundred historical inaccuracies, including tinned fruit being seen during the jousting practice, an "EXIT" sign appearing when Robin Hood escaped from the castle, an impression of Winston Churchill's "We shall defend our isles" speech, a pneumatic drill, a polo mint being used to cure the Sheriff of Rottingham etc.
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[edit] Plot
Robin Hood or Robin Of Loxley (Cary Elwes) is captured during the Crusades and is imprisoned at Khalil Prison in Jerusalem. With the help of fellow inmate Asneeze (Isaac Hayes), he escapes from the prison, and frees all the other inmates. He is asked by Asneeze to find his son, Ahchoo (Dave Chappelle).
When he arrives home in England, he finds Ahchoo and discovers that Prince John (Richard Lewis) has assumed control over England while King Richard (Patrick Stewart) is away fighting in the Crusades and, unbeknownst to Richard, John is abusing his power. He meets up with his family's blind servant, Blinkin (Mark Blankfield), the large and ignorant Little John (Eric Allan Kramer) and his friend Will Scarlet O'Hara (Matthew Porretta), whom he recruits to help him regain his father's land and oust Prince John from the throne. On his quest, Robin also attracts the attention of the lovely Maid Marian (Amy Yasbeck), who wants to find the man who has the key to her heart (and chastity belt).
While Robin is training an army, the Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees) hires Don Giovanni (Dom DeLuise), to assassinate Robin at the Spring Festival Archery Tournament. Maid Marian hears of the evil plot, and sneaks out of her castle to warn Robin, accompanied by her grumbly German maid Broomhilde. Robin goes to the archery tournament, and makes it to the final round where he unmasks himself. After winning the tournament, he is arrested, and Marian agrees to marry the Sheriff in exchange for Robin's life. Before she can say "I Do", the castle is attacked by the Men in Tights, led by Little John, Ahchoo, Blinkin, and Will. While a battle ensues, Marian is carried off to the tower by the Sheriff, who wants to "deflower" her.
Robin enters the chamber, and the two have an intense swordfight in which the evil sheriff is defeated. He and Marian prepare to celebrate the victory when Broomhilde arrives, insisting they get married first. Before the ceremony can be completed, they are interrupted by King Richard, who has returned from the Crusades. He orders John to be taken away to the Tower of London and announces that, due to the foul stench he's left over the kingdom, all the toilets are to be called "Johns". All being as it should be, Robin and Marian are married and Ahchoo is made the new sheriff of Rottingham.
[edit] Cast
- Cary Elwes as Robin Hood (Robin Of Loxley)
- Richard Lewis as Prince John
- Roger Rees as Sheriff of Rottingham
- Amy Yasbeck as Maid Marian
- Dave Chappelle as Ahchoo
- Matthew Porretta as Will Scarlett O'Hara
- Isaac Hayes as Asneeze
- Tracey Ullman as Latrine
- Patrick Stewart as King Richard
- Dom DeLuise as Don Giovanni
- Dick Van Patten as The Abbot
- Mel Brooks as Rabbi Tuckman
- Eric Allan Kramer as Little John
- Megan Cavanagh as Broomhilde
- Brian George as Dungeon Maitre d'
- David DeLuise as Villager
[edit] Mel Brooks films
There are a great many references throughout the film to previous works by Brooks.
A few examples: The musical number, "Men in Tights", recycles (with slight modifications to the melody) the tune used for the musical number "Jews in Space", from the film History of the World: Part I; a joke in which the film refers to its own sequel, in the reprise to the "Robin Hood Rap"; Brooks also delivers a line out of the same movie, "It's good to be the king," after King Richard delivers a kiss to Maid Marian upon his return from the Crusades; the "Walk this way" gag, here delivered by the Sheriff of Rottingham, and the moving hump joke from Young Frankenstein is reused when Prince John's mole keeps moving all over his face. Also, when Ahchoo is made the new Sheriff of Rottingham and everyone simultaneously exclaims "A black sheriff?!", Ahchoo says "Why not? It worked in Blazing Saddles!", a Mel Brooks film also about a black sheriff (albeit an American Old West one).
[edit] Robin Hood appearances
Several of the people involved with the film were involved in other Robin Hood productions. Dick Van Patten, who played the Abbot in the film, had previously collaborated with Mel Brooks in a television parody titled When Things Were Rotten, in which van Patten played Friar Tuck. While critically acclaimed, the show ran for only half a season in 1975.
Matthew Porretta would go on to play Robin Hood for the first two seasons of the television series The New Adventures of Robin Hood. Patrick Stewart, who appears briefly as King Richard, once assumed the Robin Hood role while portraying Jean-Luc Picard on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (episode "Q-pid").
[edit] Other Mel Brooks collaborations
- Dom DeLuise has appeared in the Mel Brooks movies The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Silent Movie, History of the World: Part I and Spaceballs.
- Amy Yasbeck, Mark Blankfield, Megan Cavanagh, and Matthew Porretta have also played in Brooks' film Dracula: Dead and Loving It.
- Hummie Mann also composes the music for Dracula: Dead and Loving It.
- Robert Ridgely, who played the Hangman, somewhat reprised his role from Blazing Saddles.
[edit] References
- ^ Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights at the Internet Movie Database
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights at Allmovie
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights at Box Office Mojo
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