MovieChat Forums > To Be or Not to Be (1983) Discussion > Mel Brooks at his rock bottom worst!

Mel Brooks at his rock bottom worst!


I hadn't seen this total waste of time in years - and now I know why!
I've been spoiled by the 1942 Jack Benny edition - which is the ONLY version!
Brooks really screwed the pooch on this stinker!
I know I'll get a slew of hate comments on this post, but ask me if I care! Bring it on!

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Well you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I think Mel did a wonderful job updating the classic story for the 80s. Remakes shouldn't be exactly like the originals, at least in my opinion.

I think he added Classic Mel Brooks flavor to a great story, and he and his beautiful wife Anne Bancroft were wonderful together.

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I haven't seen the original film, so I can't compare the films, but I thought they did a good job. There were some serious moments, as when Poland is taken over by the Nazis and the theater troupe watches a Nazi army pass by. You see how hurt they are by this terror. Also, when the Bronskis lose their house to the Nazis and when Sasha is taken to the concentration camps. They had serious stuff in here, which was very important.

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Both versions are great in my opinion.

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You're probably comparing it scene by scene to the original, and since the original is the standard, it's impossible for the Brook's version to match up. If you had never seen the Benny version, your opinion on this film would probably be different.

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