The reason I decided to give a go at this movie is for old times' sake. It was at time when my buddies and I used to crash at a friend's to watch some interesting films on his VHS player after sitting for our STPM examinations. Of hand, I remember watching Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part 1 (Part 2 was never produced, I think), Cannonball Run (with Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Jackie Chan and others), Murattu Kaalai (Rajnikanth), The Gods must be Crazy and ... others.
At that time, in 1981, with our raging hormones and naivety at its maximum, this movie was particularly rib tickling, not any more! Well, it is still a stress buster with little cerebral activity...
It goes on to narrates certain events in the history of man, from ancient man all through Biblical times to Roman Empire and French Revolution. It is by no means intellectual comedy but much laughter is derived from toilet and foul R-rated humour.
In the pre-Stone age era, before managed to learn the skill of speech, whilst working, he accidentally drops a stones a stone on his friend's foot. The friend gave a loud shriek. That high pitched shriek fascinated man. He went on dropping stones of different sizes bringing out different decibels of sounds and hence formed the first acappella choir!
Then there was Abraham who presented the world with 10 commandments, not 15 as initially given by God as he dropped one of the brick tablets containing 5 more commandments!
They move on to the Roman era, poking fun at Caesar who portrayed as an obese obnoxious gas releasing bumbling social grace deficient monarch. Mel Brooks plays many roles at different part of the movie, here he is a stand up comedian (philosopher a.k.a. bullshitter). During his first gig in Caesar's Palace (not in Las Vegas, get the joke?), he offends Caesar and starts a cat and mouse chase with the palace guards. He is cornered in a harem amongst eunuchs. To sniff the culprit out, the guards bring in an exotic dancer who dances in worship of Eros, saying, "If all goes well, nothing should arise!" - I remember it like it was yesterday!
They (with a slave and a virgin from the harem) escape that one too but the chariot they were riding (pulled by a horse named Miracle who keep appearing in different era!) comes to river, Moses is there to part the river! Actually, he just raised his hand as he was mugged with a knife at his back. They cross over to Galilee.
The comedian starts a new life as a frustrated waiter with demanding customers. Jesus is having his last supper. Michaelangelo moves in to paint his picture with his disciples.
Next is the story of the Spanish inquisition which is actually nuns doing synchronized swimming to a musical condemning the Jews.
Finally it is story of Mel Brooks as King Louis XIV, again a blue bearded good for nothing king. It is the eve of the revolution. The piss boy (also Mel Brooks), a guy walking around with a pail for the aristrocrats to release themselves, is used as a double and is sent to the guillotine. Guess who comes to the rescue - Miracle!
A brainless movie but still did its work - to entertain! Just like the present day films of the same genre - Epic Movie, Superhero Movie etcetera.
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