Exactly Right. In the Eighties and Nineties the comedians and the movie makers did everything in a manner to make fun of the ridiculousness of racism. And it was successful to a good degree - there were more and more interracial marriage at that time than ever. What some people Miss is that what the IDIOTS calling the group of Black Men the "N" word stereotyping them and how horrible that is because they are so insulted by it ---well Brooks is also making FUN OF the people doing the name calling and putting them in a stereotype as well - in this movie he mocks politicians, and every race and every group
This movie was a great satire. All the people that were racist, were morons. The only "smart" people, were those fighting against racism; Sheriff Bart, and the Waco Kid. And yes, Mel Brooks had to use all the racist terms, to really drive home the fact. (Also, Richard Pryor was part of the writing team)
My Jamaican uncle introduced me to this movie. Still one of my favourites. The line always cracks me up “To tell a family secret, my grandmother was Dutch.” 😂
I think mine has to be "where the white women at?" Because of the combination of the way he says it, the look on his face, and Gene holding onto him and then they both cartoonishly duck behind the rock. It all just combines together into the perfect delivery that without the context it wouldn't be funny at all but in the movie it is hilarious.
My favorite is probably still "You know...morons." But my two second favorites are "No, no...don't do that...if you shoot him, you'll just make him mad." and... "Little bastard shot me in the ASS!"
@@Cheepchipsable Yeah...that one is one of the 150 lines I have tied for third place LOLOLOLOLOL along with "Let us pay heed to this good book and what it has to say!? BLAM Son...you're on your own!" and 148 others. 😁
I don't think too many people get that the Indian Chief is speaking Yiddish, at least they don't comment on it. I don't think they pick up on Lili von Shtupp's "Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome" which is an allusion to the brilliant musical "Cabaret." There are so many little details like that.
This movie is a satire of old westerns, and uses comedy to show the ridiculousness of racism, and of course the that racist people are stupid. One of the best comedies ever.
Every movie Mel Brooks ever made had an underlying current of anti-racism in it. It seems that the funnier the movie was, the stronger the anti-racism message was.
Some people might say this movie is divisive, but I say otherwise. Racists can enjoy the racism, those who aren’t racist can enjoy the ridicule of racists. See? There’s something for everyone in this movie. 😉
@@0okaminoit's difficult for younger people to watch this. They've been TRAINED to not laugh when something is FUNNY. Luckily, I grew up with this movie and I understand it was a different time, and we appreciate the HUMOUR behind the movie, mainly because, when the HUMOUR POLICE tried to tell us what we could and couldn't laugh at, we rightly responded with...FU!!!😅
Mel Brooks said that the film was supposed to insult everyone. One of his crew said, "Well, I'm Irish and I'm not insulted." So Brooks added the bit about the town not wanting the Irish just to make him happy. Also, one of the contributors to the screenplay was Richard Prior.
Long time ago, I had two friends come over from Ireland with newly acquired green cards. Both of the ladies were in their early to mid 20s, and one was a big fan of American western films. When I found they had never seen Blazing Saddles, I sat them down to watch it on VHS tape. (That dates my story a bit!) I had totally forgotten about that line, so when "we don't want the Irish" was spoken, the three of us fell off the sofa from laughter. I couldn't have planned it and gotten a better reaction.
actually, the Irish were badly discriminated against during that time, primarily because they were predominately Catholic in a society that was almost fully protestant
When they sing "I Get A Kick Out of You", it's a joke, because that song hadn't been written until 1936, and the movie is set in the late 1800's. On top of that, they sang in a style that didn't exist in that time, either. It's a joke that never lands with anyone born after 1990.
Also "Camptown Ladies" was written by the great American songwriter Stephen Foster in 1850 for the minstrel shows of the time. A minstrel show consisted of half-a-dozen white men in blackface sitting on straight-back chairs, arranged in a row across the stage. They would sing such songs accompanied by banjoes, tambourines, and "spoons," pausing ever so often for a two-line joke in a stereotypical dialect. In other words, there could not be a more offensive song to ask the track workers to sing.
@@johnnehrich9601 And to expand on that slightly, it also highlights the ignorance of the people requesting the songs, who apparently see no difference between an African-American spiritual and a minstrel song.
Mel Brooks' movies are always insanely silly. He was not only the governor, but he also played the Indian Chief. Gene Wilder and Madelyn Kahn were also iconic during the 70s/80s comedy films. Always loved this movie. I saw it back in the 70s in the theatre. It was a huge box office hit. I enjoy your channel. Thanks for the great reaction! ✌💙✌
Mel Brooks said he gets a lot of sh*t about the horse than anything else that happens in the movie. The horse was a trained stunt horse that could fall on command. If you look closely you don't actually see Alex Karras's fist connect with the horse from the camera angle. That horse deserves an Oscar.
There are a lot of cultural references from the 70's in here. The bull having yes and no on it's rear was making fun of a safety initiative where school buses had stickers on each side of its rear end to remind people which side to pass on so you wouldn't pass on the right or "door side" of the bus where kids are getting on. Now you cant pass a bus on either side when loading and unloading. That's just one example of cultural reference from the time.
