Robin Hood In Men In Tights
is a quintessential parody that skewers the legend of Robin Hood, specifically targeting the then-recent blockbuster Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves . Starring Cary Elwes as the dashing Robin of Loxley
The film’s most famous jab is a direct response to Kevin Costner’s portrayal in the 1991 film; Cary Elwes, as Robin, famously declares, "Because, unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent". Iconic Characters and Casting
A Mel Brooks film lives or dies by its cast. Here, the casting director deserves a medal.
What separates Robin Hood: Men in Tights from modern spoofs like Scary Movie or Epic Movie is Brooks’ dedication to the craft of visual comedy. The humor is not merely referencing other movies; it creates its own internal logic of absurdity. robin hood in men in tights
The film operates on multiple levels of parody. It targets the 1938 Errol Flynn classic The Adventures of Robin Hood (even filming at the same location, Burnham Beeches in England) and the Disney animated version, but it saves its sharpest barbs for the 1991 iteration. When Cary Elwes, playing Robin, turns to the camera and remarks, "Unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent," it was a direct slap at Costner that delighted audiences and critics alike.
When you hear the phrase , a very specific image likely springs to mind: Dave Chappelle as Achoo, a rhyming Blinkin, a chastity belt with a lost key, and of course, Mel Brooks himself narrating a tale of “tights” that are “very, very tight.”
Maid Marian wears a chastity belt to protect her virtue. The Sheriff steals the key. Robin must pick the lock. The gag runs for nearly three minutes—using a feather, a tuning fork, and eventually a bolt-cutter—while Marian reads a book. It is absurd, juvenile, and a perfect example of Brooks extending a single visual joke until it transcends comedy into art. is a quintessential parody that skewers the legend
The result? Brooks pivoted hard into parodying Prince of Thieves . He even named the “Prince of Thieves” joke explicitly. The irony is that today, more people under 40 have probably seen Men in Tights than either the 1991 version or the Disney cartoon. It has become the definitive version for Gen X and Millennials.
So the next time you find yourself worrying about historical accuracy or dramatic weight in a swashbuckler—just remember the words of the blind servant Blinkin: [He walks into a wall.] “I can’t see. My eyes are not working.”
In the pantheon of cinematic spoofs, few titles evoke as immediate a visual gag as Robin Hood: Men in Tights . The 1993 film, directed by the legendary Mel Brooks, arrived at a peculiar crossroads in Hollywood history. It was an era dominated by big-budget, serious action epics like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves , and Brooks—ever the satirist—smelled blood in the water. Here, the casting director deserves a medal
It’s a lighthearted, affectionate spoof that works best for viewers familiar with traditional Robin Hood tropes.
The story follows Robin Hood (Cary Elwes) returning from the Crusades to find his home in Nottingham has been stolen, and the evil Prince John (Richard Lewis) has taxed the people into poverty. With help from his band of "merry men" (including a blind, elderly servant and a sarcastic Asneeze—a play on "Achoo"), Robin aims to win the archery contest, expose the Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees), and win the heart of Maid Marian (Amy Yasbeck).
