Mel Brooks was so brazen in its satire that major studios would not touch it, nor would many exhibitors. Brooks finally found an independent distributor who released it as an art film, a specialized attraction. In 1968, Brooks received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film, beating such writers as Stanley Kubrick and John Cassavetes. "The Producers" became a smash underground hit, first on the nationwide college circuit, then in revivals and on home video. Brooks later turned it into a musical, which became hugely successful on Broadway, receiving an unprecedented twelve Tony awards. With the moderate financial success of
Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks at the Cannes Film Festival Fetuchini" (inspired by Federico Fellini), the Nazi inspired "Adolph Hartner", and the British Tippy Skittles K.C.V.B. The "Negro Digest" positively reviewed the album in their September 1963 issue, highlighting the satire on Italian film directors as the "richest ore of humour in this platter". Referencing the character's imaginary film, "Rape", the "Negro Digest" wrote that "Everything is rape with Mr. Fetuchini. He loves it. And so will the listener". Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks at the Cannes Film Festival Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks at the Cannes Film Festival is a live 1963 comedy album by the American comedians Carl