Mel Brooks is a comedy hero of mine, his work has been influential on the movie industry for decades, and his penchant for spoof is unmatched. His take on the Dracula story, however, is less than impressive.
As part of my spooky season viewing, I decided to lighten the mood with Brooks' Dracula: Dead and Loving It starring Leslie Nielsen as the infamous Count Dracula. Far from the comic genius of Spaceballs and Blazing Saddles, Brooks has opted for cheaper laughs and poor quality production. The story is barely held together, with elements of slapstick thrown in wherever possible, and the characters seem like simply impressions rather than realistic inventions. There are a couple of very funny moments, and I did enjoy Peter MacNicol as R. M. Renfield who was hilarious for a lot of the film. However, I was severely let down by lack of effort to make a thoughtful spoof of a legendary story.
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