High Anxiety (1977)

Dr. Richard Thorndyke arrives as new administrator of the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, VERY Nervous to discover some suspicious goings-on. When he's framed for murder, Dr. ... See full summary »

Director:

Mel Brooks

Writers:

Mel Brooks, Ron Clark,

Stars:

Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Brooks	...	Richard H. Thorndyke
Madeline Kahn	...	Victoria Brisbane
Cloris Leachman	...	Nurse Diesel
Harvey Korman	...	Dr. Charles Montague
Ron Carey	...	Brophy
Howard Morris	...	Professor Lilloman
Dick Van Patten	...	Dr. Wentworth
Jack Riley	...	The Desk Clerk
Charlie Callas	...	Cocker Spaniel
Ron Clark	...	Zachary Cartwright
Rudy De Luca	...	Killer (as Rudy DeLuca)
Barry Levinson	...	Bellboy
Lee Delano	...	Norton
Richard Stahl	...	Dr. Baxter
Darrell Zwerling	...	Dr. Eckhardt

Storyline

Dr. Richard Thorndyke arrives as new administrator of the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, VERY Nervous to discover some suspicious goings-on. When he's framed for murder, Dr. Thorndyke must confront his own psychiatric condition, "high anxiety," in order to clear his name. An homage to the films of Alfred Hitchcock; contains many parodies of famous Hitchcock scenes from THE BIRDS, PSYCHO, and VERTIGO.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | parody | high anxiety | darkroom | acrophobia | 

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Taglines:

The Master of Comedy takes on The Master of Suspense!

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Genres:

Comedy | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 1978 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Alta Ansiedade

Filming Locations:

Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,400,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 5,632,505 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Crossbow Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Thorndike mentions Harpo Marx shortly before his performance of the film's theme. The Marx Brothers were known for having musical interludes in their films.

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Goofs

In the scene at the bar of the hotel, the pianist asks Dr. Thorndyke if "B flat" is an okay key to play the song "High Anxiety" in for him to sing to. The song in the movie during that scene actually begins in the key of "A" and then modulates up 1/2 step to the key of "B flat" for the end of the song.

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Quotes

Victoria Brisbane: My name is Victoria Brisbane, my father is Arthur Brisbane.

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Crazy Credits

Opening dedication: This film is dedicated to the Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock

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Connections

Featured in Reign Over Me (2007)

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Soundtracks

"If You Love Me Baby, Tell Me Loud"
(1977) (uncredited)
Written by Mel Brooks
Courtesy of Fanfare Music Inc.

User Reviews

Groans galore...and what happened to Brooks' style?

At the beginning of "High Anxiety", Mel Brooks arrives at Los Angeles Airport and is lead into the men's restroom by a man who turns out to be a lisping flasher (an excruciating moment). Later in a cocktail lounge, he snaps a microphone cord like a whip and makes Madeline Kahn hyperventilate with passion. Brooks thinks he is so cute, both women AND men want him! It's this kind of egomania that drives "Anxiety" into the ground. The picture might have worked (it's a wacky spoof of Hitchcock moments), but not with this cornball script--nor with Brooks in the lead as a vertigo-prone psychiatrist. He flashes his overbite, mugs like a rubber man, and as the lead writer manages to give himself the final word on everything ("What a dramatic airport!"). The film is offensive visually and verbally--what happened to the style he gave pictures like "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles"? This looks like a failed TV pilot. ** from ****