7tavern: Blazing Saddles

Blazing Saddles

Sound (3)
3.8
Plot (3)
3.7
Cast (3)
3.4
Special Effects (2)
2.7
Length & Pace (3)
3.7
Cinematography (3)
3.7

Directors: Mel Brooks,

Writers: Mel Brooks (screenplay) &,Norman Steinberg (screenplay) ...,

Release:  February 1974 (USA)

Tagline: Never give a saga an even break!

Plot: To ruin a western town, a corrupt political boss appoints a black sheriff, who promptly becomes his most formidable adversary.

Cast: Cleavon Little - Bart,   Gene Wilder - Jim,   Slim Pickens - Taggart,   Harvey Korman - Hedley Lamarr,   Madeline Kahn - Lili Von Shtupp,   Mel Brooks - Governor William J. Lepetomane / Indian Chief,   Burton Gilliam - Lyle,   Alex Karras - Mongo,   David Huddleston - Olson Johnson,   Liam Dunn - Rev. Johnson,   John Hillerman - Howard Johnson,   George Furth - Van Johnson,   Jack Starrett - Gabby Johnson (as Claude Ennis Starrett Jr.),   Carol Arthur - Harriett Johnson,   Richard Collier - Dr. Sam Johnson

Runtime: 93 min

Country: USA

Language: English

Company: Crossbow Productions

Links: IMDb Profile

Categories: Comedy, Western

Main

Trailer

Squish
Reviews: 740
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

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2.5

Blazing Saddles (1974)

I think it got it's name from the number of times I got up to turn it off.

Genre: Comedy Western

Starring: Cleavon Little (Vanishing Point • Fletch Lives), Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory • The Producers)

Directed By: Mel Brooks (Young Frankenstein • Spaceballs)

Overview: When a corrupt industrialist sends a posse of outlaws to run the people out of a town to make way for the rail, the town asks the equally corrupt governor for a sheriff. What he sends them is the blackest sheriff that ever sported a silver star.

I hate Mel Brooks. If I had to sum up what I think of the man in one word it would be 'goof', and I don't mean it in a nice way. Yet, somehow, somewhere, after all the pros and cons are added up, I can't help but reluctantly say, "Yeah yeah fine. Blazing Saddles is stupid, but not that stupid." And, much to my surprise, if it's one question I never thought I needed asking, this film answered it: "How many times do you have to hear the word 'Nigger' in one sitting before it turns hilarious?" Turns out he number is somewhere around 19.

There's a scene where a little old lady gets punched repeatedly in the gut, a scene with a horse gets punched out in the face, repeated moments of absolutely retarded writing and idiotic racism, constant breaking of the fourth wall, not to mention a comic disregard for historical accuracy and as you'd expect, a fart joke scene that is, at least, appropriate for a Western given that cowboys are sitting around a fire eating beans.

Then again there's Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, and Cleavon Little to even out Mel Brooks' moronic performance (not to mention this hot momma below). But surprisingly, above all things, there's a solid plot that delivers, entertains and makes us laugh enough to give kudos to the makers of this little slice of film history. I'm sure this film had had it's share of hate, given the frequent racism, but it's all tongue-in-cheek deconstructivism that somehow helps us see the stupidity of it all in the long run.

You know. I was looking for a picture of our dark hero, but I could only think of one of his lines, "Where the white women at?"

Performance: 8 Cinematography: 8 Script: 7 Plot: 8 Mood: 7

Overall Rating: 76% (Hurts The Tuchus, But A Good Hurt)

Aftertaste:

Just goes to show you, no matter what you've thought of a man's work in the past, you can still be surprised by the odd gem in his pants.

Cheers to that.

Recommendations: Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009), Requiem for a Dream, Dawn of the Dead

2010-05-16 08:42:27

malikaziz
Reviews: 47
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

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3.8

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3.6

2.8

4.5

3.6

Most Important Black Films #19 – Blazing Saddles

Now on to the tale of the tape…

Relevance: While I joke with my partner about someday making a ’slavery comedy’, Blazing Saddles is probably as close as anyone will get. The main character is a black sheriff, and nearly every joke of the film revolves around that fact.

Legacy: Already one of film’s great comedies, Mel Brooks wanted Richard Pryor to play the lead role of Bart. The studio 86′ed it since Rich was already well into drugs, so Pryor got a writing credit. Still one of Hollywood’s great ‘what ifs’ to me, but that’s neither here nor there.

Craft: If you appreciate the art of parody and the art of telling a good (film) joke, you have to love this movie. It’s often credited with being the first film to have a ‘fart joke’ in it, but when I think of craft in regards to this movie, I instantly think of Sheriff Bart’s first ride into Rock Ridge…

[quote]

Drunk: The sheriff’s a (church bell).

