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History of the World: Part I

  • 19811981
  • RR
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
49K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,976
142
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
History of the World: Part I (1981)
Theatrical Trailer from 20th Century Fox
Play trailer2:54
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • History
  • Musical

Mel Brooks brings his one-of-a-kind comic touch to the history of mankind covering events from the Old Testament to the French Revolution in a series of episodic comedy vignettes.Mel Brooks brings his one-of-a-kind comic touch to the history of mankind covering events from the Old Testament to the French Revolution in a series of episodic comedy vignettes.Mel Brooks brings his one-of-a-kind comic touch to the history of mankind covering events from the Old Testament to the French Revolution in a series of episodic comedy vignettes.

IMDb RATING
6.8/10
49K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,976
142
  • Director
    • Mel Brooks
  • Writer
    • Mel Brooks
  • Stars
    • Mel Brooks
    • Gregory Hines
    • Dom DeLuise
Top credits
  • Director
    • Mel Brooks
  • Writer
    • Mel Brooks
  • Stars
    • Mel Brooks
    • Gregory Hines
    • Dom DeLuise
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 160User reviews
    • 51Critic reviews
    • 47Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos2

    History of the World, Part I
    Trailer 2:54
    History of the World, Part I
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 32
    Video 29:05
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 32

    Photos137

    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    Mel Brooks in History of the World: Part I (1981)
    Shecky Greene in History of the World: Part I (1981)
    Mel Brooks in History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mel Brooks
    Mel Brooks
    • Mosesas Moses…
    Gregory Hines
    Gregory Hines
    • Josephusas Josephus
    Dom DeLuise
    Dom DeLuise
    • Emperor Neroas Emperor Nero
    Madeline Kahn
    Madeline Kahn
    • Empress Nymphoas Empress Nympho
    Harvey Korman
    Harvey Korman
    • Count de Monetas Count de Monet
    Cloris Leachman
    Cloris Leachman
    • Madame Defargeas Madame Defarge
    Ron Carey
    Ron Carey
    • Swiftusas Swiftus
    Pamela Stephenson
    Pamela Stephenson
    • Mademoiselle Rimbaudas Mademoiselle Rimbaud
    Shecky Greene
    Shecky Greene
    • Marcus Vindictusas Marcus Vindictus
    Sid Caesar
    Sid Caesar
    • Chief Cavemanas Chief Caveman
    Mary-Margaret Humes
    Mary-Margaret Humes
    • Miriamas Miriam
    Orson Welles
    Orson Welles
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Rudy De Luca
    Rudy De Luca
    • Prehistoric Manas Prehistoric Man
    • (as Rudy DeLuca)
    • …
    Leigh French
    Leigh French
    • Prehistoric Womanas Prehistoric Woman
    Richard Karron
    • Prehistoric Manas Prehistoric Man
    Susette Carroll
    • Prehistoric Manas Prehistoric Man
    Sammy Shore
    Sammy Shore
    • Prehistoric Manas Prehistoric Man
    J.J. Barry
    J.J. Barry
    • Prehistoric Manas Prehistoric Man
    • Director
      • Mel Brooks
    • Writer
      • Mel Brooks
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    6.4
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    Storyline

    Edit
    From the dawn of man to the distant future, mankind's evolution (or lack thereof) is traced. Often ridiculous but never serious, we learn the truth behind the Roman Emperor, we learn what really happened at the Last Supper, the circumstances that surrounded the French Revolution, how to test eunuchs, and what kind of shoes the Spanish Inquisitor wore. —Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>
    • woman coughs
    • human chess board
    • french revolution
    • torture
    • year 1789
    • 145 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • IN MEL WE TRVST
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • History
      • Musical
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Mel Brooks, the Moses scene was a last minute addition. "Sometimes, you will get very lucky, and the set will give you ideas for jokes", Brooks said in a 2012 interview with the Directors Guild of America. One day, he was gazing out at the scenery that had been built for the caveman segments, when the gears in his head started turning. "I immediately thought, 'Well, where do I go from here?'" Brooks recalled. Heading into the shoot, his plan was to "skip the Bible and go to Rome." But eventually, he realized that the Stone Age set might enable him to explore another chapter in world history. With a few minor alterations, Brooks converted his fake caves into a mountaintop, and the Moses bit was born.
    • Goofs
      When Comicus performs a Caesar's Palace, he jokes about the Christians. Since the segment ends with the Last Supper, Christianity did not exist yet.
    • Quotes

      Moses: The Lord, the Lord Jehovah has given unto you these fifteen...

