Line #36 Film/HistoryOfTheWorldPartI


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/424f.jpg]]
2
3	->''"It's good to be the king!"''
4
5	''History of the World Part I'' is a 1981 sketch comedy film written, directed produced by and starring Creator/MelBrooks.
6
7	Starting out with [[HollywoodPrehistory the Dawn of Man]], cavemen discovering fire, cave paintings, and the art critic, the film skips to various 'important' areas of history usually with a unique interpretation of the events. Following this, the film touches on Moses receiving the Fifteen... er, Ten Commandments then takes time to waltz through the Roman Empire and end up at the Last Supper. They then sing and dance during UsefulNotes/TheSpanishInquisition, [[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus though nobody expects it]]. The French Revolution comes next with Brooks playing King Louis XVI and the piss boy (DontAsk) that turns into [[PrinceAndPauper the Prince and the Pauper]] though it ends well through a miracle. Before the credits are 'ComingAttractions' for ''History of the World Part II''. The entertaining, history-based nature of this film makes it an example of TheAbridgedHistory.
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9	Fun Fact: The melody for the song "Jews In Space," which closed out the film, was later recycled for another Creator/MelBrooks film, ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights,'' while the concept itself evolved into ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', with its [[JewishPrincess Druish Princess]].
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11	Other members of the cast include Creator/DomDeLuise as Emperor Nero, Creator/MadelineKahn as Empress Nympho, Creator/HarveyKorman as Count de Monet, Creator/SpikeMilligan as M. Rimbaud, and Creator/JohnHurt as UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}}. Creator/OrsonWelles provided narration.
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13	On October 18, 2021, forty years after the first part, an actual ''Series/HistoryOfTheWorldPartII'' [[https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/history-of-the-world-part-ii-series-hulu-mel-brooks-nick-kroll-wanda-sykes-1235091840/ was officially announced]] in the form of an eight-episode sketch series produced for Creator/{{Hulu}}, which premiered on March 6, 2023. Brooks returned as executive producer and writer, joined by Creator/NickKroll, Creator/WandaSykes, and Creator/IkeBarinholtz.
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15	Not to be confused with ''WebVideo/HistoryOfTheEntireWorldIGuess'' and ''ComicBook/TheCartoonHistoryOfTheUniverse'', which are both historically accurate rather than HistoricalFiction but have strong DeadpanSnarker vibe.
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17	----
18	!!This film provides examples of:
19	* AdiposeRex: The Roman Emperor. Check your material carefully before performing at the Palace. Bonus points for the Emperor having stuffed an apple into his mouth while near a roast pig when Comicus says "[[IResembleThatRemark Who wants to look like a big, fat pig?]]"
20	* AdolfHitlarious: "See... ''Hitler on Ice!''". Also serves as a MultipleReferencePun since [[http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/conversations-norman-ohler/8535096 Hitler really was on ice (meth)]] in {{real life}}.
21	* AffectionateParody: Of history in general.
22	** The French Revolution section is largely a spoof of ''Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities''.
23	** The Rome section owes a lot to ''Caligula'' and even moreso to the spoof ''Caligula II: Messalina, Messalina''.
24	* AllAreEqualInDeath:
25	-->'''Court Spokesman:''' ''(whispering in Marcus' ear)'' Remember, thou art mortal! Remember, thou art mortal! Remember, thou art mortal! Remember, thou...\
26	'''Marcus:''' ''(whispering back)'' Oh, blow it out your ass!
27	* AllJewsAreAshkenazi:
28	** Sephardi Jews during the Spanish Inquisition musical sequence speak with Yiddish accents with smatterings of Yiddish like "Oy gevalt!"
29	** Moses does the same in both his scenes, even though Moses lives long before Jews emigrated to Europe or developed Yiddish.
30	* AnachronismStew: Plenty, from an ancient Roman carrying a boombox to Leonardo da Vinci, Moses, and some of the Romans appearing in the wrong time period. But of course, [[LampshadeHanging movies are magic]].
31	* AnswerCut: During the Last Supper.
