Blazing Saddles......great movie? could it be made today?

[SwampG8r]

I just watched the cut version on cable and even that made me laugh out loud.
do you consider it a great film and why?
do you think it could be made today and why?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

1. Watched an interview with Burton Gillian

He was Lyle ("When you boys was slaves, you used to sing like birds&quot and his opinion is that one of the greatest satires on racism probably could not get made today.

Ironic, eh?

[iandhr]

48. Mel Brooks predicted the reaction of Obama's election in this movie.

The people of Rock Ridge are the tea party.

[SwampG8r]

93. more like swing voters

he wins them over by the end

[iandhr]

108. Other swing voters were and are very puzzled by Obama

[B Calm]

2. Funniest western that I ever seen. I probably seen it a dozen times and

it still cracks me up!

I think with all the political correctness police we have today, it would be hard to make it without a lot of BS!

[clarice]

3. I remember having first seen it many...

years ago, that I was uncomfortable with some of the language and racial
overtones. Having re-watched it recently, I realize that Mel Brooks is known for
skewing uncomfortable subjects with humor and satire. (See The Producers)
Still not all that comfortable with it but I understand Brook's tactics.

No I do not think it could be made today

[Bluenorthwest]

55. Mel Brooks:

"Rhetoric does not get you anywhere, because Hitler and Mussolini are just as good at rhetoric. But if you can bring these people down with comedy, they stand no chance."

[clarice]

58. Bingo. nt

[truebrit71]

4. One of the funniest movies of all time...

...Could it be made today? Maybe not, but 'A Million Ways to Die in the West' tried really hard...

[SwampG8r]

6. i saw that i found it terrible except for sarah silverman nt

[truebrit71]

10. I thought it was hysterical...

...the only problem was that I missed half of the dialogue because I was laughing so much...

[SwampG8r]

12. it may be me

I find macfarland very predictable so its hard for him to get a laugh from me

[CBGLuthier]

5. With a black director and a black writer, maybe. That takes care of that word

and the bathroom humor is mild by today's standards. Of course that still leaves the rape joke and the gay jokes to deal with. I assume no one cares about the Irish.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. I watched a broadcast version once...

where they edited the "campfire scene." They kept the visual, but just blanked out the audio so you didn't hear the sound effects. It just looked like a bunch of guys sitting around eating and occasionally leaning to one side a little.

[Eleanors38]

53. Yeah, windage really bugs censors for some reason.

Not sure of the reason, maybe it was sound editing where various rankensteins and rumble stiltskins were overlaid with belches and burps; too much cognitive dissonance.

[CBGLuthier]

69. Uhhm, no shit. Yeah i know he was one of many writers

Did you know he wrote the line about Mongo being merely a pawn and not very much of the "black" stuff. Andrew Bergman wrote the original script. Andrew Bergman is also credited as the creator of Black Bart the awful spinoff series.

So yes, technically there was one black writer out of the five or so guys who worked on the script that was initially written by Bergman.

[NM_Birder]

70. define your comment "not very much of the black stuff". How much of the "black stuff" did he write ?

If you ever heard Richard Pryor's comedy, you would know that Pryor was full of "black stuff" comedy.
There is nothing racist about Blazing Saddles, it's making fun of the idiocy of racism, watch it again. I think you googled too much and missed the whole point of the comedy.

[Historic NY]

7. Didn't have any killing in it.....

so it would work today.

[SwampG8r]

92. no killings?

he hangs a man in a wheelchair too

[Historic NY]

95. I mean shootings..

executions they were public spectacles....people made a day of attending.You can bet if the media could get into the execution chamber today it would have the highest tv ratings.

