Spaceballs: The Book

Book cover

Spaceballs: The Book is a novelization of Spaceballs, by R.L. Stine (under the pen name Jovial Bob Stine). It was published in 1986.

Differences from film

• Some dialogue is different throughout, including the replacement of profanities.
• Dark Helmet does not have a cup of coffee. His visor closes as he laughs and Sandurz helps him open it back up so he can continue to breathe and laugh.
• The book includes a scene in Vespa's bedchamber where she expresses to Dot her unwillingness to marry Valium and wishes she had been born a wealthy peasant so she could marry the man of her dreams.
• Valium is said to be the only prince available for marriage, because Dark Helmet killed all the other ones.
• The book specifies the breed of dog that comprises half of Barf's ancestry: golden retriever.
• When the Eagle 5's phone rings, Lone Starr initially answers, but pretends to be an answering machine and hangs up.
• Pizza the Hutt is established to be half-pizza, half-man.
• Vinnie is used as a printing calculator by Pizza.
• Pizza has hands and is described as eating a slice of pizza.
• The Asshole family is renamed Idiot and the only ones mentioned are the gunner, his cousin, and an uncle.
• Dark Helmet is said to be allergic to raspberries and has an allergic reaction when he tastes the jam.
• When Ludicrous Speed is activated, Dark Helmet's helmet is blown off his head, but suspended by its straps. The straps stretch far enough to reveal his patent-leather hair.
• The Dinks names are given: Rinky, Blinky, Stinky, Pinky, Finky, and Winky.
• Yogurt is stated to be 8542 years "young."
• Yogurt actually walks around on his knees. The statue falls on his foot, smashing it, instead of Barf's.
• Yogurt says the inscription on Lone Starr's medallion is written in Pig Latin.
• Threatening Roland with giving Vespa a nose-job ultimately does not convince him to give up the air shield combination. Instead, an executioner named Karloff enters with branding irons sitting in hot coals. When Helmet prepares to brand Vespa, Roland gives up the combination.
• Mega Maid speaks, saying that it doesn't do windows.
• The Vulcan neck pinch exchange does not occur; Lone Starr simply knocks out the guard with a karate chop.
• The "lightsaber" duel is heavily cut down.
• Dark Helmet does not fall into the self-destruct button when Lone Starr deflects his laser beam. Helmet falls to the floor in pain and Lone Starr runs over to the button to press it.
• Dark Helmet, Skroob, and Sandurz fight over an escape pod, which ends up leaving completely empty after they each entered and got pulled out by the others.
• There is no mention of a self-destruct cancellation button.
• As the Eagle 5 prepares to land on Druidia, Lone Starr eavesdrops on a phone conversation between Vespa and her father, Vespa telling him that she loves Lone Starr and does not want to marry Valium. As Vespa plans to confess her love to Lone Starr and he does not want her to be forced to give up being a princess, he loudly pretends to have a conversation with Barf, telling him that he is not at all in love with her. Hurt, Vespa retreats to the rear of the ship.
• Pizza the Hutt becomes trapped and eats himself to death in his condominium on Vega rather than his limo.
• The Gus's Galaxy Grill scene is completely absent.

External links

• Spaceballs: The Book on Goodreads