32	-->'''Jesus:''' Yea, yea, so you say, but one who sits amongst us has already betrayed me this night.\
33	'''Apostles:''' Who? Who could it be?\
34	'''Waiter:''' JUDAS!\
35	''(Judas gasps)''\
36	'''Waiter:''' Do you want a beverage? Try the mulled wine, it's terrific!
37	* AnswersToTheNameOfGod: Again at the Last Supper scene, when Comicus says "Jesus!" (as an expletive) and the actual Jesus answers "Yes?"
38	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: "We've flattened their fingers, we've branded their buns, nothing is working. '''SEND IN THE NUNS!!!"'''
39	* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Quite a bit, all of it most likely being deliberate.
40	** Several people in the 'Roman Empire' sketch talk about Christianity as if it is a distinct religion from Judaism, but the very last scene of that sketch has Comicus catering The Last Supper. Pre-crucifixion Rome would have considered Christianity to be a minor sect of Judaism if they knew about it at all.
41	** In the Inquisition segment: Jews were outside the Inquisition's jurisdiction; it only dealt with Christians. The opening narration puts the scene at 1489, then mentions how the black death, which took place about a century and a half earlier, was underway.
42	* AuthorAppeal: The Roman segment ends with the main characters emigrating to Judea, plus, the final segment is called "Jews in Space" with the Jews defending themselves successfully against attack.
43	* BackgroundHalo: As Jesus and the disciples pose for the commemorative painting of the Last Supper, the waiter 'happens' to be holding his tray behind Jesus's head.
44	* BiggerIsBetterInBed: "Yes, yes, no, yes, yes, no, yes..." with a final [[BigYes "YES!"]] [[note]] Olé! [[/note]] But what did you expect from someone named Nympho?
45	* BilingualBonus: The beginning of the "French Revolution" segment. As the narration describes the desolation of the common Frenchmen, the camera pans in on a sign that says "Rue de [[ForeignCurseWord Merde]]". This translates to "Shit Road".
46	* {{Bowdlerise}}: Creator/{{AMC}} censorship ruins two of the film's best jokes.
47	** Original joke:
48	--->'''Dole Office Clerk:''' Occupation?\
49	'''Comicus:''' Stand-up philosopher.\
50	'''Dole Office Clerk:''' What?\
51	'''Comicus:''' Stand-up philosopher. I coalesce the vapors of human experience into a viable and logical comprehension.\
52	'''Dole Office Clerk:''' Oh, a ''bullshit'' artist!\
53	'''Comicus:''' ''(grumbles)''\
54	'''Dole Office Clerk:''' Did you bullshit last week?\
55	'''Comicus:''' No.\
56	'''Dole Office Clerk:''' Did you ''try'' to bullshit last week?\
57	'''Comicus:''' Yes!
58	** TV version:
59	--->'''Dole Office Clerk:''' Oh, a ''bull''--\
60	'''Comicus:''' ''(grumbles)''\
61	'''Dole Office Clerk:''' Did you bull-- last week?\
62	'''Comicus:''' No.\
63	'''Dole Office Clerk:''' Did you ''try'' to bull- last week?\
64	'''Comicus:''' Yes!
65	** Original joke:
66	--->'''Leader of Senate:''' All fellow members of the Roman senate hear me. Shall we continue to build palace after palace for the rich? Or shall we aspire to a more noble purpose and build decent housing for the poor? How does the senate vote?\
67	'''Entire Senate:''' FUCK THE POOR!\
68	'''Leader of Senate:''' Good.
69	** TV version:
70	--->'''Leader of Senate:''' All fellow members of the Roman senate hear me. Shall we continue to build palace after palace for the rich? Or shall we aspire to a more noble purpose and build decent housing for the poor? How does the senate vote?\
71	'''Entire Senate:''' ''(raise arms and grumble to themselves)''\
72	'''Leader of Senate:''' Good.
73	** Arguably, Bowdlerising actually makes one moment ''funnier'':
74	*** Original version:
75	---->'''Roman Soldier:''' Moooove that miserable piece of SHIT!