[unblock]

9. so interesting to see how movies have evolved over the years.

i remember loving "butch cassidy and the sundance kid" several times in the 70's, then i saw it maybe 5 years ago and my reaction was completely different.

the long, nearly silent scenes that seemed so tense and suspenseful back in the 70's now seemed boring and overly long and drawn out.

hitchcock movies wouldn't get released today for the same reason. modern audiences need action and constant emotionally manipulative soundtracks.

most movies back then didn't even have full soundtracks. just a collection of songs or maybe even just one sone (raindrops keep falling on my head, or mrs. robinson). the full orchestral score that was closely tied to the final move cut, with well-timed emotional manipulation was a trademark of spielberg and has become almost mandatory. movies without it seem to lack punch.

[KittyWampus]

16. I think they'd be released but in art house movie theaters like The Angelica in NYC.

[JaneyVee]

30. Angelika is my favorite movie theater in NY.

Love it. The concession stand serves iced coffee, pastries, and black and white cookies. Frozen yogurt as well. Was just there last week saw 'obvious child'. I never saw blazing saddles but now I want to.

[Armstead]

17. Its an interesting process how that happens

We tend to accept the contemporary style of the time as normal. Then something comes along and hs a huge Wow Factor, because of special effects, or something related to subject matter -- like spectacular visuals, music and otehr elements.

Initially it's perceived as amazing and unique. Then it starts getting copied, and pretty soon it becomes the standard. Then it's old hat and ho hum until some new amazing things comes along to take it up anotehr notch.

Meanwhile, things made before the Amazing Thing seem dated and old fashioned.

Like the 70's TV shows. Kojack was once considered innovative because it was so edgy and gritty. Now in reruns it's quaint and slow.

But the things that are eally good still do stand the test of time.

[kentauros]

99. There is one detail I so wish was copied, yet never caught on:

No. Sound. In. Space.

2001: A Space Odyssey showed this, and in one particularly horrifying way. The scene of Frank Poole vainly trying to get his airhose back into this suit was in complete, "deadening" silence. It had a huge impact on the viewer (if they were at all involved in the story at that point; as we know, some people just don't have the attention span for evenly-paced stories.) It's certainly stayed with me for all these decades...

[valerief]

20. Movies today are so freakin' noisy. Thwash! Boom! Whoosh! Splot! Damn, it's unnerving. nt

[unblock]

26. i know! i saw the lego movie with mini-unblock. he *loved* it but i was in sensory overload, lol!

add to that the visuals, which were so incredibly fast, i was thinking, what's the point, it's all just a blur!

i know, call me an old fart....

[valerief]

31. I'm an old fart, too. I find most special/sound effects soooooo boring. Same with war/fight scenes.

And lengthy 'landscape' shots.

That said, the Grand Budapest Hotel was total eye-candy for me but might be a bore for someone else.

I guess we failed to damage our hearing from loud rock music so that we could appreciate noisy movies. Ha!

[A Simple Game]

85. Yes, don't they know what the words "background music" mean?

Often the music is so loud I can't hear the dialog.

It may just be me because most of my hearing loss is in the human voice range.

[Eleanors38]

67. Stewart & Belgeddes in their first Vertigo scene: obsolete.

Who would put up with several minutes of seemingly casual dialogue?

I sat next to a fellow during a Vertigo revival in the 1990s, who declared the swirling geometric forms in the opening titles as later add-ons. "They couldn't do computer graphics back then."

Those Whitney-Bass graphics WERE computer-generated in 1957, using war surplus anti-aircraft guidance systems hooked to a camera and a jig which could move in any direction at the command of the computer. And Hermann's score was recorded in stereo.

And how could anyone put up with Novak!

[stage left]

78. Vertigo is my all time favorite movie.

Probably 50% of the reason is the wonderful Hermann score.

[Eleanors38]

90. Perfect nightmare music. So many harps and glockenspiels.

[4Q2u2]

11. Mel Brooks

Was on Tavis Smiley and stated that he would not be able to make this movie today. Mr. Brooks made mention on how uncomfortable he was at the racial slur and would ask Richard Pryor about using it in the scenes and Mr. Pryor would say "you must " use it here. Mr. Brooks also told of the studio not wanting Richard Pryor on the movie and he said no Pryor, No Me.


