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类型：喜剧冒险导演：梅尔·布鲁克斯 状态：HD中字 年份：1970 地区：美国 语言：英语 豆瓣：7.5分热度：213 ℃ 时间：2023-02-25 13:36:09
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Mel Brooks, who is nigh on his centennial (born on June 28, 1926), is the undisputed king of US cinematic parody, a master of the broad stroke and the accurately timed pratfall. Yet, flanking his more bombastic, laugh-a-minute masterpieces like BLAZING SADDLES and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, both released in 1974, lie two curious, although less luminous gems: THE TWELVE CHAIRS and SILENT MOVIE, whose underlying spirits and modus operandi are undeniably Brooks’, which, my dear cinephile, is exactly what makes both a side-splitting watch. These films affirm Brooks’ unwavering commitment to unadulterated comedic energy and relentless absurdity, highlighting that even when he is hampered by the genre conventions or strictures of the source material, the destination is always a laugh-filled romp.
Let's begin with THE TWELVE CHAIRS, a winsome, slightly unhinged European art-house comedy, which stands as a notable turn for a Mel Brooks production. Based on the classic 1928 satirical novel by Ilf and Petrov, this isn't a parody of a genre; it's an authentic narrative, albeit one laced with Brooks' signature absurdity. Set in post-revolutionary Russia, the film follows Ippolit Vorobyaninov (Moody), a former nobleman turned humble bureaucrat, who discovers that his late mother-in-law has hidden her jewels in one of twelve dining chairs before the revolution. He teams up with the opportunistic con artist Ostap Bender (Langella, surprisingly dashing and mischievous in his film debut), and they embark on a cross-country treasure hunt, constantly thwarted by the conniving Father Fyodor (DeLuise, in a role that skillfully displays his physical comedy).
The film's character-driven humor and a notably poignant undertone are particularly pronounced. Moody, fresh after his Oscar-nominated turn in Carol Reed’s OLIVER! (1968), furnishes an exemplary rendition in aristocratic exasperation, his every sigh and exasperated glance a comedic goldmine. Langella, before he would become the intimidating Dracula both on stage and in John Badham’s DRACULA (1979), emerges as a compelling figure as the enticing rogue, providing a grounded counterpoint to Moody's flailing. But it's DeLuise, as the perpetually sweating, chair-obsessed priest, who nearly steals every thunder from his co-stars. His descent into madness, culminating in literal chasing through and shinning up the mountains, is unadulterated physical comedy at its finest. Brooks himself, as the bumbling manservant Tikon, adds another layer of endearing buffoonery.
The film's humor is less about rapid-fire gags and more about situational irony, character quirks, and the sheer futility of their quest. It possesses a warmth and a slightly melancholic charm, a testament to Brooks' ability to find humor in human desperation without resorting to cruelty (especially as regards the film’s bullish coda that differs drastically from the novel). The cinematography is beautiful, capturing the vastness and bleakness of the Russian landscape (the real location is in Belgrade), which unexpectedly enhances the comedic despair.
For those expecting the relentless barrage of badinage and meta-humor found in BLAZING SADDLES, THE TWELVE CHAIRS might feel a tad slow. Its pace is more deliberate, its humor more observational. Some might find its European sensibility a departure from the more direct American comedic style Brooks is known for. While the character performances are stellar, the narrative, being an adaptation, doesn't allow for the same anarchic freedom that defines his original screenplays. It's an engaging film, but perhaps not one that elicits the same gut-bustingly uncontrollable laughter as his more famous parodies. THE TWELVE CHAIRS stands as a fascinating anomaly. Sandwiched between THE PRODUCERS and BLAZING SADDLES, it affords Brooks the opportunity to flex his muscles as a director of narrative comedy rather than unalloyed parody. It underscores his capacity for crafting well-rounded characters and sustaining a story, signaling he is not a one-trick pony (fast-forwarded sight gags aside). It exemplifies his early artistic ambition, a film that prioritizes character and subtle wit over overt slapstick, laying groundwork for the far more nuanced and idiosyncratic character work seen in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.
Six years later, Brooks unveils another curveball with SILENT MOVIE. In an era dominated by movies with more intricate sound design, Brooks dared to make a feature-length silent film. The premise is brilliantly simple: Mel Funn (Brooks), a down-on-his-luck film director, proposes to make the first silent movie in forty years to save his ailing studio from an acquisitive conglomerate. The catch? They need "the biggest stars in the world" to appear in it (a self-revealing lampooning of the industry’s blind trust on star power). What follows is a series of escalatingly absurd attempts to recruit Hollywood's elite, all communicated through exaggerated, nonsensical comedic situations. The sheer audacity of SILENT MOVIE stands out as its primary merit
The film is a superb exhibition in physical comedy, with Brooks, DeLuise (again!), and Feldman forming a hilarious trio. Feldman, with his trademark bulging eyes and distinctive expressions, is a total gas who can tickle your funny bone whenever he appears on the screen. Their synchronized movements, their expressive faces, and their accurately timed reactions are a joy to behold. And then there are the cameos: Burt Reynolds in a shower, James Caan inside a tilting trailer, Liza Minnelli in the studio commissary, Paul Newman on an electric wheelchair and Anne Bancroft being.. the fabulous Ms. Bancroft! Each cameo is an expertly crafted, wordless vignette that leverages the star's persona for maximum comedic effect. The single spoken word, uttered by the legendary French mime Marcel Marceau, is nothing if not a stroke of genius, a punchline that lands with seismic force due to the preceding silence.