@aquatus1 Before it was a hotel chain, Howard Johnson's was a restaurant chain famous for its "28 Flavors" of ice cream. That's why Howard Johnson's ice cream parlor in this movie had a sign that said "One Flavor."
The one reference that nobody seems to notice is the scene where the man and the horse are about to be hung. It was a reference to the saying "F-U & the horse you rode in on". I have yet to find someone who caught that.
When the film was originally released back in the 70s, the Indian chief -- played by director Mel Brooks -- was pictured prominently in print ads. If you looked closely enough, you could see thar the beadwork on his headdress read "KOSHER FOR PASSOVER" in Hebrew.
I wondered how much you'd like this satire. But, it was fun that you got such a kick out of it. I particularly liked when you asked, "Why don't they just go around?" Response... "because they're dumb!" Also, "Why does he call them boys?" You two are so much fun to watch movies with! Thank you for reacting to this one. 🎞😆💜🖤
The Legend of the Lone Ranger is based on Bass Reeves, an African American who was a US Deputy Marshall and served for over 30 years. I just find that interesting.
One of the people Reeves took into custody was his own son wanted for murder. They were going to send a couple other Rangers to find him but Reeves told them in no uncertain terms that he would be the one bringing his son in and so he did
Thanks. I didn't know that. I know that much of the cowboy lore was originally created by Mexicans, including many slang terms like "buckaroo." And many slaves moved west after the Civil War, yet in both cases their heritage was whitewashed out in the Hollywood depictions. The idea of a black sheriff in a film was so radical at the time this movie was made when it was extremely rare to just see ANY black in a Western, and it was extremely rare to have a black man in the lead
The '36 Olympics were held in Berlin and Hitler was anxious to showcase the superiority of what he called the Aryan race. Instead Owens won medal after medal (four) in many of the track and field events, and Hitler had to personally award him each medal. (Instead Hitler left the ceremony.) Just found out that Owens was so popular that he was asked to wear the forerunner of the Adidus sneaker, the first time an African-American was asked to sponsor a product.
@@janna2245 I grew up in NYC, and we all know some Yiddish. Yep, I knew what "Chief Mel" was saying even at 16 when I first saw Blazing Saddles (does anyone one else but me get that's "BS"?)
Mr. Brooks is a comedy genius. He poked at everyone equally. His portrayal of the idiocy of racism by using comedy is something that will survive the ages. Little known facts about Mr. Brooks are his Alma Mater is the Virginia Military Institute and he served in the US Army Air Corp (the predecessor to the US Air Force) during WWII from 1944 to 1946. Also, I really like how many times the 4th wall is shattered in this movie. Especially towards the end. This movie also made cinematic history. Never before had farting been shown on the big screen. It was considered very rude and uncouth. When Mr. Brooks informed the actor who was to fart first what the scene was about the actor almost walked off the set because he was afraid he would be blackballed in Hollywood for doing the scene. It took some serious negotiating by Mr. Brooks to get the actor to stay and do the scene.
Great reaction, so glad you laughed understanding it’s satire. It was one of the most effective tools in exposing the idiocy of racism. As for the comment on the Irish, they was a lot of hate for the Irish in the early days. There were actually signs in shop windows saying Irish need not apply.
Le Petomane was a French Burlesque performer around the time the movie was set, or a little after. He was a flatulist, that is, someone who could pass gas on command, and he was quite popular in Europe. It is a funny, and fitting, name to give the Governor.
@@kurtn4819 I've known about him for a long time. It was probably in the 90s on History Channel or a PBS show, a very short clip that mentioned Le Petomane. The clip was less than a minute and actually had a few seconds of the only known film/sound footage of him.
"We don't want the Irish" line us based in fact. There was a lot of prejudice against them in the old days. Now, here's the twist. I'm of French Canadian descent, and my ancestors emigrated to Rhode Island to work in the mills, which WERE owned by Irish American families, and THOSE families/owners discriminated against the French Canadians, and tried to impose all kinds of restrictions. In any case, Mel did a great job of shining a light on how any kind of prejudice is ridiculous.
Fun fact: comedian/actor Richard Pryor co-wrote this movie along with Mel Brooks. Mel wanted him to olay Sheriff Bart but for whatever reason that didn’t happen. I’m okay with that because Cleavon Little did such a great job in the role. He and Gene Wilder, in this film, are one of my all time favorite “buddy movie” pairings. A great duo. And Gene Wilder went on to do several movies where he was paired with Richard Pryor whenever we want to see them together.
13:23 You've got to love the on-screen _chemistry_ between Bart and Jim. Right now, they're just relating their _backstories._ There's _really_ nothing about this scene that contributes anything _else_ to this story, but it's so cool, because they have _chemistry_ between them.
There are so many old nuanced references to American cinema and culture here, that for the two of you to still find the movie funny shows how good the movie is. Timeless.
