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The two-part HBO Original documentary Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! will debut its first part on Thursday, January 22, with part two premiering the following night. The doc includes interviews with, among other big names, the late film directors Rob Reiner and David Lynch.
Both parts will be available to stream beginning January 22 on HBO Max.
HBO revealed the premiere dates and interviewee line-up today, and released a trailer and production art (see both below).
In addition to Brooks, Reiner and Lynch, the doc will feature interviews with Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Nick Kroll, Patton Oswalt, Dave Chappelle, Conan O’Brien, Josh Gad, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Tracey Ullman, Robert Townsend, Peter Farrelly, Jerry & David Zucker, Barry Levinson, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Cary Elwes, Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. Also participating are Brooks’ children Stefanie, Nicolas, Eddie, and Max, and granddaughter Samantha.
The previously announced doc is directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio. The synopsis reads that the film will explore “the life, career, friendships, and loves of legendary writer, director, producer, and performer, Mel Brooks.”
The first part, launching at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HBO January 22, chronicles, according to HBO, the early experiences that shaped Brooks’ comedic voice, from his childhood in Brooklyn, to his combat service in WWII, and the highs and lows of working in the Borscht Belt and the dawning era of television where, alongside Sid Caesar, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbert, and Carl Reiner, he laid the foundation for modern sketch comedy and created his indelible character The 2000 Year Old Man.
“Using a fear of failure to energize his creativity and turning to therapy at a time of personal challenges,” HBO’s description continues, “he also drew upon his Jewish heritage and the prejudices that surrounded it to emerge as one of Hollywood’s most brazen satirists, writing and directing ‘The Producers’ (1967), ‘The Twelve Chairs’ (1970) and ‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974). Following the dissolution of his first marriage, he married movie star Anne Bancroft, who buoyed him through the lean years and the frequent vitriol of critics, but an Academy Award for ‘The Producers’ and a huge box office for ‘Blazing Saddles’ established Brooks as an anarchic comedic force.”
Part 2, debuting on the channel January 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, charts Brooks’ rise to superstardom and the enduring impact of his work on audiences and future generations of comedic writers and performers, while exploring his deep friendship with Carl Reiner, his creative relationships with Gene Wilder and others.
His marriage of 41 years to Anne Bancroft and his family life with four children is illustrated by decades of personal archive. “Inspired by his love of classic cinema and lavish Hollywood musicals, he wrote and directed ‘Young Frankenstein,’ ‘Silent Movie,’ ‘High Anxiety,’ and ‘History of the World, Part 1,’ continuing to use laughter as commentary on the absurdity of the human condition. As a producer, Brooks branched out into drama with ‘The Elephant Man’ and other acclaimed films, while still creating comedy classics like ‘Spaceballs’ and ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights.'”
The synopsis continues, “In his seventies, Brooks set Broadway alight with the stage production of ‘The Producers,’ winning a record-shattering 12 Tony awards. Brooks’ story is a masterclass in turning humor into courage, satire into empathy, and creativity into enduring influence.”
See the trailer below:
English (US) ·