By Karen Sternheimer

When I was a child, I really wanted to see Mel Brooks’ The History of the World, Part I. The ads on TV looked funny, and other kids I knew allegedly had seen the movie and talked about how good it was, re-enacting some of the funnier bits.

Alas, it was rated R, and I would have to wait until I was an adult to watch it and every other Mel Brooks movie. His movies blended silliness that appealed to children and sexual humor that appealed to adults, but they were off-limits for kids like me. The political satire that gets slipped into this comedic mix is a great example of the sociological importance of his work.

A recent plane ride gave me the time—nearly 4 hours— to watch Judd Apatow’s documentary Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man, complete with interviews and a multitude of clips from his comedy career that dates back to 1950. It’s clear from the body of his work that he sees himself not just as comedic writer, director, actor, and producer, but a social critic. He talked about the role of the court jester to make fun of those in power in an old interview. His movies tackle diverse themes like oppression, economic inequality, racism, and even homelessness (Life Stinks, one of his later movies from 1991).