Blazing Saddles

THE FLICK: Only Mel Brooks could break cinematic ground by breaking wind! Or so he claims in the extras in Warner Bros. 30th Anniversary Special Edition DVD of Blazing Saddles, the director’s send-up of classic Hollywood westerns and 1974 racial stereotypes. Cleavon Little has the title role of Bart, a smart-mouthed railroad worker who is railroaded into becoming the first black Sheriff in the West, moseying into Rock Ridge much to the dismay of the local redneck populace. It’s all part of crooked politician Headley Lamar’s (Harvey Korman) plan to scare off the property owners and make way for untold profits as the railroad comes to town. But when Bart and his alcoholic sidekick, the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder), get wind of the plan, the entire town comes to its senses and stands up to Slim Pickens and his gang of rough-riding bad guys. Blazing Saddles gets away with more racial epithets and politically incorrect humor than any film in the history of cinema. The reason being, they’re all equal opportunity wisecracks. No race, culture or creed gets off easy in a Mel Brooks film. And his bald-faced insults do more to point out the juvenile nature of discrimination than any well-intentioned civil rights seminar. But first and foremost, the film is a gag per second goof off written by some of the best funnymen working at the time (including Richard Pryor who almost got the title role). Not every joke still works today – even the Looney Tunes inspired face-off with Mongo makes you feel older than dirt – but the edge is still there in Madeline Kahn’s clumsy seduction scene (which got her an Oscar nomination) and, of course, the classic franks ‘n beans campfire orchestra of farts. Ah, the smell of comic genius! THE FEATURES: Besides a spiffy new transfer and remixed soundtrack, what do you get? There’s a great 30-minute documentary (Back in the Saddle) with stories from Brooks, writer Andrew Bergman and others about the film, including the use and abuse of the “N” word and even a joke that Warner’s said went too far! A segment from Lifetime’s Intimate Portrait featuring the career of Madeline Kahn. A few extras scenes that were shot for the TV version of the film (you couldn’t fart on ABC but you could air “The Love Boat.” Go figure.). And the complete 1975 pilot for Black Bart, an adaptation of the film for television starring Lou Gosset, Jr. Mel Brooks also puts his thoughts into the form of a running commentary, but this doesn’t cover the length of the film and isn’t scene specific. Still some priceless stuff. FINAL SCORE: Even if the Western isn’t the most timely film genre to spoof in 2004, you’ll be hard pressed to find a funnier film made in the last 30 years. Blazing Saddles has a comedy rhythm that is near perfection. Maybe that’s why it climbed to the #6 all-time comedy on the AFI list. Great movie and great DVD package. Buy this one!