Mel Brooks’ “World History Part I” tells a deadly joke right in its title.
Hint: It’s the “Part 1” part.
For years, movie fans either assumed Part II existed or waited, and waited for Brooks to unbutton the sequel even though he has yet to film a sequel to any of his comedy classics. me.
Now, we’re watching the literal Part II of the 1981 comedy, thanks to the eight-part Hulu series. Brooks is listed as a writer and executive producer of the mini-series, but our first look has little to do with Brooks’ Borscht Belt or silliness.
Instead, it’s broad gags, a strongly diverse cast, and a glimpse of sobriety.
We fear the latter is named after the project.
Wanda Sykes is one of comedy’s most progressive voices, and Ike Barinholtz showed sincerity in his awakening to 2018 flop “Oath.”
The original film featured a slew of killer comedic characters, from Brooks and Madeline Kahn to Dom DeLuise, Harvey Norman and Cloris Leachman. The Hulu series features Skyes, Barinholtz, Nick Kroll, Sarah Silverman, JB Smoove, and Johnny Knoxville, among others.
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The trailer doesn’t give us any details, but we do see a black Jesus figure and a black Alexander Graham Bell.
That kind of forced variety wasn’t part of the original movie, but it was essential in the new Hollywood. It also breaks down any feeling that we are telling a story from the past.
It is one thing for “Hamilton” to embrace a multiracial cast to make strong arguments about American experimentation and the flaws that existed in the original United States. It’s different to force diversity this way. That’s a distraction, period.
Will Brooks’ magic be included in the finished product? We’ll have eight episodes to watch again. Brooks hasn’t made a feature film since 1995’s Dracula: Dead and Loving It overwhelm us.
Since then, he’s kept busy, bringing his classic films to the Great White Way (“The Producers,” “Young Frankenstein”) to massive success.
Is Brooks willing to risk his unlimited legacy with “Part II” waking up? He firmly stated that his 1974 classic “Blazing Saddles” cannot be done today thanks Cancel Culture.
So far, the answer seems to be “Yes,” but we’ll have to follow up and find out on March 6.
