‘Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!’ is all things Mel
‘Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!’ is all things Mel
The documentary blends hilarious moments with true reflection from one of the world’s funniest men.
Thanks to growing up with a father with a particular sense of humor, I was introduced to Mel Brooks movies at a young age — maybe too young. But films like “Blazing Saddles,” “The Producers,” “Spaceballs,” and “Young Frankenstein” have become staples for me, as they have for millions of fans of the comedy genre.
When HBO Max announced it was releasing a two-part documentary about the life and career of Brooks called “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!,” however, I felt a little trepidation; the proverb “never meet your heroes” sprang immediately to mind. But after watching the documentary, I can safely say that any fan of Brooks needs to seek it out as soon as possible, and that it was my favorite stream of the week.
As someone who will almost certainly never get the chance to sit down with Brooks myself, I could only watch on in envy as Judd Apatow sits down with Brooks, as well as other film legends such as Rob Reiner and David Lynch. In fact, the documentary features the last on-screen interviews both Lynch and Reiner ever gave.
That will no doubt make viewers of “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!” a bit sad, and indeed, there is a fair share of sadness and heartbreak throughout the doc. When Brooks candidly admits to being an angry man who was miserable to be around for his first wife, Florence Baum, it hits home deeply, serving as a reminder that even those with incredible senses of humor can be a simmering cauldron beneath the surface.
But of course, the sadness of the documentary blends seamlessly with Brooks’ trademark brand of comedy. The two-part film explores his career after leaving the army, with a deep focus on the two-man stage act that really put Brooks into the spotlight: “The 2,000 Year Old Man,” which Brooks performed with Carl Reiner.
Moving through Brooks’ film career, “The 99 Year Old Man!” contributes incredibly valuable and funny insights from Brooks himself, as well as those who worked with him, and others who were simply affected by his work over the years. It’s a good reminder that it’s essentially impossible to judge for oneself the impact that one’s work has; comedians who have never heard of Brooks’ work today have been influenced by it in ways they may never realize.
What really hit me hard when watching “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!” was the message that Brooks tried to convey at the end of the documentary. He urges the audience to be kind to one another — a seemingly simple request. But from a man who has seen and done as many things as Brooks has in his 99 years, conveying kindness as the most important message of all is a lesson that everyone should listen to.
The two-part documentary “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!” is available to stream on HBO Max. The film streams on all plans of the service, starting with its ad-supported tier for $11 per month.
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