Judd Apatow on Mel Brooks: A Comedy Legend’s Life and Legacy
At the Golden Globes, Judd Apatow playfully quipped about being considered one of the best directors. While Apatow excels behind the camera with comedies like “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and documentaries on comedic icons like Garry Shandling and George Carlin, his latest subject is a true legend: Mel Brooks.
Apatow explains his fascination with Brooks: “Mel is the reason why most of us went into comedy. As a kid (born in 1967), his hilarious movies came out while I was figuring out life. He was this loud, brash, confident Jewish man who seemed like the coolest guy in the world. I, like many others, thought, ‘That’s the job I want!'”
A Surprisingly Personal Origin Story
“Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man,” co-directed with Michael Bonfiglio and streaming on HBO Max, is a deeply personal look at the origins of a comedy giant. The documentary reveals Brooks’ upbringing as a Brooklyn kid raised by a single mother, whose four sons went off to war.
Brooks recounts his wartime experience:
Brooks: “I was sent from a provincial tenement in Brooklyn to France, 1104th engineer combat battalion.”
Apatow: “And the Germans had just left France?”
Brooks: “Yeah.”
Apatow: “And so your job was to make sure they didn’t leave behind booby traps?”
Brooks: “Right. Forty-five degree angle with your bayonet, go through the soil, find, find, find, dink dink. Oh, oh!”
Apatow recalls asking Brooks if he ever feared for his life, to which Brooks responded, “Only every second of every day.”
Confronting Darkness with Humor
Returning from the war, Brooks channeled his experiences into lampooning the Nazis in classics like “The Producers,” “To Be or Not to Be,” and “History of the World Part I.” Apatow notes, “The fear of it happening again drove him. He understood that if you don’t constantly highlight the horrors of the past, they can resurface – something we’re seeing today.”
Brooks also fearlessly tackled racism with his groundbreaking 1974 film, “Blazing Saddles.” Despite initial criticism, the film was a massive success. Shortly after, he released another hit, “Young Frankenstein.”
Apatow describes the impact of these two films: “He just became Beyoncé for a little while. It was shocking that two of the best comedies of all time came out in the same year. There was even a sense that ‘Blazing Saddles’ was so daring, he needed another film ready in case of backlash.”
Beyond Comedy: A Quiet Producer
While known for his comedic brilliance, Brooks also produced dramas, like David Lynch’s “The Elephant Man,” but deliberately avoided attaching his name to them. Apatow explains, “He thought his name would make the film seem silly. But it was still credited as Brooksfilms, so people figured it out. He should have put his name on it!”
A Legendary Friendship
The documentary also highlights Brooks’ remarkable 70+ year friendship with comedy giant Carl Reiner. Apatow describes it as “one of the greatest friendships of all time. They just fit, adored each other more than I’ve ever seen. He said Reiner was ‘his father,’ even though he was only four years older.”
Following the loss of their wives, Anne Bancroft and Estelle Reiner, Brooks and Reiner found solace in each other, continuing their tradition of dinner and a movie. Even after Reiner’s death, Brooks continued the ritual, stating, “It feels like he’s there in some way.”
A Legacy of Laughter and Impact
With two Oscars, four Emmys, 12 Tony Awards (a record for “The Producers” on Broadway), and three Grammys, Mel Brooks has achieved rare EGOT status. His work continues to inspire countless comedians and entertain audiences worldwide.
When asked about his legacy, Brooks simply said he was put on Earth to make people laugh – and he certainly succeeded. Apatow concludes, “He’s probably the funniest person of all time, the creator of some of the best films and Broadway musicals, and he had the courage to tackle both trivial and important subjects, for longer than anyone.”
Watch the trailer for “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man” here.
Story produced by John D’Amelio. Editor: Steven Tyler.