As a footnote, I did not know. He made this and Young Frankenstein in the same year. He had a good year.

[A HERETIC I AM]

15. That's the answer.

"Could Blazing Saddles be made today?"

No, because Richard Pryor is dead.

[4Q2u2]

22. Quite Valid

An execellent point. Maybe Chris Rock or Katt Williams?

[A HERETIC I AM]

24. Chris Rock, maybe. Katt Williams is an.....

ignorant, bigoted nitwit hack.

I thought some of his stuff was funny. Then I heard what he had to say about Atheists and Creationism.

Williams is a moron. I wouldn't let him within 20 miles of a movie set, much less a writers meeting.

Perhaps you and I saw the same interview with Brooks. He credited a lot of the success of Blazing Saddles to Pryor. If I recall, he said Pryor was fearless. Chris Rock might be, same as Dave Chapelle.

[4Q2u2]

28. Pryor was the key

Mel Brooks was smart enough to recognize that he had talent and guts. Pryor is one of the all time greatest.
Chapelle I would say yes to, but would he?

I do not agree with all comedians all the time, but I do find myself laughing more with the ones I have more in common. His Creationist views are laughable in one aspect. It would be at him and not with him.

I am not a big Martin Lawrence fan but he had me in stiches one time at a live perfomance asking the white guys int he front row how it felt to have their rights protected.

[NM_Birder]

72. too bad Bernie Mac is gone, he could do anything comedy.

Lilly Von Schtuup .......... she's tired

[4Q2u2]

73. Yes

Just the other night I was saying that to my son after watching part of the "Last Comic Standing"

You just had to whip that out.

[NM_Birder]

74. had to loosen my bullets, 15 schitzengruben is my limit baby

[zonkers]

103. Bernie Mac was a monster monster talent. I loved him in Bad Santa. He seemed like such a beautiful

person.

[mr blur]

25. Well, Richard Pryor wasn't actually in Blazing Saddles, so....

why not?

[Blanks]

29. They must mean Cleavon Little...

If Richard Pryor was in it - I don't remember seeing him.

[IronLionZion]

34. He was a writer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blazing_Saddles

[Blanks]

40. Yes, I see that. He wasn't the main character though...

Which a lot of the conversation above seemed to imply.

[A HERETIC I AM]

81. I didn't mean to imply it in the least.

For those really familiar with the film and the interviews Brooks has given in the past regarding "Blazing Saddles", it was clear that Richard Pryor was a key part of the writing team. I am well aware he wasn't in the movie, but virtually every word spoken by Clevon Little came out of Pryor's brain.

[Blanks]

84. My mistake. eom

[csziggy]

33. Reading this sub-thread, I thought I was having a senior moment

Or that I had fallen into an alternate reality!

Thanks for bringing back sanity.

[Hekate]

50. You and me both. Cleavon Little was the star, and he was terrific.

I would have loved seeing him have a long career, and was so sorry his life was cut short. Still, what a great role for the right man, and that he was.

[csziggy]

52. Richard Pryor was one of the writers - maybe that's the confusion

[A HERETIC I AM]

83. I apologize for not being more clear, but I thought it was common knowledge that...

Richard Pryor was one of the writers. If what I wrote above looked like I was suggesting he starred in the film, I'm sorry.\

I'm well aware it was Clevon Little, who played the part exceedingly well.

[reddread]

97. only because Pryor was unavailable

was he in jail? I forget. Unreliable to the point the backers would not allow it I think,
very interesting special/documentary on Pryor a few months back, covered it well.

[LunaSea]

36. Pryor was originally slated to star in BS

Production company considered him dangerous and possibly unreliable.
He was one of the prime writers.

I saw it as a teen in it's original theatrical release in the Paramount theater in Montgomery Alabama along with a racially mixed crowd,
and we laughed our asses off.
One of the best times I've ever had at a movie.

