High Anxiety
Directed by Mel Brooks
A psychiatrist with intense acrophobia (fear of heights) goes to work for a mental institution run by doctors who appear to be crazier than their patients, and have secrets that they are willing to commit murder to keep.
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High Anxiety Ratings & Reviews
- NS_95May 30, 2025Classic
- RichardOctober 21, 2025I caught High Anxiety on TV and it felt like Hitchcock had been hijacked by a comedy troupe with a fog machine and a punchline addiction. Mel Brooks wasn’t just spoofing suspense, he was lovingly dismantling it, scene by scene, with a wink and a scream. What struck me most was the tone, it wasn’t mean-spirited. Brooks clearly adored Hitchcock and this was his way of saying thanks: by turning suspense into silliness and fear into farce. On TV, it felt like a secret handshake between film nerds. A late-night transmission from the comedy underground. A neurotic, noir ish spoof that turns Hitchcock’s greatest hits into a vaudeville act. Watching it on TV felt like discovering a hidden reel of cinematic mischief, one that made me laugh, cringe and appreciate just how far Mel Brooks would go for a gag.
- Mister ArnMay 25, 2025I remember watching "High Anxiety" in the 70s and not enjoying it much. After seeing a special on Mel Brooks, I decided to try it again. While I loved his other parody movies, this one still didn't click. The humor fell flat, and Gene Wilder deserves more credit as a lead in the other Brooks films.
High Anxiety Trivia
High Anxiety was released on December 25, 1977.
High Anxiety was directed by Mel Brooks.
High Anxiety has a runtime of 1h 34m.
High Anxiety was produced by Mel Brooks.
A psychiatrist with intense acrophobia (fear of heights) goes to work for a mental institution run by doctors who appear to be crazier than their patients, and have secrets that they are willing to commit murder to keep.
The key characters in High Anxiety are Dr. Richard H. Thorndyke (Mel Brooks), Victoria Brisbane (Madeline Kahn), Nurse Charlotte Diesel (Cloris Leachman).
High Anxiety is rated PG.
High Anxiety is a Comedy, Mystery, Thriller film.
High Anxiety has an audience rating of 6.7 out of 10.
High Anxiety had a budget of $4M.
High Anxiety has made $31.1M at the box office.