The opening song was sung by Frankie Lane, a well-known western singer. Mel Brooks advertised for a Frankie Laine type singer and Laine offered to do it. Since he didn’t know this was a satire, Brooks was careful not to mention it. Laine recorded it like it was for a serious movie so if he sounds in earnest, that is why.
The song was nominated for a Best Song Oscar. It lost to that horrible "There's got to be a morning after" song from the Poseidon Adventure. I was so pissed off by that back then. and I still am!@@jimglenn6972
Wonderful reaction. This satire was very controversial at the time, but its message is timeless. A truly brilliant way to tackle bigotry, and yet another reminder why free speech is so important.
My favorite part about people watching this film is that, almost universally, we can all agree that Cleavon Little looks *sharp* in that sheriff outfit.
those who have watched the Carol Burnette show in the past, Harvy Korman was a regular on the show, and could not always keep a straight face when the funniest jokes came up, which makes him a great comedian
I ALWAYS look forward to your reactions. You always do great editing, that leaves in all the pertinent parts to keep the plot intact, and also keep all the "great lines" of the movie. Great sound-balancing too. Keep 'em coming.👍
In the scene where Sheriff Bart is telling his story, the Indians who confronted the family were led by Chief Mel Brooks, and the Chief spoke Yiddish, which is a European language spoken by Jews. When the warrior wanted to attack, the Chief said, "No, no, not now, it's crazy!" Then, in English with a heavy accent, "Cop a walk." "Have you ever seen in your life? They're Darker than us!"
Hedley Lamar, the villain of the story, was named after Hedy Lamar, a well admired actress. She caught wind that the film was being made with the "use" or, better yet, a parody of her name. She then took legal action on the production of Blazing Saddles. Mel Brooks said, "She's Hedy Lamar! Pay her! She was in Algiers with Charles Boyer!" He then said, "Can we meet her?!" Thus, the joke wrote itself. "This is 1874! You'll be able to sue _her!_ "
I have a lot of respect for Hedy Lamarr, who was quite accomplished in many ways. I think it was petty of her to sue them over the jokes on her name though. "Algiers" is a pretty good movie by the way.
Hedy Lamarr, one of the most beautiful actresses in the golden age of Hollywood, was also a genius inventor and scientist who contributed to the war effort by designing a guidance system for the US navies notoriously unreliable torpedoes that employed spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to avoid being jammed. While her system was ultimately rejected by the navy for being to large to fit into a torpedo the use of its electronic technologies was adapted under different patents to most modern torpedoes after the war.
@Fred-vy1hm Actually, she covered her tracks with a patent. The Navy shot her down and waited for the copyright to expire. Then they stole it from her. Sneaky like the submarines they cruise around in.
@@JynxRyl I have just Subscribed as I enjoyed your intelligent reaction Ladies. Mel Brooks was,also,the Indian Chief who let those people in their Wagon Train through.
The character of Mongo was played by former NFL player Alex Karris. He later went on to play the Dad in the TV show "Webster". My favorite lines are: " Well, can't you see that's the last act of a desperate man?" "We don't care if it's the first act of Henry V...." 🤣🤣🤣
Unfortunately one of the punchlines that was written by Richard Pryor was successfully censored by Warner Bros. When Lili Von Shtupp says "Is it twue the way you people are....gifted? Oh... its twue, its twue!" Bart was supposed to reply with "Uh, ma'am? Youre sucking on my arm" EDIT: also, for reference, white folks of non-Irish descent (particularly of English descent) used to discriminate againt people of Irish descent pretty heavily in the US. (The English in Britain do still discriminate against the Irish, but thats another matter entirely)
Might be Mel Brooks's best movie, though I'm partial to Spaceballs, for childhood reasons. Richard Pryor was co-writer, and he was supposed to play the sheriff. In case you don't know about Pryor (because you're young), he was a very famous stand-up and an actor in the 70's and 80's. Pryor and Wilder (Waco Kid) did a bunch of movies together and I'd recommend Silver Streak (1976) especially.
"...but we don't want the Irish!" This is from a behind-the-scenes conversation about how they had managed to offend every minority (blacks, Asians, homosexuals, Jews, etc.), but someone noted that no one had insulted the Irish, so the line went into the movie.
@@mikejankowski6321 That was why they ended up with so many Irish cops in New York. Nobody else wanted to be a police officer back then and with so many others discriminating against Irish immigrants there were plenty of them happy to take those jobs.
@@hackerx7329 " Nobody else wanted to be a police officer back then..." You just completely excluded black people in that "Nobody else..." Black people wanted those jobs as well but white people wouldn't allow it. When they finally did allow just a few black police officers back then...they could not ever arrest, detain or enforce the law against white people only black people.
There is a story that during a crew meeting Brooks said that it was OK to offend people as long as you offend everyone. A crew member spoke up and said that he was Irish and hadn't been offended. So that is how the line about the Irish got added to the movie.
Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor wrote this film in the early 1970’s. They didn’t hold back on the corny, slapstick comedy or anything else for that matter. Degrading everyone from whites, blacks, native Americans basically everyone that walks on two legs😂😂😂. Thanks for sharing the video post ladies. God bless ❤
Mel Brooks played both the governor and the Indian chief. The chief is speaking in Yiddish. _Blazing Saddles_ is a movie about racism. The entire point of the movie is that racism is stupid. More specifically, _Blazing Saddles_ is about the racism that was evident in Western movies and television at the time. One of the forms that racism took was in the hiring of Jews to play Indians, based on the stereotype that Jews have swarthy skin. Since Mel Brooks is Jewish, and lost most of his family in the Holocaust, there was no way that he was going to leave Jews out of this movie, hence the Indian chief, who was, indeed, played by a Jew.
"What is this?" This is the greatest comedy of all time. No reason to be shocked or offended about anything in it. It is funny how you take some scenes so literal and serious and don't necessarily understand the joke.
Your mini-review stating “”It’s just giggles” is perfect. I saw it when it was released and am amazed at how well it holds up. Some of the language would be seen as offensive if it was made today (as evidenced by your editing), but its good intentions and its focus on silliness keeps it in the category of classic comedies.
Glad y'all enjoyed this film. Many people back then didn't even know Mel Brooks is Jewish. The film's premise is to make fun of racism and racists especially. It had a Star studded cast with most being well established comedians. The guy who played Mongo was a NFL Pro hall of famer. The cowboy at the beginning, "can't be more 'den ahunderd fourteen!", he was already a famous western actor. In the scene where Gene Wilder is comforting Cleavon Little after his debacle with the elderly lady, when Gene said, "You know. Morons." Cleavon actually broke character. That was Cleavon laughing at the joke, not the sheriff. It fit so well in the moment, Mel kept it in the final cut. The gentleman who was to give "a laurel and hearty handshake" as the sheriff arrived, the actor was the boss of Tom Selleck's 'Magnum P.I.'.
As you noticed, a running gag in the movie is ... the more racist a person is, the dumber they are. Not sure if that is a gag, it is more a point that the movie is trying to make, but in a funny way.
Mel Brookes missed a good marketing for the movie. Having it starring Cleavon LITTLE and Gene WILDER, the tag line should of been ... Things just got a LITTLE WILDER.
"Meeting is adjourned" "It is??" "No, you SAY that!" "What??" "Meeting is adjourned" "It is??" "No, you SAY that!" "What??" "Meeting is adjourned!!" "It is??!?"...............
0:43 "They sound _good."_ Yes, but they're sounding good performing a song that was first composed and performed by Frank Sinatra in the 1934 Broadway musical _Anything Goes._ This movie is set in 1874, about 60 years _ahead_ of it.
Cole Porter wrote "I get a kick out of you." Frank Sinatra was one of many, many people who covered it. He didn't sing it in the original musical - he first sang it in the 1950s. And yes, this is one of hundreds of intentional anachronisms in the movie.
Another gag that no one ever picks up on, when the schoolmarm reads her letter to the governor in front of the congregation, she says that she's not used to public speaking. 🤔 She's a school teacher! 😆
@bobbuethe1477 It's true, we never see any, but I think it's just a part of the story that Brooks didn't bother to demonstrate. It's just implied when the preacher introduces her as their "esteemed schoolmarm".
The indian chief was played by Mel Brooks. And he was speaking Yiddish, which is not a Native American language. He let the black family go because he knew the whites were prejudice, so he was giving them a break.
The movie is satire and parody. I see that you ladies were confused at the humor quite a bit during this reaction. You were taking some of the zany scenes a lil' too seriously by trying to apply logic...LMAO. The style of comedy is not just 'parody'...it's like a live-action cartoon (such as Bugs Bunny etc). Anyway, many commenters already explained what the movie is about, so I won't go into extra detail. But although this movie was long before my time, and as a black man, I still consider 'Blazing Saddles' to be one of the top 5 greatest comedies ever in cinematic history. This is a classic!!!
1. Mel Brooks played the Governor, the Indian Chief and one of the thug roundup. 2. Mel Brooks doesn't just break the 4th wall he shatters, steps on and grinds it into the ground. 3. The preacher/Liam Dunn also plays in Young "Frankenstein" as Mr. Hilltop. Madeline Kahn also had a smallish role in it. 4. Imagine how much fun this was to make.🤣🤣🤣🤣 5. The line, "You know morons" was ad lib by Wilder. Little's reaction was real. 6. The guy that was supposed to play Jim showed up the first day drunk so he was let go. Wilder agreed to do this movie for Mel Brooks only if Mel would direct Young Frankenstein for him. 7. Richard Pryor was supposed to play Bart but he was going through his addictions at the time and they thought it wouldn't be a good idea. However, he did some of the writing. 8. Jim still has his popcorn from the theater. Movie suggestion "Young Frankenstein" with Gene Wilder
Mel Brooks' intention was to show us just how stupid racism really is. I think he succeeded. What a fun movie to watch.
