Mel Brooks in the Cultural Industries

Dr Alex Symons was awarded his PhD by the Department of Culture, Film and Media at the University of Nottingham. Articles of his research have been published in the Journal of Popular Film and Television, the Journal of Adaptation in Film and Performance, and in Celebrity Studies.

This original study not only provides an informative discussion of Mel Brooks' career but also demonstrates how the engines of contemporary culture are fueled by the continual recycling and adaptation of familiar material.

• Introduction 1A New Perspective on Mel Brooks 2Mel Brooks: ‘Multimedia Survivor’ in the CulturalIndustries 7Materials and Methods 121 Rethinking Adaptation Studies: Survival Strategies in theCultural Industries 20Adaptations in the Modern Cultural Industries 21Adaptation Terminology 28Remediation 29Hybridisation 30Intermediality 32Synergy 33Prolonged Adaptation 35Conclusion 412 From Sitcoms to ‘Parody-coms’: Writing for American TV,1949–89 48The Intermedial Origins of the American Sitcom,1949–57 50Get Smart: Reviving the American Sitcom, 1965–70 53The Modern Transformation of the American Sitcom,1975–89 60When Things Were Rotten (ABC, 1975) 63The Nutt House (NBC, 1989) 673 Prolonged Stardom: Audio Records, TV and Film, 1961–2004 79Adapting the 2000 Year Old Man, 1961–83 83Hollywood Film Actor, 1974–87 89A Transitional Performance: Life Stinks (1991) 93Comedy Legend and Sitcom Actor, 1995–2004 974 Recycled Hollywood for the TV Generation: The Rise ofParody and the Fall of Mel Brooks the Director, 1974–95 110vi contentsRethinking New Hollywood: Intermedial Blockbusters in1974 115Blazing Saddles (1974) 118Young Frankenstein (1974) 124A New Film-Focused Strategy: The Fall of Mel Brooks,1987–95 127Spaceballs (1987) 130Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) 136Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) 1415 The Integration of the Film and Theatre Industries: TheProducers, 1968–2007 154The Producers (1968) 156The Modern Revival of The Producers (1968) 161The Broadway Adaptation: The Producers (2001) 163Remade in Hollywood: The Producers (2005) 173Conclusion 185Bibliography 198Index 217　Introduction A New Perspective on Mel Brooks Mel Brooks: ‘Multimedia Survivor’ in the Cultural Industries Materials and Methods Rethinking Adaptation Studies: Survival Strategies in the Cultural Industries Adaptations in the Modern Cultural Industries Adaptation Terminology Remediation Hybridisation Intermediality Synergy Prolonged Adaptation Conclusion From Sitcoms to ‘Parody-coms’: Writing for American TV, 1949-1989 The Intermedial Origins of the American Sitcom, 1949-1957 Get Smart: Reviving the American Sitcom, 1965-1970 The Modern Transformation of the American Sitcom, 1975-1989 When Things Were Rotten (ABC, 1975) The Nutt House (NBC, 1989) Prolonged Stardom: Audio Records, TV, and Film, 1961-2004 Adapting the 2000 Year Old Man, 1961-1983 Hollywood Film Actor, 1974-1987 A Transitional Performance: Life Stinks (1991) Comedy Legend and Sitcom Actor, 1995-2004 Recycled Hollywood for the TV Generation: The Rise of Parody and the Fall of Mel Brooks the Director, 1974-1995 Rethinking New Hollywood: Intermedial Blockbusters in 1974 Blazing Saddles (1974) Young Frankenstein (1974) A New Film-Focused Strategy: The Fall of Mel Brooks, 1987-1995 Spaceballs (1987) Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) The Integration of the Film and Theatre Industries: The Producers, 1968-2007 The Producers (1968) The Modern Revival of The Producers (1968) The Broadway Adaptation: The Producers (2001) Remade in Hollywood: The Producers (2005) Conclusion Bibliography Index