      [drops one of the tablets]

      Moses: Oy! Ten! Ten commandments for all to obey!

    • Crazy credits
      VESTAL VIRGINS Portrayed by Playboy Playmates and Models
    • Alternate versions
      The German TV version is missing the "Hitler on Ice" segment during the finale. Also, there is a small bit missing in the stone age segment, showing the invention of art (wall painting), and the first critic taking a leak on the masterpiece.
    • Connections
      Edited from The Vikings (1958)
    • Soundtracks
      The Inquisition
      Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks and Ronny Graham

      Performed by Mel Brooks Jackie Mason and Ronny Graham

      Original Music & Lyrics © 1981 Brooksfilms Music Limited

    User reviews160

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    I'm Still Awaiting Part II and "Hitler on Ice"
    Mel Brooks did not invent the comedy spoof movie, but his best work ("Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein", "Dracula, Dead And Loving It", and "High Anxiety") certainly make the most of it - even if some of it gets rather too dirty (literally dirty - "caca" dirty). "History Of The World" is a funny film, but it is not one of his best films. It looks like it was based on bits and pieces of ideas that could have been built up into separate movies: a film about the stone age, a film about the Roman Empire, a film about the French Revolution. I am sure that Brooks was inventive enough to have created three film spoofs, but for some reason he decided to just concentrate on pasting these mini-spoofs together.

    It has wonderful moments in it - some are thrown away. The four desperate refugees from the Roman Empire, followed by centurions, pray for a miracle. Suddenly they see an old man - Brooks dressed like Moses (from an earlier sequence in the film). A river is parted like the Red Sea with "Moses" arms in the air. The refugees flee thanking God and Moses. In a moment we see there is a robber in back of "Moses" holding him up (hence his arms in the air), and when the robber leaves the old man starts cursing him.

    Similar stuff is throughout the film (typical of Brooks' inventiveness). After fleeing Rome, Brooks has reached Palestine and is the waiter serving the "Last Supper". Besides having a problem when he keeps saying "JEEZUS" causing John Hurt (who is Christ) to ask, "Yes?", there is the problem of the painting being done by Da Vinci (Art Metrano), and how Brooks manages to get into the background of the masterpiece - holding his tray like a halo behind Hurt).

    Brooks uses a number of his regulars in the film: Madeline Kahn as the Empress Nympho, Dom DeLuis as the Emperor (one could call him "piggy" after one particular comment about his eating habits), Harvey Korman as the foppish Count du Monet, Sid Caesar as a caveman who is full of awe. He was also lucky to have Gregory Hines, usually a dancer but here a strikingly breezy comic, and Orson Welles doing the narration properly (note his voice's confusion at the start when describing the first heterosexual marriage, followed by the first homosexual one).

    The disjointed style is a minor problem in enjoying the film. Judging from the final scenes from the sequel, Brooks could have done a Viking movie, a skating film about Nazism, and a space musical about the Jews. Alas, only those scenes were ever shot. A second part might not have been a great film either, but it would have been quite as amusing.
    helpful•32
    7
    • theowinthrop
    • Jul 9, 2006

    FAQ1

    • Will there be a part 2?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 12, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
      • French
    • Also known as
      • A Viking Funeral
    • Filming locations
      • Vaux-le-Vicomte, Seine-et-Marne, France
    • Production company
      • Brooksfilms
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $11,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $31,672,907
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,792,731
      • Jun 14, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $31,672,907
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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