History of the World---Part I Reviews

Mel Brooks usually relies on several writers to help him create his oddball comedies. He worked alone this time, and the film suffers for it. Despite cameos by many superior comic actors and well-known celebrities, this episodic would-be laughfest comes up wanting as many of Brooks' elaborate gags fall flat. Divided into five major sections--"The Dawn of Man," "The Stone Age," "The Spanish Inquisition," "The Bible," and "The Future"--HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART 1 also includes comic depictions of the Last Supper and the French Revolution (the latter of which, at almost 25 minutes, seems to go on longer than the Revolution itself). No group remains unscathed as Brooks takes potshots at Christians, Jews, homosexuals, and just about anyone else in his attempt to do too much in too little time. Most important, none of this is especially funny.