Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)

Mel Brooks's final directorial effort will undoubtedly draw comparisons to the spoof classic Young Frankenstein, but this is a very different beast. Ravaged upon release, I can't help but look back kindly on it for all the raw talent and silliness it contains. If you compare it to Brooks's earlier work, it's lacking, but it's very funny on its own merits, and Leslie Nielsen remains in impeccable form. It has an old fashioned appeal that harkens back to the golden age.

3 csárdás out of 5

The Silence of the Hams (1994)

AKA: Il silenzio dei prosciutti

This spoof on psychological thrillers (most notably The Silence of the Lambs and Psycho) is helmed by Italian comedian Ezio Greggio, who portrays rookie detective Jo Dee Fostar, while the main highlight is Dom DeLuise as convicted murderer Dr. Animal Cannibal Pizza. Like many lesser parody films, it employs the "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" approach, which can be fun in small doses, but it's not one of the more memorable spoofs of the '90s.

2 iggy-boos out of 5