DVD Review: Blazing Saddles

Blazing Saddles

by Mel Brooks (DVD Blazing)

 

Blazing Saddles is a parody western, released in 1974. The film was directed by Mel Brooks and is considered one of his masterworks — alongside Young Frankenstein and The Producers. Blazing Saddles was ranked #6 on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Laughs” list. It was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2006.

 

All of which is offered as preface to say that Blazing Saddles is a well-regarded comedy film, BUT it is also one of the most outrageous, offensive and insensitive films ever released. Personally, I can’t recommend it highly enough — I find it to be one of the funniest films every to appear on the big screen, but I know many viewers with more sensitive tastes who don’t find it appealing.

 

As mentioned, Blazing Saddles is a western parody — it mercilessly and incessantly pokes fun at every last western film tradition. Set in the “Old West” era, Cleavon Little stars as Bart, a black man rescued from execution from a trumped up case to serve as the new Sheriff of Rock Ridge — an assignment the corrupt attorney general Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman) believes will cause the citizens to eventually leave town, allowing him to buy up the land in advance of a railroad line coming through. The townspeople are, indeed, shocked to have a black man as their new sheriff, but surprisingly, Bart proves resilient, and with the help of a retired gunslinger Jim (played by Gene Wilder), also known as the Waco Kid, law and order begins to assert itself in Rock Ridge. Seeing his simple plans thwarted, Lamarr sends multiple assassins after Bart, but each is won over by the sheriff, including Mongo (Alex Karras), a horse-punching strongman, and Lili Von Shtupp (Madeline Kahn), a saloon-singing femme fatale.

 

Blazing Saddles, alongside The Princess Bride, is probably one of the most quotable “cult favorite” films ever made. If you can tolerate filthy language and casual yet pointedly mocking racist terminology, this film is unforgettable. If that sounds like it’s out of your comfort zone, you’ll probably want to avoid this. This is probably one of the best examples of “Love it or Hate it” out there!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try other films from Mel Brooks, including Young Frankenstein, or The Producers.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Spaceballs (on DVD)

Spaceballs
[DVD Spaceballs] 

I found this movie really funny, even though I’m sure I didn’t get all the in jokes, as I’ve only seen the original Star Wars movies once and this is a parody of them. The plot is basically a princess being forced into a marriage because a planet is running out of air, she runs away from her wedding, two buddies find her and hope her father will give them lots of money for her return. The planet running out of air hires Dark Helmet to get the princess back, so the two buddies are being chased by him. It’s a really goofy movie with spoken and unspoken jokes. I thought it was pretty funny and like action movies, sometimes the action or comedy in this case matters more than the story (which itself is overly absurd). It’s good if you want a comedy movie with some sci-fi in it, just like Spam-a-lot is good it you want comedy with some British folklore in it.

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Mel Brooks web site ]

Recommended by Kristen A.
Gere Branch Library

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (on DVD)

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
[DVD Biography Brooks] 

This 90-minute episode of PBS’ American Masters series is a marvelous biographical snapshot of American humorist Mel Brooks, writer for such classic TV series as Your Show of Shows and Get Smart!, and legendary director of films such as Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, Life Stinks, The Producers and The History of the World, Part I.

Brooks, and many of his friends and co-stars, sat for freewheeling interviews with the documentary’s director, who intersperses their comments with clips from throughout Brooks’ career. This is a fast-paced show, but does have its quiet moments, especially as Brooks reminisces about second wife Anne Bancroft, and his work as a producer at Brooksfilms, where most of the movies he backs are serious dramas. But, it is when he is talking about his comic successes that the show really shines. I really appreciated the interview clips with so many of Brooks’ actors that had to be culled from other/earlier sources, since many of them have passed away — actors like Marty Feldman and Madeleine Kahn.

If you’re a fan of any of Brooks’ works, from his lengthy career, you’ll enjoy this. If you’re unfamiliar with Brooks and his films, I still recommend this biographical documentary…you’ll learn about a lot of films and TV series that are well worth your time to track down!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any of Mel Brooks’ films, especially The Producers, Young Frankenstein or Blazing Saddles, or the TV shows he was involved with, including Your Show of Shows, Get Smart, and When Things Were Rotten.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this documentary ] | [ official Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (American Masters) web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Young Frankenstein - The Story of the Making of the Film by Mel Brooks

Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Film – The Story of the Making of the Film
by Mel Brooks [on order] 

Following the recent passing of actor Gene Wilder, a special live-streamed-in-theatres showing of Young Frankenstein, hosted by Mel Brooks, filled movie theaters across the country with fans of this goofy yet sentimental parody of horror films. During that live showing, Mel Brooks promoting his (at that time) upcoming book Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Film – The Story of the Making of the Film, and I was thrilled to see that it was coming out in late October 2016. I bought my copy the day it came out and recommended it for the libraries’ collection, and I’m hoping they’ll get it.

