“High Anxiety” is a parody of the works of Alfred Hitchcock (“Rear Window”, “Psycho”) by director/actor Mel Brooks (“Life Stinks”, “Spaceballs”). It’s funny but it doesn’t seem to be aware of the fact that Hitchcock’s films seem to have a sense of humour.

In “High Anxiety”, a great psychiatrist named Richard Throndyke (Brooks) is off to become the new head doctor at a mental hospital for the ‘very, very nervous’. Unfortunately for him, something sinister is going on and there’s a plot to get him out as his enemies intend to use his fear of heights against him. You’ll notice references to “The Birds”, “Psycho”, “Vertigo” and several others.

Mel Brooks is funny here and the guy knows how to use himself. My favourite character is annoyingly fast-talking driver named Brophy played by Ron Carey, who has collaborated with Brooks on numerous occasions. I also like the guy with half a moustache (Lee Delano “Splash”). The thing is the characters in Hitchcock’s films tend to also be funny in a bizarre way so it’s surprisingly hard material to mock. Another great asset is the agitated bellboy, who helps recreate the famous shower scene in an amusing but somehow forced gag.

Mel Brooks has done funny movies before (“Spaceballs” is a good example) but none of them have really wowed me; “High Anxiety” doesn’t wow me either but it’s still worth watching. What I would have liked to have seen is more Hitchcock-like techniques being incorporated such as music, lighting and camera angles but what Brooks has done works. I like the joke involving the killer radio a lot and there’s a ton of others that made me smile so it’s a good comedy, it just isn’t the ideal Hitchcock spoof. “High Anxiety” earns its rating but it also doesn’t deserve anything higher.