76	*** TV version:
77	---->'''Roman Soldier:''' Moooove that miserable piece of SHOOOIIIT!
78	* BreakingTheFourthWall: King Louis always looks straight at the camera when saying "[[CatchPhrase It's good to be the King.]]"
79	* BusbyBerkeleyNumber: '''SEND IN THE NUNS!'''
80	* TheCaligula: Louis XVI. Groping everything in a skirt, turning a live chess game into a gangbang, [[ScarpiaUltimatum trying to force Mademoiselle Rimbaud into sex in exchange for sparing her father]], using peasants as targets in skeet shooting...
81	* TheCameo: Quite a few...
82	** Hugh Hefner as Roman Entrepreneur.
83	** Creator/BeaArthur as Unemployment Insurance Window Attendant.
84	** Henny Youngman as Chemist
85	** Creator/JohnHurt as Jesus
86	** Jackie Mason as Tortured Jew #1
87	* CameoCluster: The "Ancient Rome" segment features a particularly large number of cameos, including Creator/BeaArthur as an unemployment office clerk, Hugh Hefner as a Roman citizen (who recently invented [[Magazine/{{Playboy}} the centerfold]]), and Creator/JohnHurt as Jesus Christ himself.
88	* CampGay: The announcer in Caesar's palace.
89	* CatchPhrase:
90	-->'''King Louis XVI:''' It's good to be the King.
91	* ChekhovsBoomerang: Combined with DeusExMachina, the Roman Empire group help out [[MeaningfulName Miracle]] towards the beginning of the segment. Miracle goes on to save them twice. First at the end of the segment, when they escape from the Emperor, [[spoiler: then during the end of the French Revolution segment, in a carriage driven by Josephus.]]
92	* CoolHorse: Miracle, a [[MeaningfulName meaningfully-named]] pure white steed who is apparently awesome enough to [[spoiler:travel through time.]]
93	* DeusExMachina: The horse "Miracle", which saves the day multiple times throughout "history". The last time, it even brings Josephus along for the ride.
94	* DiggingYourselfDeeper: Comicus already offended [[AdiposeRex Emperor Nero]] with fat jokes, and was trying to change subjects to save face, and for some reason, decided ''politics'' was the best way to go!
95	-->'''Comicus:''' When you die at the Palace, [[NotHyperbole you really die at the Palace]].
96	* {{Fanservice}}: The girl who [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpxBeOMyiB4 tests men]] too see if they're actually eunuchs.
97	-->'''Marcus:''' He's a eunuch... He's a eunuch... he's '''''dead'''''...
98	* {{Gasshole}}: Nero belches, then sits down and farts.
99	* GotMeDoingIt: [=DeMonet=] keeps correcting people who pronounce his name "De Money". Eventually he needs to correct ''himself''.
100	* GrapesOfLuxury: [=DeLuise=] gets this treatment as Nero.
101	* GroinAttack: During the Spanish Inquisition sequence, one of the imprisoned Jews claims that the Inquisitors played "ping-pong with my balls!" Played straight in the Roman Empire sequence when Comicus is trying to escape.
102	-->'''Marcus Vindictus:''' ''[lifts sword]'' Goodbye, head!\
103	'''Comicus:''' ''[grabs Marcus's sword arm]'' Hello, balls! ''[knees Marcus in the groin]''
104	* HeroicSeductress: Mademoiselle Rimbaud. Even if she didn't want to, but if sleeping with the king will release her father...
105	* HistoricalInJoke: The ''title'' of the film. It is a play on ''The Historie Of The World'', a work written by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh.]] He only finished the first book before he was [[OffWithHisHead beheaded.]]
106	* HornsOfBarbarism: Parodied in the Viking Funeral, segment where the Vikings take off their helmets to reveal that the helmets aren't horned, the Vikings are.
107	* HumanChess: "Knight jumps queen! Bishop jumps queen! PAWNS jump queen! '''[[BlackComedyRape GAAAAAANG BAAAAAAAAANG!]]'''"
