USA, 1981
92m
35mm film, Panavision (anamorphic), colour, 2.35:1
mono, Dolby (video only), English
An American comedy fantasy film directed by Mel Brooks.
Plot Summary
The history of the human race from prehistoric caveman times through to the French Revolution reveals the idiocies and foibles of Man. At the end, we're promised a second instalment that will continue the history of the world into the future, including the fate of Jews in space… Consists of seven segments, as follows: 1. Our Forefathers; 2. The Stone Age; 3. The Old Testament; 4. The Roman Empire; 5. The Spanish Inquisition; 6. The French Revolution; 7. Preview for Part II
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Mel Brooks
© 1981 by Brooksfilms Limited
A Mel Brooks film. A Brooksfilms production. Released by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Produced by: Mel Brooks
Associate Producers: Stuart Cornfeld, Alan Johnson
Written by: Mel Brooks
Directors of Photography: Woody Omens; Paul Wilson (French Revolution Sequence)
Edited by: John C. Howard
Editor: Danford B. Greene
Music by: John Morris
Production Sound Mixer: Gene S. Cantamessa
Sound Mixer (French Revolution Sequence): Mike Sale
Makeup: Robert Norin
Chief Makeup Artist (French Revolution Sequence): Jill Carpenter
Hair Stylist: Vivian McAteer
Chief Hairdrsser (French Revolution Sequence): Paula Gillespie
Costumes Designed by: Patricia Norris
Special Effects: Phil Cory
Special Visual Effects by: Albert J. Whitlock
Special Photographic Effects: The Magic Lantern
Production Designers: Harold Michelson; Stuart Craig (French Revolution Sequence)
Cast
Mel Brooks (Moses/Comicus/Torquemada/Jacques/King Louis XVI)
Dom DeLuise (Emperor Nero)
Madeline Kahn (Empress Nympho)
Harvey Korman (Count de Monet)
Cloris Leachman (Madame DeFarge)
Ron Carey (Swiftus)
Gregory Hines (Josephus)
Pamela Stephenson (Mademoiselle Rimbaud)
Shecky Greene (Marcus Vindictus)
Sid Caesar (chief caveman)
Mary-Margaret Humes as Miriam
Orson Welles (narrated by)
Rudy De Luca
Leigh French, Richard Carron, Susette Carroll, Sammy Shore, J.J. Barry, Suzanne Kent, Michael Champion (prehistoric men)
Howard Morris (court spokesman)
Charlie Callas (soothsayer)
Dena Dietrich (Competance)
Paul Mazursky (Roman officer)
Ron Clark, Jack Riley (stoned soldiers)
Alternative Titles
La Folle histoire du monde – French title
Historia swiata, czesc I – Polish title
La loca historia del mundo – Spanish title
Mel Brooks – Die verrückte Geschichte der Welt – German title
Mieletön maailmanhistoria – Finnish title
La pazza storia del mondo – Italian title
Det Varas för världshistorien – Swedish title
Links
See also
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Caligula (1979)
The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
King of Kings (1961)
Oedipus Rex (1957)
Star Wars (1977)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Extracts included in
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (2000)
References
Books
Film Review 1982-1983 by F. Maurice Speed (ed.) p.153 – credits, review