This is a marvelous behind-the-scenes look at the making of 1974’s Young Frankenstein, featuring tons of photos previously never seen, plus interviews with some of the actors and production personnel, and recapped past interviews with the actors who have passed on in the intervening years. You can tell, from everyone’s comments, that anyone associated with this production holds this film (and their experiences making it) in high esteem. If you are a fan of Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Madeleine Kahn, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman or Terri Garr, and what to know what the origins of this film were, and what kinds of shenanigans took place during the filming, you’ll love this volume. If you’re a fan of film-making in general, this offers a marvelous look at the production of one single, memorable film. My only complaint? It wasn’t large enough and didn’t have enough interviews! “What hump?” “Give him a sedagive?!” “Put the candle back!” “Frau Blucher!” “It could be raining” “Werewolf? There wolf!” “Puttin’ on the Riiiitttzzz!”

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the DVD of Young Frankenstein, directed by Mel Brooks, or check out the sheet music or soundtrack album to the Young Frankenstein Musical, also by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan.] [ publisher’s official Young Frankenstein: The Making of the Film web site ] | [ official Mel Brooks web site – currently off-line ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Young Frankenstein: The Musical - CD soundtrack

Young Frankenstein
by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan [Compact Disc 782.14 Young, and Hoopla digital service]

Gene Wilder and Mel Brook’s 1974 film masterpiece Young Frankenstein, starring Wilder, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Peter Boyle and Cloris Leachman, was transformed into a Broadway musical sensation in 2007, enjoying over 480 performances on Broadway before closing in 2009. It then became a popular touring show, and has now become available for local theaters to produce their own versions in regional and community theaters. Anyone familiar with the classic old film knows that there were really only two noteworthy pieces of music (other than the background soundtrack) — the haunting violin piece that calms the monster’s anger, and the show biz standard “Putting on the Ritz”, to which Dr. Frankenstein and The Monster do a soft-shoe routine before things go awry. For this big show, Brooks and Thomas Meehan (who, together, also turned Brooks’ film The Producers into a successful Broadway musical), crafted 21 songs and dance numbers. Playing off of moments both small and large in the film, entire production numbers are built around Frederick’s lecture to his medical students (“The Brain”), fiancee Elizabeth’s odd behavior (“Please Don’t Touch Me”), the familial connect between Frederick and Igor (“Together Again for the First Time”), Frau Blucher’s illicit relationship with Frederick’s grandfather (“He Vas My Boyfriend”), and so much more.

The performances on this original Broadway cast album include Roger Bart as Frederick, Megan Mulally as Elizabeth, Christopher Fitzgerald as Igor, Sutton Foster as Inga, Andrea Martin as Frau Blucher and Sherman Hensley as The Monster. All turn in terrific singing jobs, making me wish I’d seen this cast perform the show. Young Frankenstein will be performed at Lincoln’s own TADA Theatre in the Haymarket the final three weekends in October, in case you’d like to see it performed live. Otherwise, I highly recommend this Broadway soundtrack!

[If you enjoy the goofiness of this musical, you may also wish to try The Producers, also by Mel Brooks.]

[ Wikipedia page for Young Frankenstein: The Musical ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Young Frankenstein

Young Frankenstein [1974]

directed by Mel Brooks

Hilarious parody of typical horror movies of the 1930s and 1940s, specifically the original Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Gene Wilder is Dr. Frankenstein, a New York-based medical specialist who is the grandson of the famous mad scientist who originally created a humanoid monster. When he is identified as the sole surviving heir to his grandfather's legacy, Victor journeys to Transylvania to close out his family's affairs there but instead gets caught up in an attempt to restart his grandfather's macabre work. The performances in this film are marvelous, from Wilder's Frankenstein, to Marty Feldman as Igor -- it's pronounced Eye-gor -- with his shifting hump, and Cloris Leachman as Frau Blucher, Peter Boyle as the monster, and Kenneth Mars as the incomprehensible Inspector Kemp. The film is filled with unforgettable, hilarious lines, and moments that are direct parodies of scenes in the 1931 film. Identified as #13 on AFI's list of the Top 100 Top Comedies of all time, this is a true classic. Just remember, when you're looking for a brain to complete your own monster, don't pick one from somebody named Abby Normal! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Internet Movie Database page for this film ]

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Ten (or more) new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.