FORGET the edited versions, they are not worth the time.
Get the DVD, and enjoy Mel Brooks commentary about making that extraordinary film

[A HERETIC I AM]

82. Have you seen the outtakes of the "Candygram for Mongo" scene?

I've only seen it once, so perhaps it is in the directors cut, but they filmed several other scenarios where Bart tries to get Mongo, all of them hilarious. The Candygram scene is the only one most people have ever seen.

[nomorenomore08]

106. Pryor as the star sounds awesome. But would he play the part as well as Little did?

Just one of those unanswerable "what-ifs."

[Hekate]

110. I always thought Pryor was harder-edged as a comedian. Cleavon Little was smooooth.

It's a whole different style, and I got rather a crush on Sheriff Bart with his Gucci Saddlebags.

[nomorenomore08]

111. He did make it an iconic role, for sure.

And Pryor's personality likely would have made for a quite different movie.

[Bluenorthwest]

56. Maybe because Paul Mooney is alive

nt

[A HERETIC I AM]

80. Of the modern comedians, I would have to agree with you. Mooney definitely tells it like it is and

like Pryor, is fearless.

[Initech]

13. "Lepetomaine Thruway? Now what will that asshole think of next?"

"Does anyone have a dime? Somebody needs to go back and get us a shitload of dimes!"

[Blanks]

45. That's hilarious...

They could just ride around the damn thing, but the criminal bad guys stop at the toll booth.

[Aristus]

14. If they made it today, it would include all of the scatological humor,

and none of the social commentary.

The 70's were a different time...

[MoonchildCA]

54. True

They couldn't make All in the Family today either.

[valerief]

18. Love that movie. It was a trailblazer back when it was first released.

Racism was thrown back into America's face. We non-racist non-blacks and many blacks loved sharing that together. The film exposed the absurdity of racism.

"I get no kick from champagne..."

[sofa king]

19. I think it could be re-made, disastrously.

Mel Brooks has made a number of gems that shouldn't be re-done, simply because they wouldn't be as shockingly new as Brooks' original work. Blazing Saddles depends upon being something never done before--or again.

That's one of the basic elements of humor: surprise. Brooks is a master of it, daring to take his humor along the very edge of public acceptability at the time, knowing that if he could keep 'em laughing, he could take them farther than they would otherwise be willing to go, and think harder about things than they would otherwise be willing to think.

Brooks seems aware that surprise jokes can only be outdone by bigger and riskier surprises, until the film blows a hole in its own reality and explodes onto the set. Do that twice, and the audience will both expect it and be disappointed that it wasn't more surprising (that's why so many re-makes deliberately put a twist on the ending--see the newer Planet of the Apes films, for example, which really ought to be considered comedies, intentional or not).

I think it's one of the greatest films ever made; if I had to take a fistful of DVDs to a desert island, it would be one of them.

Could it be done today? Sure, if Brooks hadn't already done it. It would be easy to channel the themes of that film and make a different one that exploited today's hot-button issues, some of which overlap, as is painfully obvious by observing our right-wing's shameful tenor of vitriol. But it would be nearly impossible to match the brilliant precision, timing, and execution of Brooks' original. Not even Mel Brooks could do that twice.

[Brisk]

21. Not a chance...

[rustydog]

23. You answered your own question: you watched the "cut" version

There is no way the movie could be made today. America has become overly sensitive (selectively of course).

[deutsey]

27. It's one of my all-time favorites movies

I think it's hilarious and brilliant.

Could it be made today? I don't think so. The mid-'70s, after the civil rights, anti-war, and feminist movements (not to mention the implosion of the Nixon administration) were a much different time than today. Plus, Richard Pryor (who co-wrote the movie) and comics like George Carlin had done much to influence satire and humor at the time that just doesn't translate well in today's literal mindedness and short attention span.