Pastor: What’d he say?

Mayor: The sheriff’s near!

[/quote]

Crossover: Big Time. Because it’s a Mel Brooks film first and foremost, Blazing Saddles almost certainly has a bigger fanbase with the mainstream than it does with black audiences. The film was nominated for three Oscars, but didn’t win any.

Apollo: I repeat, it’s a Mel Brooks film. While I’m partial to ‘Where the White Women At?’, Mongo punching out a horse, or the Hollywood backlot ending probably have much more ‘What the Hell?” credibility as far as this category goes.

A minor surprise next month as the countdown continues…

(Read Less...)

Last updated: 2010-01-18 14:42:41 by malikaziz

2010-01-12 20:51:19

Squish
Reviews: 740
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

Blazing Saddles (1974)

I think it got it's name from the number of times I got up to turn it off. Genre: Comedy Western Starring: Cleavon Little (Vanishing Point • Fletch Lives), Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory • The Producers) Directed By: Mel Brooks (Young Frankenstein • Spaceballs) Overview: When a corrupt industrialist sends a posse of outlaws to run the people out of a town to make way for the rail, the town asks the equally corrupt governor for a sheriff. What he sends them is the blackest sheriff that ever sported a silver star. I hate Mel Brooks. If I had to sum up what I think of the man in one word it would be 'goof', and I don't mean it in a nice way . Yet, somehow, somewhere, after all the pros and cons are added up, I can't help but reluctantly say, "Yeah yeah fine. Blazing Saddles is stupid, but not that stupid ." And, much to my surprise, if it's one question I never thought I needed asking, this film answered it: "How many times do you have to...

(Read More...)

2010-05-16 08:42:27

malikaziz
Reviews: 47
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

Most Important Black Films #19 – Blazing Saddles

Lucas, Spielberg, and Scorsese all get their well-deserved credit, but doesn’t Mel Brooks deserve a little more love for pumping out his own classic films in the 70s/early 80s? Chief among them is his parody of the Western genre, Blazing Saddles . The story revolves around a black sheriff put in charge of a racist town in the Old West. This isn’t just a ‘film geek’ pic, this is truly a great comedy… Now on to the tale of the tape… Relevance: While I joke with my partner about someday making a ’slavery comedy’, Blazing Saddles is probably as close as anyone will get. The main character is a black sheriff, and nearly every joke of the film revolves around that fact. Legacy: Already one of film’s great comedies, Mel Brooks wanted Richard Pryor to play the lead role of Bart. The studio 86′ed it since Rich was already well into drugs, so Pryor got a writing...

(Read More...)

2010-01-12 20:51:19

MysteryMan
Reviews: 167
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Member

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4.3

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4.9

Blazing Saddles

Mel Brooks’ films are always good for a laugh out loud, fun time, and Blazing Saddles is no exception. Brooks chooses to spoof the cover up of racism in the old west, something that isn’t really touched on in your typical westerns, but he never takes it seriously. While there are those out there that I’m sure were, and may still, be ready to crucify him for this, I love the idea. Everything does not need to be serious, no matter what the subject.
As far as westerns go, this film covers all the basics….reluctant hero, town in trouble, gratuitous cattle scene, corrupt politician, wise sidekick, heroes ride off into film history (normally sunset). Obviously, Brooks did his homework and was sure to include all these elements.
An African-American sheriff in 1874, was unheard of, as shown by the townspeople. As a matter of fact, he was given the job as way to tear the town apart by the film’s villain, Attorney General Headley Lamarr, played by Harvey Korman. Korman is your typical Brooks villain, evil and just when it seems like he has his stuff together, his incompetence shows and things fall apart in a comical way.
Sheriff Bart, played by Cleavon Little and his sidekick, The Waco Kid, played by Gene Wilder, make an interesting pair. Personally, I think Little could have been more the straight man to Wilder’s trademark antics, but they decided to let Wilder keep it straight for the most part. Then again, Little’s part was originally meant for Richard Pryor, so it makes sense.
An interesting character that appears fairly early, is Mongo, played by Alex Karras. You may know him as the dad from Webster. This guy apparently is savage and unrefined, which is why they have him chained. The bandits send him to take care of the sheriff, who invents the exploding candygram (complete with Looney Tunes music) to defeat him. After which he joins the sheriff and The Waco Kid in defending the town.
This thing has been showing almost every week since the beginning of the summer on AMC, and I just haven’t had the time to sit down and watch it, so I finally took the time to watch it via Netflix this afternoon, and was very pleased with what I saw. I have to rank it up there as one of my favorite Mel Brooks pictures, but not quite at the top. There’s nothing like a good spoof to brighten one’s day!

http://thankyounetflix.wordpress.com

2010-02-26 13:31:05

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