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Movies / On DVD / Silent Movie
Silent Movie

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Silent Movie (1976)

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Reviews Counted:19

Fresh:17

Rotten:2

Average Rating:7.1/10

Runtime: 88 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: SILENT MOVIE is director Mel Brooks's comic tribute to the golden days of the silent screen. A movie within a movie, SILENT MOVIE stars Brooks as Mel Funn, a filmmaker who has seen better days--for... SILENT MOVIE is director Mel Brooks's comic tribute to the golden days of the silent screen. A movie within a movie, SILENT MOVIE stars Brooks as Mel Funn, a filmmaker who has seen better days--for one thing, he's just come out of a bout with the bottle. When his best friends (Marty Feldman and Dom DeLuise) rescue him from despair and convince him to make another attempt at moviemaking, Mel comes up with an idea--a silent picture. Alas, this is the 1970s, and in order to get backing from wacky, frazzled studio chief Sid Caesar, the three pals have to get lots of celebrities to agree to be in their silent picture. SILENT MOVIE is, in fact, silent, and all the celebrities play themselves (or parodies of themselves). Funny, warm, and packed with sight gags galore, the film evokes the days of Chaplin, Keaton, and Pickford and Fairbanks while remaining oddly, and wondrously, contemporary. There is hardly a funnier scene than when Burt Reynolds--vainly admiring himself in the mirror while showering--is talked-up about the movie by DeLuise, Brooks, and Feldman, all in the shower together. [More]

Starring: Mel Brooks, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, James Caan

Starring: Mel Brooks, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, James Caan, Paul Newman, Burt Reynolds, Liza Minnelli, Marcel Marceau, Sid Caesar, Dom DeLuise

Director: Mel Brooks

Director: Mel Brooks
Producer: Michael Hertzberg
Composer: John Morris

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Silent Movie

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1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/24/03
Channel 4 Film
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Variety
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
N/R

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Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/09/05
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Mel Brooks has never known when a joke is worthy of a five-minute bit and when it's something you can flesh out into a full length feature.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment 2 Comments
03/30/06
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Low end of Mel Brooks' films.

comment 1 Comment
09/22/05
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

Largely a success due to some very funny sight gags, but even at a brief 87 minutes, Brooks seems to be stretching things to feature-film length in the last half-hour.

Full Review Source: FulvueDrive-in.com | comment Comment
10/06/05
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
FulvueDrive-in.com

No review available.

comment Comment
10/10/05
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

Brooks' tribute to silent cinema has its drawbacks, but his obvious affection for pre-talkies saves the day.

comment Comment
02/27/04
Dan Lybarger
Dan Lybarger
Nitrate Online

No review available.

comment Comment
05/28/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
07/19/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
02/13/01
Greg Muskewitz
Greg Muskewitz
eFilmCritic.com

No review available.

comment Comment
08/24/05
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

Far from Brooks' best work, but it's the one that makes me laugh the most.

comment Comment
07/26/02
Jeffrey Westhoff
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

Nearly everything is done in that special Mel Brooks brand of broad comedy that quickly palls for all but the faithful.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
08/21/03
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Not Brooks' best, but still funny

comment Comment
04/20/07
Lori Hoffman
Lori Hoffman
Atlantic City Weekly

While Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein stride across the land with seven-league boots, Silent Movie glides on tip-toe like Bugs Bunny in ballet slippers.

Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com | comment Comment
09/04/06
Mark Bourne
Mark Bourne
DVDJournal.com

Mel Brooks was THE comic master of the 70's

comment Comment
01/08/05
Michael A. Smith
Michael A. Smith
Nolan's Pop Culture Review

One of the funniest movies from my childhood.

comment Comment
08/05/02
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat
 
 
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