Plot: What’s it about?
“Is it true what they say about the black man…it’s twue, it’s twue!”
The films of Mel Brooks are some of the funniest ever made and that’s a bold statement – I know. “Blazing Saddles” was one of the first “R” rated movies that my parents allowed me to watch and it’s still as funny now as it was then. Though, I have to admit, I get a lot more of the jokes now and it makes the movie even funnier, if you can imagine that. 1974 was a good year for Mr. Brooks, he had two of the more critically acclaimed movies of the year in “Young Frankenstein” (which some consider to be better than the movie it parodied, the original “Frankenstein”) and the title in question, “Blazing Saddles”. What makes the latter such a masterpiece is the fact that no one person, race, religion or sex is left out – they’re all equally made fun of. I heard, in an interview, Mel Brooks say that if a movie like this was made today it wouldn’t be. It was just too “off”. I think he might be right. “Blazing Saddles” spares no one and makes the sides split with laughter in the process. Combining the elements of classic Hollywood comedy, western and even…yes, a musical it’s hard to deny that this is one of the funniest movies ever to hit the screen.
As far as the story goes, well we have a corrupt Governor (Mel Brooks) and his left hand man (who, of course, does all the real “dirty” work – Harvey Korman) who won’t stop at nothing until he’s running things. The sheriff of Rock Ridge is killed and henceforth replaced by Sheriff Bart (Clevon Little). The trouble is that Bart is black (the first black sheriff in the West) and this doesn’t sit too well with the citizens of Rock Ridge, who all share the last name of “Johnson” if that tells you anything. Bart meets Jim, the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder), a washed up drunk who spends his time in jail sleeping off his hangovers. Jim and Bart see that there is corruption in the government and set out to try and make things right. After an onslaught of seduction (Madeline Khan in possibly her best role), deadly messengers (Alex Karras) and finally an out and out brouhaha, the message is finally given to the town and the government that the new sheriff is in town and he’s here to stay. But OK, all of that aside, the plot is really a backdrop to all of the slapstick antics that happen on camera. Scenes like the cowboys sitting around a campfire after eating beans (let your mind wonder), the constant racist remarks (that are, ironically, funny) and the off-color humor make this movie work like no other.
While some may argue that “Blazing Saddles” was just using the humor to get attention, the movie’s critical and box office proved otherwise. One of the hits of 1974, this showed that Mel Brooks could make a movie that would make people laugh and generate money, too. Brooks never really made another movie that was quite as funny as this, but I still consider “History of the World: Part I” to be right up there with his best movies. While the plot is rather obscure, I think the best way to describe this movie is by a number of scenes. Lili Von Shtupp (Kahn) and her whole Marlene Dietrich act nearly steal the show as does Slim Pickens (Dr. Strangelove) and his loyal band of followers. Korman and Brooks show they have great chemistry together and they proved it once again here. And the comic genius of Gene Wilder provided some of the film’s best lines. It’s hard to believe that this movie is now thirty years old and though one of Warner’s original offerings to the DVD format, they’ve now gone back and re-mastered the picture and sound. One of the funnier movies and it was also ranked as #6 on the American Film Institute’s list of Top 100 comedies (and there’s a sticker proudly displaying this on the cover), “Blazing Saddles” is a true example of how they don’t make ‘em like they used to. If you’ve never seen this movie then this is the way to experience it as it’s lost little, if any, bite from thirty years back. Highly recommended.
Video: How does it look?
The original DVD had both full-frame and anamorphic widescreen versions available and though this new version leaves off the full-frame version, the improvement in picture quality is worth it. The 2.35:1 transfer has been re-mastered by Warner, who continues to give some of their best catalog titles the best treatment. Colors are a bit brighter than before and the areas that were once dingy are no more. The level of detail has been improved as well and it gives the transfer a new look of clarity. While some artifacts do persist, they are few and far between. I saw only the slightest bit of edge enhancement and though the print isn’t perfect, it’s amazing how much better this looks as compared to the last DVD. Technology has certainly played a part in how this looks, it’s amazing how far DVD technology has come in seven years. If you own the old version, I’m going to have to say that you need to go buy this version, if only for the picture (and the extras are good as well). A top notch effort here and “Blazing Saddles” has never looked better.
Audio: How does it sound?
In addition to a much improved picture, the sound has also been re-mastered. The new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack isn’t the most robust out there, but in comparison to the previous DVD, it’s a lot cleaner overall. The surrounds aren’t used that often or very effectively, but they are used and to say this movie is dialogue-driven is the understatement of the year! This new soundtrack takes it to a higher level and improves on the older Dolby Surround track. In essence, while it won’t shake the room, it’s much better than before and that’s what the consumers want.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Extras, extras…we’ve got ‘em! First up is a screen-specific commentary by Director (and star) Mel Brooks. This appears to be the same track that was on the old Laser Disc (that came out the same time as the first DVD), but I could be mistaken. Brooks is full of information, staring out with the opening song (the man who sang it thought it was for a real western and not for a spoof). Though there are some down points, it’s a great track and any fan of the movie will get a kick out of listening to it. Two featurettes are included: “Back in the Saddle” which is a thirty minute featurette that tells the journey of how the movie was made and has some comments from the stars of the film. We learn how the crude humor was used and what it took to get the movie made back then. “Intimate Portrait: Madeline Kahn” is just that, it’s a short featurette remembering the late actress (who died of cancer just a few years ago), and some of her best moments on screen. The original pilot “Black Bart” was the television version of the movie. Naturally, it couldn’t compete and it’s clear to see why it didn’t last. It wasn’t funny. Some ten minutes of deleted scenes are included, though most were covered in the “Back in the Saddle” featurette. Rounding out the extras is the original trailer. While this may not compare, supplement wise, to some of Warner’s other “Special Editions” this is comedy at its best and a must have for any fan.
