Spaceballs, 1987. My Journey into Science Fiction part 33.

The fate of a planet and the future of a princess lie in the hands of the hero of this journey, Lone Starr Bill Pullman and his wingman Barf, John Candy. President Skroob Mel Brooks hatches a plan to steal the clean air of the planet Druidia because the planet Spaceballs has nearly exhausted all of its own. Princess Vespa of Druidia is having problems of her own. She is to marry Prince Valium, a man she does not love. However, Vespa flees the wedding and the planet, leaving tradition and Valium behind. The ship Spaceball One intercepts the princess, and Dark Helmet Rick Moranis tries to kidnap King Roland’s daughter to gain the security codes needed to access the shields that surround the planet. Thankfully, Lone Starr arrives, fate has her way, and the future of one and the future of many may live to breathe another day.

Hello, and welcome to My Journey into Science-Fiction Part 33. My review all starts with a feeling of guilt. Last year, I attended my first comic-con in England, and as much as I enjoyed looking around the stalls and looking for collectables, I found the signing tables to be a rather strange oddity.  Everyone deserves the chance to make a buck or two. But the idea of paying another person cold hard cash to have an autograph or photograph feels both rewarding and also feels a little bit soul-destroying that they would only acknowledge you for a fee. I know it’s big business, but it’s not for me. However, there sat Daphne Zuniga Princess Vespa, all alone, and it did make me feel a little sad for those who are not that much in demand. I pondered for a while about this and wondered if my forty English pounds could give her some pleasure in her attendance, regardless of my thoughts on the situation. However, I barely knew anything about Spaceballs and walked away feeling like a modern-day Fagin. So, did I make a mistake? And after watching the film, will I regret my decision?

I tried to watch Spaceballs as a child, but I didn’t enjoy it. Plus, I was still a bit protective of Star Wars, and I felt it was mocking the trilogy that had brought me so much pleasure. However, with the joys of technology, I can learn that George Lucas gave Spaceballs his blessing and made a pretty penny along the way, as Industrial Light and magic were involved in the post-production of the movie. Given the current climate of legacy franchises, I hope this movie will feel more relevant to me today, and just maybe, it could finally make me crack a smile. Spaceballs was released in 1987 and doubled its twenty three million dollar budget at the box office. In time, the film has become a bonafide cult classic amongst its followers, not bad for a bunch of assholes. However, amongst the masses, the film ultimately sits pretty evenly in popular culture, and at first, this represented my feelings perfectly. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film sits at a modest 7 out of 10 and over at Metacritic, it scores 46 out of 100. However, on my second viewing of the film, I certainly began to enjoy it a lot more.

Of course, there is a happy ending. Lone Starr gets the Princess, Druidia gets to keep its much-needed air, and the bad guys always lose. The script for Spaceballs is pretty solid, and it has all the beats of a modern fairytale. I suppose the one thing you look for most in a space opera movie is beautiful special effects, and John Dykstra, and Industrial Light and Magic create something unique to enjoy on screen. Is the film as meticulous and believable as the Star Wars trilogy? No, but it is not supposed to do that. Those ill-fitting costumes, oversized helmets and on-board coffee machines are all part of the joke. Alternatively, the shields that protect Druidia also appear in Rogue One, and that simple design adds relatable detail to the storytelling. Later in the film, Spaceball One reconfigures into the Mega-Maid, who is about to vacuum the atmosphere out of Druidia, and  is a blatant nod to the Transformers franchise. But it’s also a reminder of the sublime craft of visual and practical effects. Ten years earlier, George Lucas almost killed himself trying to create a universe we could all believe in. Given that Mel Brooks could make a similar movie only a decade later for the comedy genre, it only solidifies how much the industry had developed in such a short time. However, there is another reason why I think I am starting to love this film. I wanted to discuss what scenes left me feeling underwhelmed with Spaceballs. But after some thought, I soon realised that my comedy sensibilities were holding back my enjoyment of the film. I suppose an example would be Dark Helmet asking his crew to comb the desert, literally with gigantic combs. Yes, it is pretty dumb, but so is the fact I cannot stop giggling at the thought of plain yoghurt. Plus, it’s great to see Tim Russ in that scene. Spaceballs is a joke a minute, and not all of them are going to land perfectly for me, but they could easily bring joy to others. Pizza the Hutt is wonderfully disgusting and leaves me squirming more than most horror films. The fact that they created such an abomination, only raises my admiration for the creators of this movie.

Breaking the fourth wall in this film is wonderfully funny and professionally executed. Watching Dark Helmet, who is watching the home video release of the movie I am currently watching, to find the location of Lone Starr and Princess Vespa is trippy and funny. But something as simple as using the stunt doubles as a decoy fills my heart with pure joy. Merchandising is a word that will be a frequent part of my vocabulary for a long time now. I cannot stop saying it in a terrible Brooklyn accent to every commercial or moment that catches my attention. It’s those split-second moments that give the film its deservedly cult-like status. The entire concept of Spaceballs is ludicrous. I will admit to some outdated sensibilities that will not come across well today, but that is just a sign of the times. Spaceballs doesn’t need to be scrutinised, but should be enjoyed and celebrated. Simple moments of joy, something to make you smile, something that takes away the realities of life are precious. I am glad I came out of this film understanding that.

Which always brings me back to why I started this journey in the first place. Spaceballs is a movie I would regularly pass by. Instead, I am learning something new from it. Mel Brooks is a name I have only come across with his involvement in The Fly and The Elephant Man, which movies I highly admire. I have heard of his films before, so maybe I will watch Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein in the future. Spaceballs is not the most thought-provoking film I have reviewed. But it has turned out to be an important one. Spaceballs is a truly unique movie with a superb cast and a not-too-shabby script, and I am forever grateful to see John Candy on screen. The soundtrack also has me pew-pewing at every possible moment, which is slightly concerning. So, maybe if I had watched the film earlier, I would have walked over to Daphne Zuniga to get an autograph and say hello. I would tell her how much I enjoyed Spaceballs and maybe share my merchandising acting abilities with her or tell her how much I like her new nose. However, Daphne Zuniga will now be sitting at home, unaware of how lucky she is to miss such a stellar performance.

So, where shall I go next in My Journey into Science Fiction Part 34? The first to catch my attention was Solarbabies, 1986, released by Brooksfilm. Thankfully, something fantastic presented itself to me. Take a bow, Peter Donan. Donan was the visual effects supervisor for both Spaceballs and Flatliners in 1990. Flatliners, directed by Joel Schumacher and described as a science fiction horror psychological thriller, and will be my next film to watch and review. And to say I am excited about this would be an understatement. I cannot wait to get started.

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