"ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS"
DVD Review
by Rachel Buccicone
| MOVIE: ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Cary Elwes as ROBIN OF LOXLEY Richard Lewis as PRINCE JOHN Roger Rees as SHERIFF OF ROTINGHAM Amy Yasbeck as MAID MARIAN Mark Blankfield as BLINKIN Dave Chappelle as AHCHOO Megan Cavanagh as BROOMHILDE Rated PG-13 Studio: 20th Century FOX Directed by: Mel Brooks Back to DVD Review Home |  |
Many fans like myself have been waiting year after year for “Robin Hood Men in Tights” to be offered as anything but VHS. Now, after thirteen years, this Mel Brooks classic is available individually on DVD.
A “twerrific” spoof on the tale of Robin Hood, “Men in Tights” has Mel Brooks written all over it. We first meet Robin of Loxley (Cary Elwes) as he is imprisoned during his gig fighting in the Crusades. After escaping and swimming back to England, Robin makes some new friends and an enemy or two.
Blinkin (Mark Blankfield) the family’s loyal blind servant, Ahchoo (Dave Chappelle) son of Asneeze, Will Scarlet O’Hara (Matthew Porretta), and Little John (Eric Allan Kramer) join Robin in his mission to take down the evil Sheriff of Rotingham (Roger Rees). The sentence structurally-challenged Rotingham works for the greedy Prince John (Richard Lewis) and his wandering mole. Sharing the castle with John is Maid Marian (Amy Yasbeck) and her less-than-lovely handmaiden Broomhilde (Megan Cavanagh). Rotingham is in love with Marian, and of course, Robin falls for her as well.
Robin and his merry men join in song, dance, and tights as they train for their fight against Rotingham. Marian visits Robin in Sherwood Forrest to warn him of the John’s plan to lure him with an archery contest. Robin takes her warning, but the group dresses in drag and goes anyway. Rotingham intends to hang Robin, but Marian sacrifices herself in order to save her beloved Robin. Can Robin save Marian from the dreaded title of Mrs. of Rotingham? Of course, he’s Robin Hood!
Written in part by Mel Brooks (“Blazing Saddles”), “Robin Hood Men in Tights” is as hilarious as any Brooks picture. With musical and cabaret numbers, the tale of Robin Hood is told in a far more entertaining manner than ever before.
Cary Elwes (“Saw”) has always been perfect in period pieces. He’s a charming and amusing Robin Hood and plays him with an English accent. It’s amazing seeing Dave Chappelle (“The Chappelle Show” [TV]) so young. He’s just as funny then as he is now, although a bit more PG. Roger Rees (“The Prestige”) does a satisfactory job, although the only real amusement he brings is his ability to rearrange words into nonsense. Amy Yasbeck (“Dracula: Dead and Loving It”) is beautiful as Maid Marian and plays her comically and with lots of hair. Megan Cavanagh (“Thumbtanic”) as Broomhilde may be my favorite character. She plays a minor part but her German accent makes her few lines hilarious.
The DVD itself is fairly disappointing. After all this time, one would think we’d get more than an HBO special and the trailer. Where are the outtakes and deleted scenes we deserve? The half-hour behind the scenes special isn’t bad, per se, but I can’t help but be disappointed. In the DVD’s defense, this isn’t a special edition release, it’s just a plain old DVD, so if we keep our fingers crossed, we may one day see a special edition chock full of extras.
If you have any appreciation for the work of Mel Brooks this is a must buy. Even if you found “Blazing Saddles” too caustic, “Men in Tights” is one of his more family-friendly films. If you have no sense of humor whatsoever than this isn’t your picture. “Robin Hood Men in Tights” is historic, educational, and teaches us that “a mime is a terrible thing to waste.”
Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Anamorphic Widescreen (1:85:1). English, Spanish, and French Language Tracks. English and Spanish Subtitles.
