Spaceballs (1987)
78%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win
There’s fine spoofery and amusing characters in Spaceballs, though it’s a far cry from Mel Brooks’ peak era
If you’re looking for a good laugh, Spaceballs is the perfect movie for you. Mel Brooks’ parody of Star Wars is a hilarious ride through space that will have you giggling from start to finish. Sure, it’s not as iconic as Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein, but it’s still a classic in its own right. The jokes are silly, the characters are ridiculous, and the self-referential humor is spot-on. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Schwartz joke? So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride. May the Schwartz be with you!
Production Company(ies)
Icon Entertainment International, The Ladd Company, B. H. Finance C.V.
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau, Schwangau, Bavaria, Germany
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1987
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 32m
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Language(s):English, German
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 4, 1987 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 25, 2000
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, directed by Mel Brooks, written by Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan, Ronny Graham, comedy, PG, box office, budget, reviewed by Duane Byrge, Gene Siskel, Richard Schickel, Pat Graham, Variety Staff, Janet Maslin, Brian Eggert, Dennis Schwartz, Matt Brunson, Octavi Marti, Sergio Benítez, Princess Vespa, President Skroob, Dark Helmet, Lone Starr, Barf, King Roland, Spaceballs, Star Wars parody, Perri-Air, Druidia, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., Surround Sound Mix
Worldwide gross: $38,119,483
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $101,749,853
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,010
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,095,949
US/Canada gross: $38,119,483
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $101,749,853
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 742
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,613,837
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,653,884
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 720
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $22,700,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $60,591,632
Production budget ranking: 675
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $32,628,594
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $8,529,628
ROI to date (est.): 9%
ROI ranking: 1,351
John Candy – Barfolemew “Barf”
Rick Moranis – Lord Dark Helmet
Bill Pullman – Captain Lone Starr
Daphne Zuniga – Princess Vespa
Dick Van Patten – King Roland
Director(s)
Mel Brooks
Writer(s)
Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan, Ronny Graham
Producer(s)
Mel Brooks
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (25) | Rotten (20)
Space films are Mel Brooks’ latest target in this Star Wars parody that might be appropriately titled Schtick Wars.
January 11, 2021
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
It`s a close call on recommending this movie, but “Spaceballs“ does have some big laughs that are not to be missed
August 16, 2017 | Rating: 3/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
The crew flings itself energetically through space in search of laughs, but it will never penetrate the galaxy where Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein traced their giddy orbits.
January 18, 2011
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The film’s low-tech styling is roughly the cardboard inversion of the cinematic machines it parodies, and Brooks seems less inclined than usual to push the overkill urges too far.
January 18, 2011
Pat Graham
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Mel Brooks will do anything for a laugh. Unfortunately, what he does in Spaceballs, a misguided parody of the Star Wars adventures, isn’t very funny.
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
If it isn’t likely to generate what Mr. Brooks himself refers to as ‘Spaceballs II: The Search for More Money, neither is it anything less than gentle, harmless satire that occasionally has real bite.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Several self-referential and Fourth Wall-breaking remarks keep the film a very meta experience, before such humor was virtually the basis of modern comedy.
April 23, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
A crude spoof of Star Wars.
March 13, 2022 | Rating: C+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Consistently offers more laughs than groans.
April 16, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
[Mel] Brooks continues to be a better producer for others than a director of his own movies. [Full Review in Spanish]
June 5, 2020
Octavi Marti
El Pais (Spain)
A very unfortunate script, a rampant direction, a soulless montage. [Full Review in Spanish]
April 14, 2020
Sergio Benítez
Espinof
Many of Brooks’ films are hysterical in their own right but Spaceballs manages to take on a world of its own.
June 25, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies…
Plot
On the peaceful planet Druidia, King Roland attempts to marry his daughter Princess Vespa to Prince Valium, but Vespa and her loyal droid Dot Matrix escape during her wedding. After wasting the fresh air on the distant planet Spaceball, the good-for-nothing President Skroob orders the archvillain henchman Dark Helmet to kidnap Princess Vespa to force King Roland to provide them with the code to Druidia’s atmosphere. Under those circumstances, the seasoned mercenary Lone Starr and his trusty half-human, half-canine sidekick Barf will attempt to save the Princess in distress, while at the same time, the ruthless loan-shark Pizza the Hutt is after them. But in the end, only he who can harness the mystical and mighty force known only as “The Schwartz” will be able to save the day.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The talented comedian Rick Moranis plays a knock off of Darth Vader with an unnaturally enormous helmet, named Dark Helmet.
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