Chapter 15: High Anxiety – Making a Hitchcock Parody

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

After Silent Movie, Brooks and his writing team decided to make another genre film. Someone suggested Alfred Hitchcock, whom Brooks revered as a genre unto himself. Brooks called Hitchcock, who agreed to meet and gave weekly notes on the script over roast beef lunches. Brooks incorporated Hitchcock’s joke about a hero leaping onto a ferry that is coming in instead of going out, though he never used it. He also comically nudged Hitchcock when the director got stuck in a doorway, to which Hitchcock laughed.

The story was structured as a takeoff of Vertigo with borrowings from Spellbound, Psycho, The Birds, and North by Northwest. Brooks played Dr. Richard H. Thorndyke, the new head of the Institute for the Very Very Nervous. Harvey Korman and Cloris Leachman played the villains Dr. Montague and Nurse Diesel. Madeline Kahn played the love interest Victoria Brisbane, a parody of a Hitchcock blonde. Dick Van Patten played a doomed psychologist, and Howie Morris played Brooks’s mentor. Ron Carey played sidekick Brophy, famous for “I got it! I ain’t got it.” Brooks wrote and sang the title song “High Anxiety” in a Sinatra style.

Key scenes include a parody of Psycho’s shower scene where a bellboy stabs Brooks with a newspaper, a phone booth choke scene with Rudy De Luca, a bird-attack sequence using squirt guns filled with spinach-mayonnaise, and a camera that “crashes” through a glass door. John Morris composed a score referencing Bernard Hermann. At the Christmas 1977 premiere, Hitchcock sat next to Brooks and laughed only during the bird-dropping scene. After the film, Hitchcock left without a word, but later sent six magnums of Château Haut-Brion 1961 with a note praising the film. Brooks recounts how his love of fine wine began with a glass of Nuit-Saint-Georges shared with Gene Wilder.

Key Events

Brooks proposes a Hitchcock homage and his writers agree.
Brooks calls Alfred Hitchcock, who invites him to lunch and offers script advice.
Hitchcock shares a joke about a ferry that Brooks can’t use.
Brooks playfully pushes Hitchcock through a doorway; Hitchcock laughs.
The script is built around Vertigo and other Hitchcock films, ensuring it works as a standalone comedy.
Harvey Korman and Cloris Leachman are cast as villains; Cloris adds a mustache and pointed breastplate.
Dick Van Patten suffers a seizure and calls Brooks instead of an ambulance, seeking “one last laugh.”
Ron Carey’s “I got it! I ain’t got it” gag is filmed.
Brooks sings “High Anxiety” in a piano-bar scene.
The shower scene parodies Psycho using newsprint for blood.
The bird-attack scene uses real pigeons and fake droppings.
Brooks’s camera “character” crashes through a glass door.
The film premieres on Christmas Day 1977; Hitchcock leaves without comment.
Hitchcock later sends fine wine and a congratulatory note.
Brooks reflects on his wine education from Gene Wilder.

Character Development

Mel Brooks: Shows his reverence for Hitchcock, his collaborative style, and his willingness to take risks (e.g., the push joke). He emerges as a devoted craftsman who blends homage with his own comedic voice.
Alfred Hitchcock: Portrayed as generous, witty, and exacting. He mentors Brooks, gives specific feedback (correcting shower-curtain ring count), and ultimately shows approval through a lavish gift.
Cloris Leachman: Demonstrates creative autonomy by adding the mustache and Valkyrie costume, which Brooks accepts.
Madeline Kahn: Contributes the Louis Vuitton jumpsuit and car, and delivers a brilliant “dirty phone call” reaction.
Dick Van Patten: His medical scare reveals his deep trust in Brooks and his gallows humor.
Ron Carey, Barry Levinson, Rudy De Luca: Non-actors who deliver memorable comic performances.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Homage vs. Satire: Brooks insists the film is a send-up that also honors Hitchcock. The dedication to “the Master of Suspense” underlines this balance.
Creative Collaboration: Hitchcock’s weekly meetings and notes illustrate how even a legendary director can be a generous partner.
Trust and Friendship: Van Patten calling Brooks during a health crisis, and Brooks casting old colleagues like Howie Morris, highlight loyalty.
The Camera as Character: Brooks mimics Hitchcock’s signature moving camera but gives it a comedic personality (crashing through glass, getting frustrated by coffee cups).
Transformation: Brooks’s character shifts from a nervous psychiatrist to a confident Sinatra-like singer, echoing the film’s theme of overcoming anxiety.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter reveals Brooks’s creative process when tackling a revered director’s body of work. It shows how he secured Hitchcock’s blessing, built a script that works for both fans and newcomers, and used practical effects and willing collaborators to create lasting comedy. The chapter also humanizes Hitchcock, presenting him as a collaborator with a dry sense of humor. Additionally, the anecdotes about High Anxiety entering the lexicon and Brooks’s wine journey enrich the memoir’s personal texture.

Study Questions and Answers

What did Brooks do to ensure Alfred Hitchcock approved of the film, and how did Hitchcock ultimately show his approval?
Brooks called Hitchcock personally, visited his office weekly for script notes, and dedicated the film to him. Hitchcock initially said nothing at the premiere, but later sent six magnums of Château Haut-Brion 1961 with a note calling the film “a splendid entertainment,” confirming his approval.
How did Brooks adapt Hitchcock’s visual style while adding his own comedic twist?
He replicated Hitchcock’s slow, stealthy camera pushes but gave the camera a personality—for example, having it crash through a glass door and then withdraw “mortified,” or getting blocked by coffee cups and quitting in disgust. This satirized Hitchcock’s technique while still evoking it.
Describe the real-life medical emergency involving Dick Van Patten and explain what it reveals about his relationship with Brooks.
Van Patten thought he was having a stroke and called Brooks instead of a doctor. Brooks yelled at him to go to the emergency room. When asked why he called a comedian, Van Patten said he was “looking for one last laugh on the way out.” This shows the deep trust and friendship between them, as well as Van Patten’s dark comedic nature.