Exactly Right. In the Eighties and Nineties the comedians and the movie makers did everything in a manner to make fun of the ridiculousness of racism. And it was successful to a good degree - there were more and more interracial marriage at that time than ever. What some people Miss is that what the IDIOTS calling the group of Black Men the "N" word stereotyping them and how horrible that is because they are so insulted by it ---well Brooks is also making FUN OF the people doing the name calling and putting them in a stereotype as well - in this movie he mocks politicians, and every race and every group
He did a great job of that.
This movie was a great satire.
All the people that were racist, were morons. The only "smart" people, were those fighting against racism; Sheriff Bart, and the Waco Kid.
And yes, Mel Brooks had to use all the racist terms, to really drive home the fact.
(Also, Richard Pryor was part of the writing team)
Can'tbe made again, a classic.
All In The Family was in the same vein. Making fun of bigotry can be both entertaining and developmental.
My Jamaican uncle introduced me to this movie.
Still one of my favourites.
The line always cracks me up “To tell a family secret, my grandmother was Dutch.”
😂
I think mine has to be "where the white women at?" Because of the combination of the way he says it, the look on his face, and Gene holding onto him and then they both cartoonishly duck behind the rock. It all just combines together into the perfect delivery that without the context it wouldn't be funny at all but in the movie it is hilarious.
My favorite is probably still "You know...morons."
But my two second favorites are "No, no...don't do that...if you shoot him, you'll just make him mad."
and... "Little bastard shot me in the ASS!"
All good. I would include, "Excuse me while I whip this out!"
@@Cheepchipsable Yeah...that one is one of the 150 lines I have tied for third place LOLOLOLOLOL along with "Let us pay heed to this good book and what it has to say!? BLAM Son...you're on your own!" and 148 others. 😁
My favorite scene is the one where the old drunk is on the roof yelling, "The sheriff is a n*BONG*"
I'm not even that old but feel ancient when NOBODY gets the "laurel and hardy handshake" line anymore.
I AM that old and have just accepted it.
I'm also that old, I've only seen one reactor who got it.
Nobody gets the "Hedy/Hedley Lamarr" joke, either. We're all too old for that one by now.
I don't think too many people get that the Indian Chief is speaking Yiddish, at least they don't comment on it. I don't think they pick up on Lili von Shtupp's "Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome" which is an allusion to the brilliant musical "Cabaret." There are so many little details like that.
"You're not a pawn, Mongo" - honestly I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard (in a Blazing Saddles reaction).
#fact
Richard Pryor wrote that line, fun fact.
This movie is a satire of old westerns, and uses comedy to show the ridiculousness of racism, and of course the that racist people are stupid. One of the best comedies ever.
Wait, you don't actually think Mel Brooks isn't "ray cyst", do you?
Every movie Mel Brooks ever made had an underlying current of anti-racism in it. It seems that the funnier the movie was, the stronger the anti-racism message was.
Some people might say this movie is divisive, but I say otherwise. Racists can enjoy the racism, those who aren’t racist can enjoy the ridicule of racists. See? There’s something for everyone in this movie. 😉
@@0okaminoit's difficult for younger people to watch this. They've been TRAINED to not laugh when something is FUNNY.
Luckily, I grew up with this movie and I understand it was a different time, and we appreciate the HUMOUR behind the movie, mainly because, when the HUMOUR POLICE tried to tell us what we could and couldn't laugh at, we rightly responded with...FU!!!😅
Mel Brooks said that the film was supposed to insult everyone. One of his crew said, "Well, I'm Irish and I'm not insulted." So Brooks added the bit about the town not wanting the Irish just to make him happy. Also, one of the contributors to the screenplay was Richard Prior.
Long time ago, I had two friends come over from Ireland with newly acquired green cards. Both of the ladies were in their early to mid 20s, and one was a big fan of American western films. When I found they had never seen Blazing Saddles, I sat them down to watch it on VHS tape. (That dates my story a bit!) I had totally forgotten about that line, so when "we don't want the Irish" was spoken, the three of us fell off the sofa from laughter. I couldn't have planned it and gotten a better reaction.
actually, the Irish were badly discriminated against during that time, primarily because they were predominately Catholic in a society that was almost fully protestant
@@VirtualBabe29 No Irish Need Reply. ;-)
When they sing "I Get A Kick Out of You", it's a joke, because that song hadn't been written until 1936, and the movie is set in the late 1800's. On top of that, they sang in a style that didn't exist in that time, either. It's a joke that never lands with anyone born after 1990.
@paulohernanndizz3506 You're the exception and not the rule, and I applaud you for it.
And on top of that, think about the literal meaning of the title and who's singing to who. 😆
Hey, Bart and the Railroad Workers were very ahead of their time as a crooner group. Lyle just couldn’t appreciate their sophisticated sound.
Also "Camptown Ladies" was written by the great American songwriter Stephen Foster in 1850 for the minstrel shows of the time. A minstrel show consisted of half-a-dozen white men in blackface sitting on straight-back chairs, arranged in a row across the stage. They would sing such songs accompanied by banjoes, tambourines, and "spoons," pausing ever so often for a two-line joke in a stereotypical dialect. In other words, there could not be a more offensive song to ask the track workers to sing.