SILENT MOVIE is a film that demands close attention to detail and rewards it with cleverness and charm (Peters, as the alluring showgirl Vilma Kaplan, also graces the screen with her unique ditziness and eyes-catching bravura). While ingenious, the central gimmick of SILENT MOVIE can, for some, wear a little thin over its runtime. The absence of dialogue signifies that the humor relies predominantly on gags dependent on sight, which occasionally can miss their mark (like the Coca-cola vending machine part, or some random jokes impertinent to the plot). It's a film whose plot, while serving its purpose, is secondary to the grand spectacle and the conceptual daring.
It is also a love letter to the cinema of yore, a bold artistic statement that demonstrates that Brooks isn’t afraid to challenge conventions, even his own. Coming after BLAZING SADDLES and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, it keeps cementing his reputation as a comedic innovator. It underscored his unparalleled capacity for storytelling through stock imagery and anarchic sketches, illustrating that humor doesn't always need words to resonate. It's another farcical, affectionate, and incredibly clever piece that features his boundless creativity and willingness to take risks, even though SILENT MOVIE cannot be hailed as Brooks’ best work.
While ambitious in their conceptualizations, THE TWELVE CHAIRS and SILENT MOVIE often feel more like intriguing experiments than fully realized comedic triumphs. They lack the sustained, riotous energy that defines Brooks’ chef d’œuvres,, instead offering a more uneven experience that might leave some viewers craving the signature Brooksian zaniness they’ve come to expect. While they certainly showcase a different facet of his talent, they stand less as essential additions and more as curious footnotes in a career otherwise brimming with undeniable comedic gold, like the catchy, anachronistic theme tune Brooks writes for THE TWELVE CHAIRS, "Hope for the Best, Expect for the Worst".
referential entries: Brooks' BLAZING SADDLES (1974, 7.9/10), YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974, 8.1/10), THE PRODUCERS (1967, 7.2/10).
电影改编自俄罗斯作家 Ilya Ilf 和 Yevgeny Petrov 合著的同名讽刺小说The Twelve Chairs (1928)，大多忠于原著，但是整体更偏向喜剧，没有那么黑暗。这部小说被改编翻拍成电影近20次，苏联，英国的Ealing studio,古巴等国的导演都拍过，剧情改编或多或少，但基本都是没落贵族和无耻恶棍搭伙儿寻找藏在椅子里的宝藏的基本故事。
电影里的贵族在革命后家境没落，懦弱胆小又贪财，为了寻宝不跋山涉水，什么贵族精神呀骄傲啊都顾不上了，恶棍督促他装癫痫来骗取路人同情施舍的时候，他还试着反抗，一巴掌扇在恶棍脸上，说自己家族的人从来没当过要饭的。然后理所当然地被揍了一拳，蜷缩在地，恶棍瞬间气势涨到两米八，怒吼骂他是寄生虫！后来贵族当然还是妥协了，到片子末尾，甚至不惜主动装癫痫乞讨，从而希望留住恶棍不要抛下他，努力向恶棍证实他的存在价值，真的是贫贱到尘埃里去了。
有时觉得，在封建社会里，贵族和恶棍都是脱离过多社会约束和道德评判的人，贵族是因为有钱有地位，所以可以为所欲为，而恶棍是一无所有，所以也毫无顾忌，各种荒淫无道的事情都发生在这两个极端阶层里。很难说贵族是没落了，还是暴露了本性。同时，理应守护社会道德的神父，也被讽刺了一把。听闻藏在椅子里的宝藏后就慌忙去寻找，不惜一切代价癫狂的神态真是影片的一大笑点。小说的结尾更加尖锐一些，神父寻宝不成，完全疯掉了，贵族在找到最后一把椅子的下落之前杀了恶棍，想独霸宝物，却发现宝藏已经被变卖修成了公共建筑，这一段电影里也有，象征着旧社会的宝藏变成了建设新社会的物质基础。而贵族发现这个事实后哀号一声，也完全疯掉了。小说末尾颇为诗意，附在此处:
疯狂的人是疯掉了，城市还在继续。
电影保留了一些温情在，至少两个沦落人还可以搭个伴儿，而小说则是暗示着，已经被社会淘汰的那个阶层，没有希望和未来的类群，除了丧失理性、互相残杀、失去自我之外别无他路，崭新的早晨不属于这类人，苏醒过来的城市也不会记得他们的存在。