108	* HypocriticalHumor:
109	** "I don't care for the peasants?! They are my people. I am their sovereign. I ''love'' them... PULL!!"
110	** From the same scene, he mentions detesting violence.
111	* IdenticalStranger: The Piss Boy looks identical to King Louis XVI, who uses him as a political decoy.
112	* InherentlyFunnyWords:
113	** [=DeMonet=]
114	** Torquemada, which sounds like "Talk 'im outta."
115	** KING LOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUWWWWWIIIIIISSSSS!
116	* JustAStupidAccent: The Trope Namer. The French Revolutionaries place it fairly high in their list of grievances even. One even mentions that they all sound like [[MauriceChevalierAccent Maurice Chevalier]].
117	* LiteralMetaphor: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymn7W_X6OtE Let's end this meeting on a high note!]]"
118	* LogoJoke: Two of them, actually:
119	** The movie itself has the [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios 20th Century Fox]] fanfare re-scored by John Morris.
120	** Meanwhile, the main poster art (seen above) has Moses in the background standing atop the Fox logo itself while holding the Ten Commandments.
121	* TheMelBrooksNumber: There would have to be one with him. In this case, it's about The Inquisition!
122	* MsFanservice: Apart from Miriam, all the Vestal Virgins are played by authentic Playboy models.
123	** Caledonia, very deliberately.
124	* MoodWhiplash: After "The Roman Empire" sequence ends with a funny scene with "The Last Supper", we cut to "The Spanish Inquisition" which begins in a very bleak scene of monks chanting and Jews being tortured. Then the music starts and it's back to funny again.
125	* MythologyGag: Harvey Korman's role as [[EvilChancellor Count deMoney]] ([[InsistentTerminology deMonET!]]) is a reference to his previous role in ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' as the evil chancellor Hedy Lamarr. (HEDLEY!) Par for the course for a Creator/MelBrooks film, really.
126	* NiceToTheWaiter: The French aristocracy, but especially Count De Monet, who throws Jacques' tip into the bucket of piss.
127	* OddJobGods: One of Comicus' better-received jokes is that Rome has a god for everything but premature ejaculation, but he hears he's ''coming soon.''
128	* OhCrap: Comicus, while expounding on political corruption.
129	-->'''Comicus:''' It goes all the way up ''to the Emperor!''\
130	'''Emperor:''' ''(DeathGlare)''\
131	'''Comicus:''' ''Shit.''
132	* OverlyLongGag: Comicus and Miriam romantically say "goodbye" to each other for quite a while.
133	-->'''Josephus''': [[LampshadeHanging Look, stop with the goodbyes!]]
134	* PeriodPieceModernLanguage: The film is a very unserious look at history, from the Stone Age to the French Revolution, and is full of anachronistic dialogue (for example, "philosopher" is considered another word for "bullshit artist").
135	* PleaseSpareHimMyLiege:
136	** Mademoiselle Rimbaud begs the King to release her father.
137	** Comicus pleads for Josephus' life after he gets the upper hand in a gladiatorial duel (due to Josephus slipping on a {{banana peel}}).
138	--->'''Emperor:''' Let him... die!\
139	'''Comicus:''' ''(shrugs at Josephus)'' Tough shit.
140	* PronouncingMyNameForYou: Peasants and aristocracy alike pronounce Count [=DeMonet=]'s name as "Count Da Money", only to have him redden with frustration and correct the pronunciation to "Dee Moh Nay."
141	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: DEATH! TO KING! LOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUWWWWWWIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS!
142	* PunnyName: Count [=DeMonet=]=count the money.
143	* ReallyGetsAround: Empress Nympho. Just see the quote on BiggerIsBetterInBed, or her excitement with the prospect of Josephus working for her...
144	* RecliningReigner: Nero, natch. He even falls off it at one point.
145	* ReducedToRatburgers: In the "French Revolution" segment, one of the street vendors sells rats for food, another sells apple cores, and a third sells [[VisualPun nothing]].
146	* RiddleForTheAges: The other five Commandments Moses dropped.