@@johnnehrich9601 And to expand on that slightly, it also highlights the ignorance of the people requesting the songs, who apparently see no difference between an African-American spiritual and a minstrel song.
....I saw this in the theater as a kid....back in a day when we could laugh at ourselves..... Peace!
Mel Brooks' movies are always insanely silly. He was not only the governor, but he also played the Indian Chief. Gene Wilder and Madelyn Kahn were also iconic during the 70s/80s comedy films. Always loved this movie. I saw it back in the 70s in the theatre. It was a huge box office hit. I enjoy your channel. Thanks for the great reaction! ✌💙✌
Mel Brooks said he gets a lot of sh*t about the horse than anything else that happens in the movie. The horse was a trained stunt horse that could fall on command. If you look closely you don't actually see Alex Karras's fist connect with the horse from the camera angle. That horse deserves an Oscar.
THAT'S BECAUSE MEL BROOKS AND SLIM PICKENS WERE STAUNCH ANIMAL ACTIVISTS AND MADE SURE THE HORSES WERE WELL CARED FOR
Meanwhile, Sam Peckinpah was out there rackin up a horse kill count to make great movies.
That sh*t still happens. A kid falls into a gorilla enclosure and the world is more concerned about the gorilla!
So well edited. So often when I watch reactions to this movie I think "How could you not include that line?” But you two nailed it.
There are a lot of cultural references from the 70's in here. The bull having yes and no on it's rear was making fun of a safety initiative where school buses had stickers on each side of its rear end to remind people which side to pass on so you wouldn't pass on the right or "door side" of the bus where kids are getting on. Now you cant pass a bus on either side when loading and unloading. That's just one example of cultural reference from the time.
Absolutely! Also, the reference to the many Johnsons, and to the now defunct hotel chain Howard Johnsons, which were once just as numerous.
Not many people know about the 'yes' 'no' bus thing or are alive to remember it. How did you know about it?
@@aquatus1Johnson is also a slang word for dick. Hence everyone in town were Johnsons(dicks).
@aquatus1 Before it was a hotel chain, Howard Johnson's was a restaurant chain famous for its "28 Flavors" of ice cream. That's why Howard Johnson's ice cream parlor in this movie had a sign that said "One Flavor."
The one reference that nobody seems to notice is the scene where the man and the horse are about to be hung. It was a reference to the saying "F-U & the horse you rode in on". I have yet to find someone who caught that.
I lost it when he took himself hostage!!!! Still funny after all these years....lol
When the film was originally released back in the 70s, the Indian chief -- played by director Mel Brooks -- was pictured prominently in print ads. If you looked closely enough, you could see thar the beadwork on his headdress read "KOSHER FOR PASSOVER" in Hebrew.
I wondered how much you'd like this satire. But, it was fun that you got such a kick out of it. I particularly liked when you asked, "Why don't they just go around?" Response... "because they're dumb!" Also, "Why does he call them boys?" You two are so much fun to watch movies with!
Thank you for reacting to this one. 🎞😆💜🖤
Why do we call you two guys when we say you guys did great.
The Legend of the Lone Ranger is based on Bass Reeves, an African American who was a US Deputy Marshall and served for over 30 years. I just find that interesting.
One of the people Reeves took into custody was his own son wanted for murder. They were going to send a couple other Rangers to find him but Reeves told them in no uncertain terms that he would be the one bringing his son in and so he did
Thanks. I didn't know that. I know that much of the cowboy lore was originally created by Mexicans, including many slang terms like "buckaroo." And many slaves moved west after the Civil War, yet in both cases their heritage was whitewashed out in the Hollywood depictions.
The idea of a black sheriff in a film was so radical at the time this movie was made when it was extremely rare to just see ANY black in a Western, and it was extremely rare to have a black man in the lead
Bass did exist. However, it is debatable about the Lone Ranger. . Since the bass I heard about did not wear a mask. To bass it was all about the job.
25:31 Jessy Owens embarrassed hilter at the Olympics in 1930 something
@atheos19 thank you. Couldn't remember the year
Hitler*
The '36 Olympics were held in Berlin and Hitler was anxious to showcase the superiority of what he called the Aryan race. Instead Owens won medal after medal (four) in many of the track and field events, and Hitler had to personally award him each medal. (Instead Hitler left the ceremony.) Just found out that Owens was so popular that he was asked to wear the forerunner of the Adidus sneaker, the first time an African-American was asked to sponsor a product.
"The Sheriff is near."
"NO GodfriGGINdamnIT!!! The Sheriff is A NI(DING!!!!)!!"
Mel Brooks was also the Indian Chief.😁
And he spoke in a Yiddish accent. (Many of his family members had died in the Holocaust so he was always fighting against prejudice.)
Yiddish ACCENT?! That was actual Yiddish
@@janna2245 Okay.
@@janna2245 I grew up in NYC, and we all know some Yiddish. Yep, I knew what "Chief Mel" was saying even at 16 when I first saw Blazing Saddles (does anyone one else but me get that's "BS"?)
@@johannesvalterdivizzini1523
"Let 'em goooo!"
