The Premise

Take all that is sacred and holy about Star Wars and piss all over it. Put it in a blender with several other sci-fi movies of the 80’s, and then bake with Mel Brooks’ sense of humor. Somehow, that bizarre blend turns into the more than palatable Spaceballs.  

Lone Star, our hero, and his sidekick Barf (“I’m a Mog, half man, half dog… I’m my own best friend”), are on the run from Pizza the Hut, a Jabba-style gangster who demands they pay him one million space bucks (“…or else Pizza’s… gonna send out… for YOU!”). To get the money, they agree to rescue Princess Vespa, daughter of King Roland, King of the Druids, from the evil clutches of Dark Helmet and his evil (and stupid) minions of the planet Spaceball. Planet Spaceball has run out of air, and their leadership negotiates a trade: the kidnapped Princess in exchange for the planet Druidia’s air supply. Can Lone Star and Barf save Princess Vespa before the air is stolen from plane Druidia? Does it even matter? Not really.

The Characters 

Dark Helmet

“So you see, evil will always triumph over good, because good… is dumb.”

Dark Helmet is what Darth Vader could have been if Anakin Skywalker continued to be so damn whiny. Neurotic, slightly insane and smarmy, Rick Moranis’ Dark Helmet is one of the funniest villains in film history. He suffers from a Napoleon Complex, and is so NOT badass… yet, he performs a move on one of his Spaceball minions that causes the rest to react like this:

Lone Star and Barf

Think Han Solo and Luke Skywalker rolled into one, and then add John Candy as Chewbacca. Shake well. (Barf’s full name, by the way, is Barfolemew.) 

Princess Vespa, Druish Princess

“Funny, she doesn’t look Druish…”

Vespa is a space age version of a Jewish Princess. Too much money, too much spoiling, and a nose job to hide her “Druish” heritage. She’s kind of 80’s hot, so, of course, she’s gotta be Lone Star’s love interest. She’s the Princess Leia of the movie, and she even has the stupid hair… for a minute. 

Dot Matrix (as voiced by Joan Rivers, when she was, you know, funny)

She’s a female C-3PO, and she’s Vespa’s robot guardian, complete with a Virgin Alarm. “It’s programmed to go off… before you do.” 

Mel Brooks does double duty as President Skroob and Yogurt

The director gets in on the act -- as usual -- as both the political-minded yet imbecilic President Skroob, and as the wise Yoda knock-off, Yogurt. Yogurt, by the way, gives us a great dissertation on the power of merchandising in movies.

Pizza the Hut

…Jabba ain’t got nothin’ on this Hut… 

Michael Winslow, Radar specialist extraordinaire

The master of mimicking sounds, Michael Winslow’s sole part in this is also one of the funniest… the radar conversation.

And then there’s these guys:

“Comb the desert! Do you hear me? Comb the desert!!” 

And of course, my personal favorite:

“It’s looks like a Winnebago…with wings?!” 

That’s right…the Millennium Falcon of Star Wars has been replaced with this:

Spaceball One 

The single most intimidating space ship of all time, which takes a literal full minute to cross the screen at the opening of the movie…

…has the greatest bumper sticker in space…

…can be made to travel at “Ludicrous Speed”…

…and is also a giant transformer…

“When will then be now?” 

“Soooon…” 
 

Paying Homage to Great Space Movies 

Planet of the Apes homage:

“Spaceballs? Oh shit. There goes the planet.” 

Homage to the Millennium Falcon

Alien chest burster homage, just for kicks…complete with original actor from Alien…