Robin Hood Men In Tights [PG]

After returning to England from the Crusades, Robin of Loxley is shocked to discover that his family home has been reclaimed by the devious Sheriff of Rottingham and Prince John the false King of England. So, with the help of his blind servant, his new friend Ahchoo, and a myriad of merry men, Robin becomes a vigilante and promises to steal from the reach and give to the poor, reclaim the honour of his family, and liberate the repressed people of England. 

The pitching line on the front cover of this movie says “the legend had it coming” and I think that that’s a fantastic way to sum up this movie. We’ve seen Mel Brooks tackle the stories of Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein and Dracula in Dracula Dead and Loving It (which you sadly cannot find on DVD in Australia which greatly upsets me) so it really does come as no surprise that the story of Robin Hood would take a Brooks battering. A piss take of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Robin Hood Men In Tights is a very funny film that’s filled with classic Brooks sight gags as well as a heap of other typical Brooks treats, including my favourite line “unlike so many other Robins, I can speak with a British accent.” It’s filled with clever little treats like that and then some that are not so clever but you laugh anyway. 

After returning to England from the Crusades, Robin of Loxley is shocked to discover that his family home has been reclaimed by the devious Sheriff of Rottingham and Prince John the false King of England. So, with the help of his blind servant, his new friend Ahchoo, and a myriad of merry men, Robin becomes a vigilante and promises to steal from the reach and give to the poor, reclaim the honour of his family, and liberate the repressed people of England. 

Although not the cleverest of Brooks’ films, my personal favourite still remains High Anxiety, Robin Hood Men In Tights is nevertheless a bit of a classic in piss take comedy. Although the film is most reminiscent of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Brooks obviously uses influence from a plethora of other Robin Hood movies, going right back to Errol Flynn’s The Adventures of Robin Hood what with the tights and everything. 

Quite a lot of the film’s central comedy is very cunning and easily overlooked, pushed back into the shadows by the eccentric and hilarious sight gags, slapstick humour, and sexual innuendos, but it eventually shines through, peaking with a nice surprising cameo towards the end like Prince of Thieves. 

Starring Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Roger Rees, Amy Yasbeck, Mark Blankfield, Dave Chappelle, Isaac Hayes, Megan Cavanagh, Eric Allan Kramer, and Tracy Ullman, Robin Hood Men In Tights is a very funny movie filled with action, romance, adventure, plenty of comedy, and even the occasional musical number. It’s not a film that I could watch excessively, but it’s definitely perfect for a light afternoon or night of laughter.