Mr. Brooks is a comedy genius.
He poked at everyone equally.
His portrayal of the idiocy of racism by using comedy is something that will survive the ages.
Little known facts about Mr. Brooks are his Alma Mater is the Virginia Military Institute and he served in the US Army Air Corp (the predecessor to the US Air Force) during WWII from 1944 to 1946.
Also, I really like how many times the 4th wall is shattered in this movie.
Especially towards the end.
This movie also made cinematic history.
Never before had farting been shown on the big screen.
It was considered very rude and uncouth.
When Mr. Brooks informed the actor who was to fart first what the scene was about the actor almost walked off the set because he was afraid he would be blackballed in Hollywood for doing the scene.
It took some serious negotiating by Mr. Brooks to get the actor to stay and do the scene.
Gene Wilder was drafted in the 1950s and also served in the US Army, but in the medical corps. He was stationed in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
One of my all time faves!!! The toll booth gets me every time... Great reaction! Keep it up!
Great reaction, so glad you laughed understanding it’s satire. It was one of the most effective tools in exposing the idiocy of racism. As for the comment on the Irish, they was a lot of hate for the Irish in the early days. There were actually signs in shop windows saying Irish need not apply.
Le Petomane was a French Burlesque performer around the time the movie was set, or a little after. He was a flatulist, that is, someone who could pass gas on command, and he was quite popular in Europe.
It is a funny, and fitting, name to give the Governor.
Yes, he even did royal command performances. Not many people know about him. Did you do a search for the Gov's name or did you already know about him?
@@kurtn4819 I've known about him for a long time. It was probably in the 90s on History Channel or a PBS show, a very short clip that mentioned Le Petomane. The clip was less than a minute and actually had a few seconds of the only known film/sound footage of him.
Yeah I think I've seen that one too a while back. 99% of the people who've seen this film don't know the reference.
"We don't want the Irish" line us based in fact. There was a lot of prejudice against them in the old days. Now, here's the twist. I'm of French Canadian descent, and my ancestors emigrated to Rhode Island to work in the mills, which WERE owned by Irish American families, and THOSE families/owners discriminated against the French Canadians, and tried to impose all kinds of restrictions. In any case, Mel did a great job of shining a light on how any kind of prejudice is ridiculous.
Fun fact: comedian/actor Richard Pryor co-wrote this movie along with Mel Brooks. Mel wanted him to olay Sheriff Bart but for whatever reason that didn’t happen.
I’m okay with that because Cleavon Little did such a great job in the role. He and Gene Wilder, in this film, are one of my all time favorite “buddy movie” pairings. A great duo.
And Gene Wilder went on to do several movies where he was paired with Richard Pryor whenever we want to see them together.
13:23 You've got to love the on-screen _chemistry_ between Bart and Jim. Right now, they're just relating their _backstories._ There's _really_ nothing about this scene that contributes anything _else_ to this story, but it's so cool, because they have _chemistry_ between them.
its funny that pryor was supposed to be the sheriff but him and wilder did other movies together anyway
Richard was a co-writer. He was supposed to play Bart but the studio thought he'd be too controversial, so Cleavon Little was cast in the part.
There are so many old nuanced references to American cinema and culture here, that for the two of you to still find the movie funny shows how good the movie is. Timeless.
He rode a blazing saddle. The sheriff is a n🔔! As steady as a rock. Yeah, but I shot with this hand. 😅 I love this movie.😂
Don't forget the "Laurel and Hardy" handshake. That takes it back to the 30s. And "but I shoot with this hand" is such a classic.
The opening song was sung by Frankie Lane, a well-known western singer. Mel Brooks advertised for a Frankie Laine type singer and Laine offered to do it. Since he didn’t know this was a satire, Brooks was careful not to mention it. Laine recorded it like it was for a serious movie so if he sounds in earnest, that is why.
The song was nominated for a Best Song Oscar. It lost to that horrible "There's got to be a morning after" song from the Poseidon Adventure. I was so pissed off by that back then. and I still am!@@jimglenn6972
3:21 "Look at him on the horse. You're hanging the horse, too?"
Horses are _famous_ for being _hung,_ you know.
"Lets play chess" Sheriff Bart
"Morons" Jim
Best lines
Wonderful reaction. This satire was very controversial at the time, but its message is timeless. A truly brilliant way to tackle bigotry, and yet another reminder why free speech is so important.
This movie, along with Space Balls is my top favorite movies.
It’s a shame Cleavon Little, the actor that played Bart, isn’t more of a household name. Cause he is a terrific actor.
He died fairly young, I think.
@@cynthiaivers1708 you are right Cleavon Little died of Colon cancer in 1992 at the age of 53 which even at that time was considered quite young.
My favorite part about people watching this film is that, almost universally, we can all agree that Cleavon Little looks *sharp* in that sheriff outfit.
fun fact: WB asked the fart scene not be in. Mel said "Okay" then ran it anyway lol
it was the first time a fart joke was used in a movie.
those who have watched the Carol Burnette show in the past, Harvy Korman was a regular on the show, and could not always keep a straight face when the funniest jokes came up, which makes him a great comedian
A true classic.
