Blazing SaddlesIt's said that professional racecar drivers will speed into a dangerous curve to keep their momentum in a dangerous situation. In other words, sometimes you just have to floor it to succeed. I imagine that filmmaker Mel Brooks must have felt this way when releasing his raunchy and racially provocative comedy, Blazing Saddles, in 1974. Even fifty years later, the film stands as a defiantly unvarnished satire of racist attitudes, set against the backdrop of (at that time, at least) a genre largely designed with white audiences in mind: the western. So grab your ten-gallon hat, put aside your delicate sensitivities, and whip out a comedy that knows when it matters to throw tact and decorum to the (broken) wind.
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Mel Brooks and Blazing Saddles are often lumped together, as it was arguably his first super-hit, propelling him into the cultural zeitgeist as a cinematic jester and comedic genius. What's interesting to note is that the idea for Blazing Saddles wasn't his...not originally, at least. The idea of juxtaposing a black sheriff in the Wild West for comedic effect (as well as to cast a light on racial prejudices) came from co-writer Andrew Bergman. Fast forward to the writing process (including Brooks, Bergman, as well as fellow comedian, Richard Pryor), and the idea coalesced into Blazing Saddles (nonsensical title and all). For those raised on Mel Brooks comedies--as I was--you may be surprised at just how raunchy and outwardly offensive Blazing Saddles aims to be. Even in 1974, this was a point of contention, and resulted in a lot of backlash for the film and its creators. (I would argue that most of this came from people who lacked a sense of humor.) The big difference between a movie like Blazing Saddles and other movies peppered with racial epithets and crass innuendo comes from (what I believe is) "good faith". To elaborate, a creator makes a work that addresses provocative content. Given that being offended by said content is inherently subjective, the only way to gauge the value of that provocative content comes from the intent of the creator. And while the only true source of this information comes from the creator themselves, people are generally able to tell whether the spirit of said provocative content was intended to uplift or harm. In the case of Blazing Saddles, I believe that it should be obvious that despite the language, the film is meant to invite laughter first (and maybe a little discussion second).
The legacy of Mel Brooks has been a long part of movie history, and Blazing Saddles is a watershed moment in it. Before this, his The Producers enjoyed a measure of success that was renewed with a Broadway production decades later. Although Cleavon Little, who plays the protagonist (named Bart) would not return for another Brooks picture, his co-star Gene Wilder most definitely would. It's hard to think of a successful Mel Brooks movie in the early days that didn't include Wilder's comedy genius (there are exceptions); Wilder plays Bart's first prisoner turned Doc Holliday-esque wingman, Jim (a.k.a. "The Waco Kid"). The buddy dynamic is commonplace in Brooks' movies, from the aforementioned The Producers to Robin Hood: Men in Tights (where Dave Chappelle is definitely channeling Cleavon Little). This adds limitless opportunities for comedy dialogue, while reinforcing a sense of camaraderie between our heroes. Jim's companionship alongside Bart is crucial to understanding Bart's success as the new sheriff. Sure, Bart could come in and save the town of Rock Ridge--he does on multiple occasions--but Jim represents the sole white man who doesn't judge him based on the color of his skin, giving him (and us) hope that change is possible. While it's certainly for the sake of the film's message, it is nevertheless alarming how virtually every other white person in the movie is a rampant racist. But the key difference here is that Jim eloquently observes how the townsfolk of Rock Ridge are forgivable for this, explaining that they are "common farmers...y'know...morons". Jim emphasizes that it's their ignorance which is Bart's greatest hurdle if he is to make a meaningful difference. It's delightful that the original plan to appoint him to be the sheriff backfires so stupendously on the comically-named attorney general, Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman), after "saving" him from the hangman's noose. (Keep an "eye" out for the hangman, Boris, who reappears in Robin Hood: Men in Tights in a self-referential nod.) Hedy ("that's Hedley") counted on the town lynching Bart outright, an act that would have justified him snatching the land away from them for his railroad project. The story is standard western fare, but deliberately warped for comedic effect, even shamelessly ripping off Bugs Bunny in one scene. Watching Blazing Saddles today, after having the benefit of seeing Brooks' later (and yes, better) films is to see a film so delightfully and rampantly bold and full of gusto that it overcomes its technical limitations with its unbridled energy. A good representation of this comes by way of one of Hedley's ill-fated attempts to undermine Bart via a Marlene Dietrich-inspired performer named Lili Von Shtupp (Madeline Khan), who aims to seduce Bart only to end up being the seduced instead. There is a musical number she performs that goes overlong for a movie with an already brief runtime. Nevertheless, the scene is followed with a comical (if predictable) seduction farce, unashamed to toy with ribald humor and double entendre to deliver the laughs. All in all, Blazing Saddles remains a perennial favorite satire, and time has been kind to it--if not for the sake of its quality, then for its legacy.
