Jarring, but Funny: History of the World Part II is a Fitting Sequel
Like many of Moment’s readers, I have been a diehard Mel Brooks fan since before my bar mitzvah. As a youth I loved the satire of Spaceballs, the absurdity of The Producers, and even the fourth-wall-breaking surrealism of the yet-to-be-cancelled Blazing Saddles. But of all of Mel’s movies, my absolute favorite was History of the World Part I. Perhaps it’s the zaniness, the sardonic humor, or just the way the film pokes fun at history: In any case, the song from the film’s famed segment on the Spanish Inquisition—featuring Brooks as Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada and a synchronized swimming dance routine—has been and forever will be stuck in my head.
For the uninitiated, History of the World Part I is a 1981 film composed of comedic segments satirizing history, including the Paleolithic Era, ancient Rome,...