[PowerToThePeople]

32. I actually don't think it is funny.

[reddread]

43. certainly not compared to Young Frankenstein

Saddles is just lowbrow hijinks.
Wilder made the real classic afterwards, and Brooks got the credit.
None of Brooks' films were half as good as that one.

[PowerToThePeople]

44. Yup, YF was great and HoTW was pretty good imo. n/t

[SwampG8r]

94. well

wilder I think agrees

[TeamPooka]

37. It's one of the greatest comedies ever made but it would not get produced today.

[Blanks]

38. It could be made today...

I hope nobody does (remake it) because that's just lazy.

They'd probably have to modify some of the dialog, but the subject matter would be ok. Essentially it's a story about a governor appointing a sherif that he hopes the people of the community will kill. After HIS bad guys had killed all of the previous sheriffs.

There are some racist statements that would have to be rephrased in order to get past today's audiences, but any movie remade today has to be upgraded due to dated comments. The main reason things would have to be re-worked is because it (blazing saddles) has already used all of the gimmicks that are in it. They were kind of funny at the time, but that's because they were unexpected.

[reddread]

39. no

because I SERIOUSLY doubt Gene Wilder would work with Brooks these days.
and without them, whatever would be the point?

[Hekate]

41. Funniest. Western. Ever. Absolute genius.

That's all.

[malaise]

107. I love Blazing Saddles

We have our own copy

[Hekate]

109. I have it as part of a Mel Brooks boxed set from Costco

Yay Costco -- it's because of them I have the film library I do. The Mel Brooks set was a Christmas present for my husband, but I would have gotten it for Blazing Saddles alone.

The idea of a remake is just silly though, imo. It would be like trying to do a remake of Casablanca, another film classic firmly embedded in a particular time and mindset and closely identified with the actors in it.

[iandhr]

42. No way.

It is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Blazing Saddles is not the only Brook's film that couldn't be made today.

There are many moments in his movies that would offend people for not being politically correct.


Here are a few

Springtime for Hitler,

The last supper

It's good to be the King

[MannyGoldstein]

47. I was going to post "Sprintgime for Hitler", but you beat me.

Perfect example of what couldn't be done today.

[Bluenorthwest]

63. Here is Springtime For Hitler from the 2005 film The Producers. So it was done in 2005 but not now?

[MannyGoldstein]

68. I believe that it was do-able in 2005 because it was a legacy

It had already been done and was part of the popular culture.

Sort of like religion: most people don't think particularly bad things about people who are religious and worship some prophet. But those same people would never consider following, in a religious way, a contemporary who claimed they spoke with God etc.

[MannyGoldstein]

76. You win.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5183834

[Bluenorthwest]

59. The Producers, featuring Springtime For Hitler, was a hugely successful Broadway and touring

musical which opened in 2001. The FILM version was made in 2005. So that puts to rest this notion that it could not be made today. It made bank in the stix, in the burbs, in the cities.

[iandhr]

62. Fair point

[CreekDog]

64. And the Chappelle Show shows that you can do this type of humor and be successful

the show was successful with the critics, with ratings and financially, to the extent that I think Comedy Central's contractual offer to Chappelle to keep making it was higher than any they'd made at that time.

you can make fun of stereotypes, which is what Blazing Saddles did.

it's not politically incorrect to make fun of racial and other stereotypes.

[Bluenorthwest]

66. It sort of counters the 'couldn't do it today' argument.

Thanks for saying so.

[fifthoffive]

77. Original movie

The original movie "The Producers" was made in 1967 starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder and written/produced by Mel Brooks. Brooks created the Broadway musical from that original work.

Could "Blazing Saddles" be remade today? Sure, but it would need to be true to the original, as 2001/2005 versions of "The Producers" was.

I've never seen the point of the new version of "The Producers" except as a money-maker for Brooks. There was no added value for the audience over the original. I would feel the same about a remake of "Blazing Saddles."