147	* RunningGag: "It's good to be the King!"
148	* ScarpiaUltimatum: Hump/death/hump/death...
149	** Your time is running out!
150	* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: King Louis declares that he gets to make three moves in a row during his chess game.
151	* SequelHook: Faked with a preview of features in ''History of the World, Part Two":
152	** [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Hitler]] [[AdolfHitlarious On Ice]] (Hitler ice skating)
153	** A Viking Funeral (They take off their [[HornyVikings helmets]], and [[HornedHumanoid the horns are shown to be part of their heads]])
154	** JEWWWWWWWS IIIIIIIIN SPAAAAAAAACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
155	** The whole segment, along with the title of the film, is of course a HistoricalInJoke (see above).
156	* SequelSnark: Even the ''title'' implies a sequel, and they do "previews" to Part Two, but it's clear they don't mean to make one. This is actually a reference to Sir Walter Raleigh's ''History of the World, Volume I''; he wrote it in prison in the Tower of London and was executed before he could write any other volumes.
157	** Also part of the RunningGag of Mel Brooks's films mentioning a sequel that is never intended to be made. (Compare ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', where the title of a sequel is even given. And the movie itself appears to be "Chapter 11".)
158	* ShoutOut:
159	** Don't you remember where Madame Defarge [[Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities originally came from]]?
160	** [[Film/RoadToMorocco "We're off on the Road to Judea!"]]
161	** "Jews in Space" is a twofer for ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica\|1978}}'' as well as ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' segment, [[https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Pigs_in_Space "Pigs in Space"]].
162	* SomethingElseAlsoRises: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by Marcus in the eunuch scene so that they can identify Josephus. It succeeds.
163	-->'''Marcus:''' [[DontExplainTheJoke GET IT?]]
164	* SpaceJews: Possibly the TropeNamer, but otherwise an aversion.[[labelnote:Why?]]The Space Jews trope doesn't refer to actual Jews in space, but to aliens that bear stereotypical qualities ascribed to Jews or any other minority ethnic/racial group.[[/labelnote]]
165	* SpontaneousSkeetShooting: King Louis XVI practices skeet shooting on [[KillThePoor peasants catapulted into the air for the purpose]]. It's good to be the king.
166	* {{Title 1}}: Done without the intent for a sequel (see HistoricalInJoke above), at least until the 2023 streaming show came about.
167	* VillainSong: The aforementioned song about the Spanish Inquisition.
168	* VisualPun: They're coming to The End.
169	** "The streets are crawling with soldiers!"
170	* WalkThisWay: When Miriam, Comicus, Josephus, and Swiftus are entering the theater.
171	* WealthsInAName: Count [=DeMonet=] (pronounced "de mon''ay''") was so well off that the RunningGag was to poke his annoyance button by pronouncing his name "count da money".
172	* WhosOnFirst: The interaction between Jesus and the waiter at the Last Supper.
173	-->'''Comicus:''' ''(upset after being told to leave)'' Alright, alright, ''Jesus''.\
174	'''Jesus:''' Yes?\
175	'''Comicus:''' What?\
176	'''Jesus:''' What?\
177	'''Comicus:''' What?\
178	'''Jesus:''' Yes?\
179	'''Comicus:''' Jesus!\
180	'''Jesus:''' What?
181	%%* TheXOfY
182	* WorldOfPun: And really, do you expect anything less with [[PungeonMaster Mel Brooks]]?
183	** "The servant waits while the [[DoubleEntendre master baits]]."
184	** You can't Torquemada[[note]][[DontExplainTheJoke "talk him outta"]][[/note]] anything!
185	** Among the dishes that could be [[ReducedToRatburgers cooked with rats]], "and of course, the ever popular ratatouille".
186	** "Don't get ''saucy'' with me, Bearnaise."
187	** Theatre/OedipusRex has a cameo at one point.
188	--->'''Oedipus:''' 'Ey, Josephus!\
189	'''Josephus:''' 'Eeey, motherfucker.
190
191	----

Context Film / HistoryOfTheWorldPartI