Mel Brooks Curates 20 Favorite Films for 100th Birthday Screenings Across Los Angeles

To mark his 100th birthday, legendary comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks has personally selected 20 of his favorite films for a special screening series presented by the American Cinematheque. The program will run from early September through mid-November at three classic Los Angeles-area theaters: the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, the Egyptian Theatre, and the Los Feliz 3 in Los Angeles. Brooks finalized the list over a few days, describing the process as a reminder of why he fell in love with cinema. The selections span from silent-era classics like Charlie Chaplin's City Lights (1931) to contemporary works such as Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit (2019), offering insight into Brooks's comedic influences and personal history. Notably, the list includes The Miracle Worker (1962), for which his late wife Anne Bancroft won the Academy Award for Best Actress, and only one of his own films, The Twelve Chairs (1970), which he has called one of his proudest works. Brooks's biographer Jeremy Dauber notes that the lineup serves as a 'skeleton key' to his biography, reflecting his roots in the Borscht Belt and his affection for slapstick, parody, and musical comedy. The announcement follows Brooks's May decision to donate his archive to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. The screenings are part of a broader celebration of Brooks's centennial, highlighting his enduring impact on comedy and film.