King illegal forest to pig wild kill in it a is.
7. Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
"Men In Tights" is the "Holy Grail" of Robin Hood movies. It's so well-known and oft-quoted (mostly by Karla, every day) that I almost felt like I had seen it already. It satirizes "Prince Of Thieves", the 1938 Errol Flynn movie, and probably several others in between that I haven't seen yet. It's also full of early 90s pop culture references that won't be funny to anyone under 25. Who remembers the whoop-whoop thing you did with your arm at sports events? The tomahawk chop? Rodney King? White Men Can't Jump? Pump-up Air Jordans? "Plymouth Rock landed on US"? Dan Quayle's dad getting him into the National Guard so he could avoid the draft? The Clapper? Patriot missiles? Bill Clinton? (Oh wait, I just saw him last week and he's, in fact, more awesome than ever.)
I have to say though, that my favorite detail is the fake "Peabo" over the end credits. It's perfectly done, and in 1993 would have been way ahead of its time. There's also a scene featuring a live Western Scrub Jay, which you would never see in England, but hey, I guess they couldn't find an English bird who could act. Cary Elwes is a much better Robin Hood than Kevin Costner and rumour has it that he was offered the "Prince Of Thieves" role but turned it down. I've also heard that Elwes is the only English-born actor ever to portray Robin Hood in a major motion picture, but I didn't independently confirm that fact. (One of the most famous exchanges in the film is "Prince John: 'And why should the people listen to you?' Robin: 'Because unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent.'")
Some of the jokes are still funny, some haven't held up well, maybe due to the movie's own success and omnipresence. Is men wearing tights and acting feminine as hilarious in 2012 as it was in 1993? Not really. Out of context rap music and street slang? Not as shocking as it used to be. Breaking down the 4th wall and addressing the audience and film crew? People expect that now. Wiener jokes and Jewish puns? Always funny.
Robin Hood cliches:
Robin helps peasant accused of poaching King's deer: Yes. "He deered to kill a King's dare."
Robin is wealthy landowner who returns from the Crusades to discover evil new regime, becomes outlaw: Pretty much. He swims all the way from Jerusalem, the long way, around Spain.
Robin & Little John fight with long sticks in the river: Yes, although the sticks keep breaking in half, leading up to a sight gag of them fighting with tiny pieces of wood.
Kick-ass knight revealed to be Marian in drag: No.
Merry Men drop out of trees to ambush Sheriff's men: I don't remember, but I don't think so. I've seen too many of these.
Steal from the rich, give to the poor: Yes, I think so. It's not dwelt on.
Friar Tuck is a drunken party monk: There's a Rabbi Tuckman character, played by Mel Brooks himself. He drives a wagon full of sacramental wine.
Archery contest: Yes, it's a spoof of the 1938 Errol Flynn scene. This time it's Robin's arrow that gets shot through.
"Men In Tights" is the "Holy Grail" of Robin Hood movies. It's so well-known and oft-quoted (mostly by Karla, every day) that I almost felt like I had seen it already. It satirizes "Prince Of Thieves", the 1938 Errol Flynn movie, and probably several others in between that I haven't seen yet. It's also full of early 90s pop culture references that won't be funny to anyone under 25. Who remembers the whoop-whoop thing you did with your arm at sports events? The tomahawk chop? Rodney King? White Men Can't Jump? Pump-up Air Jordans? "Plymouth Rock landed on US"? Dan Quayle's dad getting him into the National Guard so he could avoid the draft? The Clapper? Patriot missiles? Bill Clinton? (Oh wait, I just saw him last week and he's, in fact, more awesome than ever.)
I have to say though, that my favorite detail is the fake "Peabo" over the end credits. It's perfectly done, and in 1993 would have been way ahead of its time. There's also a scene featuring a live Western Scrub Jay, which you would never see in England, but hey, I guess they couldn't find an English bird who could act. Cary Elwes is a much better Robin Hood than Kevin Costner and rumour has it that he was offered the "Prince Of Thieves" role but turned it down. I've also heard that Elwes is the only English-born actor ever to portray Robin Hood in a major motion picture, but I didn't independently confirm that fact. (One of the most famous exchanges in the film is "Prince John: 'And why should the people listen to you?' Robin: 'Because unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent.'")
Some of the jokes are still funny, some haven't held up well, maybe due to the movie's own success and omnipresence. Is men wearing tights and acting feminine as hilarious in 2012 as it was in 1993? Not really. Out of context rap music and street slang? Not as shocking as it used to be. Breaking down the 4th wall and addressing the audience and film crew? People expect that now. Wiener jokes and Jewish puns? Always funny.
Robin Hood cliches:
Robin helps peasant accused of poaching King's deer: Yes. "He deered to kill a King's dare."
Robin is wealthy landowner who returns from the Crusades to discover evil new regime, becomes outlaw: Pretty much. He swims all the way from Jerusalem, the long way, around Spain.
Robin & Little John fight with long sticks in the river: Yes, although the sticks keep breaking in half, leading up to a sight gag of them fighting with tiny pieces of wood.
Kick-ass knight revealed to be Marian in drag: No.
Merry Men drop out of trees to ambush Sheriff's men: I don't remember, but I don't think so. I've seen too many of these.
Steal from the rich, give to the poor: Yes, I think so. It's not dwelt on.
Friar Tuck is a drunken party monk: There's a Rabbi Tuckman character, played by Mel Brooks himself. He drives a wagon full of sacramental wine.
Archery contest: Yes, it's a spoof of the 1938 Errol Flynn scene. This time it's Robin's arrow that gets shot through.