Spaceballs

In 1987, Mel Brooks unleashed his most audacious parody yet, taking aim at the biggest franchise in the galaxy: Star Wars. The result was Spaceballs, a film that gleefully skewers not just George Lucas's space opera but also Star Trek, Alien, and the entire sci-fi genre. With a budget of $22.7 million, Brooks assembled a crack cast including Bill Pullman, John Candy, and Rick Moranis to bring his vision of a universe where the bad guys literally steal air to life.

The film follows Lone Starr, a cynical space rogue, and his half-man, half-dog sidekick Barf as they are hired to rescue Princess Vespa from the clutches of the villainous Dark Helmet. Along the way, they encounter Yogurt, a tiny wise master who teaches Lone Starr about the mystical power of "The Schwartz." Packed with quotable lines, visual gags, and fourth-wall-breaking moments, Spaceballs quickly became a cult classic, even if it received mixed reviews upon release.[edit]

On the desert planet of Spaceball, President Skroob (Mel Brooks) faces an energy crisis: the planet's atmosphere is depleted. He orders his top military commander, the helmeted Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis), to steal the fresh air from the neighboring planet Druidia. Druidia's King Roland (Dick Van Patten) keeps his planet's air shield protected with a secret combination known only to him and his daughter, Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga).

Vespa, however, is not interested in the arranged marriage to the dull Prince Valium. Hours before the wedding, she flees in her pink, limousine-like spacecraft, accompanied by her sarcastic droid Dot Matrix (voiced by Joan Rivers). Dark Helmet dispatches his fleet to capture her. Meanwhile, the roguish Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his loyal, half-man, half-dog sidekick Barf (John Candy) are in debt to the gangster Pizza the Hutt. To pay off their debt, they take on a mission: rescue Princess Vespa from the Spaceball forces.

After a chaotic chase, Lone Starr and Barf manage to save Vespa and Dot Matrix, but their ship is damaged. They crash-land on a remote desert planet. There, they meet Yogurt (Mel Brooks), a diminutive, ancient being who reveals that Lone Starr is actually a prince and the rightful heir to the throne of Spaceball. Yogurt also introduces Lone Starr to "The Schwartz," a mystical energy force similar to the Force from Star Wars. He insists that Lone Starr must learn to harness The Schwartz to defeat Dark Helmet and save Druidia.

Dark Helmet, using his massive spaceship, tracks them down. The group escapes, but not before Yogurt gives Lone Starr a ring that contains the power of The Schwartz. They flee in the Winnebago-style spaceship Eagle 5, pursued relentlessly by Dark Helmet. The chase leads them to a bizarre sequence where they encounter a giant alien that swallows their ship, only to be rescued by a team of tiny janitors inside the creature. They then head to Druidia to warn the king.

Dark Helmet and his bumbling second-in-command Colonel Sandurz (George Wyner) manage to infiltrate Druidia and capture Vespa. They demand the combination to the air shield. Lone Starr, Barf, and Dot Matrix sneak into Dark Helmet's ship to rescue her. They use the power of The Schwartz to trick the guards and free the princess. However, Dark Helmet corners them and activates a giant magnet beam that locks onto the Eagle 5.[edit]