Posted on 09/20/2017 9:30:44 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Mel Brooks: Blazing Saddles would 'never' be made today
By Rebecca Jones Arts correspondent, BBC News
14 minutes ago From the section Entertainment & Arts
Mel Brooks, one of Hollywood's funniest film-makers, has told the BBC political correctness is "the death of comedy".
He said Blazing Saddles, his Western spoof about a black sheriff in a racist town, could "never" be made today.
"It's OK not to hurt the feelings of various tribes and groups," he said. "However it's not good for comedy.
"Comedy has to walk a thin line, take risks. It's the lecherous little elf whispering in the king's ear, telling the truth about human behaviour."
Brooks made his name with a series of successful film comedies, including Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Young Frankenstein.
Among the subjects he has satirised are racism, religion and feminism - and he describes himself as "the king of vulgarity".
But there is one subject he insists he would not parody.
Referring to World War Two, he said: "I personally would never touch gas chambers or the death of children or Jews at the hands of the Nazis.
"In no way is that at all useable or correct for comedy. It's just in truly bad taste."
However, he says that is the "only thing" he would avoid. "Everything else is OK."
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
1967 was a landmark year for American movies. My personal favorite is ‘Point Blank’ with Lee Marvin. ‘Heat’ was a non daring way of being daring.
Great resource - thanks.
> “Blazing Saddles was a recruitment film for Nazis.”
Also for rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers and Methodists.
My kids had watched that on TV and thought it was a dumb movie. A couple years later, they streamed the uncut version and were rolling on the floor. It was a totally different movie when all the "edgy" politically incorrect stuff was left in.
Ditto for "Airplane".
Although he cut it pretty close in "To Be or Not To Be" ... with "Concentration Camp Erhardt" (Charles Durning) ...
You are most welcome. There is enough wonderful content to digest until our grandchildren are dead. Please browse and enjoy. All the old time radio show podcasts get their content from this website.
Agreed that All In The Family does not hold up well. To me, it just seems like a constant holler at each other. I find none of the characters likable. I suppose it was cutting edge comedy at the time. But now I find it bad television.
I remember when the creators of All in The Family were aghast, because they found out its popularity and ratings were tied to the fact that a lot of the viewers liked and agreed with Archie. I didn’t care for the way he treated Edith, though. Meathead and Raggedy Ann were just as ridiculous as Archie thought they were. They’d fit right in with today’s SJWs.
Is that Lawrence O’Donnell of PMSNBC? LOL I just saw the video an hour ago or so. Ouch.
#57 Moses was sure clumsy.
Dropped 590 commandments. I bet one said:
“Thou shalt not drop thy commandments!”
Bill Maher gets away with it, too.
AITF still hilarious. What from that era does hold up well then? Do you think The Honeymooners holds up well? That’s also a bunch of people yelling at each other.
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