Robin Hood: Men in Tights

Robin Hood: Men in Tights. 1993 20th Century Fox.
Starring: Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Roger Rees, Amy Yasbeck, Dave Chappelle, Issac Hayes, Tracey Ullman, Patrick Stewart, Dom DeLuise, Dick Van Patten, Mel Brooks
Director: Mel Brooks
Buy Robin Hood: Men in Tights at Amazon. It's also part of the Mel Brooks Collection with seven other movies that you've probably already bought before!

Your typical Mel Brooks spoof, this one is a satire of the Robin Hood legend.

Robin of Loxley (Elwes) is captured during the Crusades, and imprisoned at Khalil Prison in Jerusalem. He escapes with the help of another inmate named Asneeze (Hayes), and frees all of the other prisoners. Asneeze asks Robin to find his son, Ahchoo (Chappelle) in England, which he does almost immediately upon returning. Plot convenience, mind you.

In England, Prince John (Lewis) has seized control of the kingdom while King Richard (Stewart) is away fighting in the Crusades, and John is abusing his power. Robin also finds that his family's castle has literally been taken away for nonpayment of taxes. Aligning with Ahchoo, a blind family servant named Blinkin (Mark Blankfield), Little John (Eric Allan Kramer), and his friend named Will Scarlet O'Hara (Matthew Porretta), Robin vows to regain his father's land and out Prince John from the thrown. Robin also attracts the attention of Maid Marian (Yasbeck), who is seeking out the man who has the key to her heart...and chastity belt.

However, the evil Sheriff of Rottingham (Rees) also desires Maid Marian, and he'll stop at nothing to deflower her. Also, how will King Richard deal with Prince John's mishandling of the empire upon returning from the Crusades? Also, how many references to his past films can Mel Brooks write into this one?

Recommended. It's not the best movie Mel Brooks ever made, but it was the first one I ever saw in a theater, and thus, has some sentimental value. In an English class in junior year of high school during personal introductions, I listed this (at the time) as my favorite movie. Someone asked me "Is there another movie that you've seen recently that you liked?"

Actually, there wasn't. I wasn't too crazy about film back then.