Recommended for: Fans of an uproarious (if blatantly raunchy and gleefully lowbrow) comedy spoof, that pulls off the difficult task of challenging its audience by openly depicting bigotry yet still keeping us entertained consistently. Just be aware that the nigh-constant racial slurs are (and were) intended to be used not to alienate the audience but to underscore the ignorance of those who would use such language.
The legacy of Mel Brooks has been a long part of movie history, and Blazing Saddles is a watershed moment in it. Before this, his The Producers enjoyed a measure of success that was renewed with a Broadway production decades later. Although Cleavon Little, who plays the protagonist (named Bart) would not return for another Brooks picture, his co-star Gene Wilder most definitely would. It's hard to think of a successful Mel Brooks movie in the early days that didn't include Wilder's comedy genius (there are exceptions); Wilder plays Bart's first prisoner turned Doc Holliday-esque wingman, Jim (a.k.a. "The Waco Kid"). The buddy dynamic is commonplace in Brooks' movies, from the aforementioned The Producers to Robin Hood: Men in Tights (where Dave Chappelle is definitely channeling Cleavon Little). This adds limitless opportunities for comedy dialogue, while reinforcing a sense of camaraderie between our heroes. Jim's companionship alongside Bart is crucial to understanding Bart's success as the new sheriff. Sure, Bart could come in and save the town of Rock Ridge--he does on multiple occasions--but Jim represents the sole white man who doesn't judge him based on the color of his skin, giving him (and us) hope that change is possible. While it's certainly for the sake of the film's message, it is nevertheless alarming how virtually every other white person in the movie is a rampant racist. But the key difference here is that Jim eloquently observes how the townsfolk of Rock Ridge are forgivable for this, explaining that they are "common farmers...y'know...morons". Jim emphasizes that it's their ignorance which is Bart's greatest hurdle if he is to make a meaningful difference. It's delightful that the original plan to appoint him to be the sheriff backfires so stupendously on the comically-named attorney general, Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman), after "saving" him from the hangman's noose. (Keep an "eye" out for the hangman, Boris, who reappears in Robin Hood: Men in Tights in a self-referential nod.) Hedy ("that's Hedley") counted on the town lynching Bart outright, an act that would have justified him snatching the land away from them for his railroad project. The story is standard western fare, but deliberately warped for comedic effect, even shamelessly ripping off Bugs Bunny in one scene. Watching Blazing Saddles today, after having the benefit of seeing Brooks' later (and yes, better) films is to see a film so delightfully and rampantly bold and full of gusto that it overcomes its technical limitations with its unbridled energy. A good representation of this comes by way of one of Hedley's ill-fated attempts to undermine Bart via a Marlene Dietrich-inspired performer named Lili Von Shtupp (Madeline Khan), who aims to seduce Bart only to end up being the seduced instead. There is a musical number she performs that goes overlong for a movie with an already brief runtime. Nevertheless, the scene is followed with a comical (if predictable) seduction farce, unashamed to toy with ribald humor and double entendre to deliver the laughs. All in all, Blazing Saddles remains a perennial favorite satire, and time has been kind to it--if not for the sake of its quality, then for its legacy.
Recommended for: Fans of an uproarious (if blatantly raunchy and gleefully lowbrow) comedy spoof, that pulls off the difficult task of challenging its audience by openly depicting bigotry yet still keeping us entertained consistently. Just be aware that the nigh-constant racial slurs are (and were) intended to be used not to alienate the audience but to underscore the ignorance of those who would use such language.