Posted on 11/17/2012 4:17:46 AM PST by SMGFan
Edited on 11/17/2012 11:18:24 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
It's a good thing Mel Brooks' inspiration for "Blazing Saddles" struck in the early 1970s and not 2012. Had Brooks come up with the western genre spoof today, it wouldn't pass muster at any major studio.
Brooks himself shared that sad truth during a visit to "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last night. "Blazing Saddles" starred Gene Wilder, Cleavon Little, Harvey Korman and Madeline Kahn in a zany send up of classic western films. And while "Superbad," "Bridesmaids" and "Project X" push the boundaries of modern cinema, they couldn't compare to the outrageous gags Brooks sprinkled throughout his 1974 comedy classic. "It couldn't be made today," Brooks tells Kimmel flatly before launching into a classic story about an early preview of the film, and how a man high up at Warner Bros. told him to make some major cuts ... or else. "We had this preview, people went crazy. They laughed, they enjoyed it. Afterwards, he grabs me by the collar and shoves me into an office ... and he says,
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
aloud?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Werewolf?
Igor: There.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: What?
Igor: There, wolf. There, castle.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Why are you talking that way?
Igor: I thought you wanted to.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: No, I don't want to.
Igor: [shrugs] Suit yourself. I'm easy.
That list could be extended considerably, especially with a lot of the groundbreaking, experimental films of the 1970s.
Barbarella. (Though there is rumor of a remake, there is no way they could reproduce the naughtiness and wit of the original.)
Zardoz. Underneath the weirdness of Sean Connery in a diaper, there was some real science fiction within.
THX-1138. Wonderfully dehumanized, nightmarish socialist sci-fi society.
A Clockwork Orange. A modernized version of this would hit too close to home in Britain. Imagine a Pakistani Muslim Alex being brainwashed to become a secular Labourite?
The President’s Analyst. A remarkably prescient movie of intrusive, voyeuristic government.
The Naked Prey. Not a snowball’s chance in Hell of this ever being remade.
From the Playboy interview of Mel Brooks -- they cut out a line immediately after that this that was deemed to be "in bad taste" (LOL!): Sheriff Bart says, "Excuse me, miss, you're sucking on my arm."
My favorite.movie.ever!!
Thanks for the pic. :)
Pinging you here, this is as funny as the Friday funnies, I thought you would enjoy it
His show had some of the most politically incorrect sketch comedy since Mel Brooks/Richard Pryor. And he got a lot of pressure from within the black community for it. Making sport of the cracker is perfectly acceptable, but don't ever turn a spotlight on the failings of black culture.
He was/is a brilliant social satirist.
Somebody could make a mint if they dared.
Don't forget that Richard Pryor was one of the main writers, as well.
“What Knockers!”
“Why, Thank you Doctor . . .”
I disagree. Money drives the film industry, like any other industry.
Borat and Bruno were very un PC and made big bucks.
Borat and Bruno make fun of “Joe 6-pack” so that is why they can be made.
Now that one is good for a out loud laugh. I once saw a movie back in the 50’s I think, where Jeff Chandler played an indian chief. You couldn’t get more white than Jeff Chandler....
I was hoping someone would bring them up. Chief Wild Eagle, played by Frank De Kova. Go figure. The Hakawi’s made that show one of my favorites. :-)
I let out with “Up yours, n*****!” just about every time I see Obama’s face is on the TV.
Blazing Saddles is described by many as politically incorrect, but I have never accepted that. It is stealthily very politically correct most of the time, although I don't hold it against the film. It really couldn't have been anything else.
The film uses the "N" word a lot, but everyone that does is made to look like an idiot. The racist townspeople are laughed at. Only by shedding their racism do they gain a sympathetic treatment. Everyone who remains racist receives their comeuppance. The only politically incorrect scene that I see in the film is at the end, when the riot breaks into a gay musical Hollywood set. There, the gay actors and director are portrayed stereotypically and somewhat negatively, although not completely unsympathetically.
As an aside, this scene is terrific in that I never fail to start caring whether they get the take right, and then we crash back into Blazing Saddles, and I think, "Oh yeah, I was watching a western."
Borat made fun of Jews. Bruno made fun of gays.
My kids were appalled when they watched it for the first time - “They can’t SAY that!” Part of the problem today - today’s younger folks are so brain washed with PC that they couldn’t conceive of voting against a black person. Public schools and colleges have fulfilled their ultimate purpose. Unrelated but somehow relevent: at a football game today a graduating college senior was introduced as earning a degree in “leisure studies”......is he now an expert in goofing off?
Hedley Lamarr: Qualifications?
Applicant: Rape, murder, arson, and rape.
Hedley Lamarr: You said rape twice.
Applicant: I like rape.
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