[Johonny]

86. There are huge differences in the versions though

Zero Mostel is simply totally greedy, absolutely unlikable, and few films today or ever are comfortable making movies with this type of character. The remake takes a lot of the edge off the; Jewish backing of a Nazi musical, gay, sexism and simple pure greed material that is in the original. The remake and musical was/is vastly more popular than the original because of it. The original didn't play in the burbs. It is a vastly better product. The remake is really dull in comparison. Even Brooks when he remade it changed the material because he understood not all the material could work for a broader audience. I just doesn't have the edge the older film had.

[Duppers]

46. loved it!

Great social commentary. Funny as hell.

[edbermac]

49. Sure, it ridicules racism.

Even Obama liked Blazing Saddles!

[Stuart G]

89. No, it could not be made today..

Some language not acceptable. But Lilly Von Shtoop.. was wonderful, remember Lilly?
Madeline Kahn

and what is his name, Alex Karres, punching out a horse?...you got to be kidding..

Gene Wilder was great, as was Cleavon Little.

[MannyGoldstein]

51. One of the best movies ever, could not be made today.

The Fun Police would go insane.

EDIT: I was wrong... http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5183834

[closeupready]

57. One of the greatest comedies ever, could not be made today.

Racial issues and humor create more controversy today than they did back then. To be fair, that's an improvement in the racial atmosphere, so I also think that it is a film that should NOT be made today. And no I am not implying I favor censorship.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

60. Yeah, it's called Django Unchained. nt

[MannyGoldstein]

75. Good point. nt

[SwampG8r]

96. i liked your answer so much

I found this for you

[CreekDog]

61. Yes it could, provided Richard Pryor got the writing credit

the Chappelle Show was a big success 10 years ago, doing similar stuff.

it could be done now.

[zappaman]

71. GREAT film!

And no, it could not be made today.
Sad.

[stage left]

79. Blazing Saddles is one of a kind.

It makes racists look as stupid as they are and it starred Gene Wilder as well as the wonderful Cleavon Little. And Madeline Kahn. My god, she was so funny!

And no, it couldn't be made now.

[deutsey]

87. It's twue...It's twue, it's twue!

[stage left]

91. LOL!

Now I'm going to have to watch it again.

[BrotherIvan]

88. It could not be made today because the modern studio system doesn't know how to

It would never have gotten past the first reader. Or some assistant's dog walker thought it was boring. Then if it did get to the development stage, it would have been watered down by notes from 5000 execs and 10,000 lawyers.

Ever wonder why studoos don't make good movies anymore? Because the system quite literally cannot produce anything of quality. That's why you had great writers flocking to places like HBO in its heyday. Creativity and Hollywood no longer mix. If it won't fit on a poster and it doesn't appeal to 12 year old boys, it doesn't get made. Also see the music industry.

Great foreign films are being made in places like Denmark, France and Korea. But sadly, since the studios gutted the indie film world, not here.

[Ron Obvious]

98. 'scuse me while I whip this out.

[Brigid]

100. What, a thread about "Blazing Saddles" and nobody posted this?

For shame!

[PeteSelman]

101. Top 3 comedy of all time.

It's one of those movies that never gets old or stops being funny.

No, it could never be made today.

[Botany]

102. Harvey Korman was the greatest actor in the finest movie ever made as Hedley Lamarr

[jmowreader]

104. Let's rephrase your question

Could a movie that attacked the same issues as Blazing Saddles in the way Blazing Saddles did be made today? The answer is "not just no, but hell no." People have gotten ultra-PC about their entertainment.

Example follows: This is what passes for humor today:

Contrast that with Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Sam Kinison or Lenny Bruce, any of whom would cause heart attacks today.

[nomorenomore08]

105. No, especially since openly talking about race in general has become more taboo (to our detriment).

People can be as bigoted as they want provided they don't cross some imaginary line, while anyone who objects to what they say is accused of "playing the race card" or, if they're white, of being "self-loathing" (the new "ni**er lover," in essence).