I ALWAYS look forward to your reactions. You always do great editing, that leaves in all the pertinent parts to keep the plot intact, and also keep all the "great lines" of the movie. Great sound-balancing too. Keep 'em coming.👍
For some reason the line that cracks me up the most is when he comes in shouting "What in the wide, wide world of sports...!!"
Though, if you didn't know that "The Wide, Wide World of Sports " was a TV show in the 70s, the joke gets lost.
In the scene where Sheriff Bart is telling his story, the Indians who confronted the family were led by Chief Mel Brooks, and the Chief spoke Yiddish, which is a European language spoken by Jews. When the warrior wanted to attack, the Chief said, "No, no, not now, it's crazy!" Then, in English with a heavy accent, "Cop a walk." "Have you ever seen in your life? They're Darker than us!"
Discovered this channel a couple of days ago from your Interstellar reaction. This should be a good reaction.
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Cleavon Little had such a beautiful smile.
Mel Brooks is one of my favorite directors! Maybe you could watch "Young Frankenstein", a comedy directed by him and starring Gene Wilder.
I second that!
I second that second!!
Rarely does a "Blazing Saddles" edit include my fav (obviously Richard Pryor) line. "Don't mess with the brother's FINE!"
9:00
Yes, the one and only Count Basie and his band.
Hedley Lamar, the villain of the story, was named after Hedy Lamar, a well admired actress. She caught wind that the film was being made with the "use" or, better yet, a parody of her name. She then took legal action on the production of Blazing Saddles. Mel Brooks said, "She's Hedy Lamar! Pay her! She was in Algiers with Charles Boyer!" He then said, "Can we meet her?!"
Thus, the joke wrote itself. "This is 1874! You'll be able to sue _her!_ "
I have a lot of respect for Hedy Lamarr, who was quite accomplished in many ways. I think it was petty of her to sue them over the jokes on her name though. "Algiers" is a pretty good movie by the way.
Hedy Lamarr, one of the most beautiful actresses in the golden age of Hollywood, was also a genius inventor and scientist who contributed to the war effort by designing a guidance system for the US navies notoriously unreliable torpedoes that employed spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to avoid being jammed. While her system was ultimately rejected by the navy for being to large to fit into a torpedo the use of its electronic technologies was adapted under different patents to most modern torpedoes after the war.
@Fred-vy1hm Actually, she covered her tracks with a patent. The Navy shot her down and waited for the copyright to expire. Then they stole it from her. Sneaky like the submarines they cruise around in.
Your reactions are PRICELESS! 🤠
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@@JynxRyl I have just Subscribed as I enjoyed your intelligent reaction Ladies.
Mel Brooks was,also,the Indian Chief who let those people in their Wagon Train through.
It was written by Mel Brooks and RIchard Pryor. Mel Brooks spoof of Star Wars is brilliant, it is called Spaceballs and is very very funny!!!
One of the greatest and funniest films of Mel's
The character of Mongo was played by former NFL player Alex Karris. He later went on to play the Dad in the TV show "Webster".
My favorite lines are: " Well, can't you see that's the last act of a desperate man?"
"We don't care if it's the first act of Henry V...." 🤣🤣🤣
Unfortunately one of the punchlines that was written by Richard Pryor was successfully censored by Warner Bros. When Lili Von Shtupp says "Is it twue the way you people are....gifted? Oh... its twue, its twue!" Bart was supposed to reply with "Uh, ma'am? Youre sucking on my arm"
EDIT: also, for reference, white folks of non-Irish descent (particularly of English descent) used to discriminate againt people of Irish descent pretty heavily in the US. (The English in Britain do still discriminate against the Irish, but thats another matter entirely)
You ladies are as funny as the movie😅
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The sheriff is near!
Breaks my heart that nobody ever gets the Laurel and Hardy handshake line...
Might be Mel Brooks's best movie, though I'm partial to Spaceballs, for childhood reasons. Richard Pryor was co-writer, and he was supposed to play the sheriff. In case you don't know about Pryor (because you're young), he was a very famous stand-up and an actor in the 70's and 80's. Pryor and Wilder (Waco Kid) did a bunch of movies together and I'd recommend Silver Streak (1976) especially.
Young Frankenstein is another great Mel Brooks movie of this time.
There was many script writers involved in making this movie, including Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor. Enjoyed your reaction.
This is going to be fire!
Such a great channel, LOVE watching y'all's reactions. Thanks for the laughs ✌️
"...but we don't want the Irish!"
This is from a behind-the-scenes conversation about how they had managed to offend every minority (blacks, Asians, homosexuals, Jews, etc.), but someone noted that no one had insulted the Irish, so the line went into the movie.
Anti-Irish discrimination was a real big thing for a while, and that actor is Irish.
@@mikejankowski6321 That was why they ended up with so many Irish cops in New York. Nobody else wanted to be a police officer back then and with so many others discriminating against Irish immigrants there were plenty of them happy to take those jobs.
In the 1840's, swarms of Irish came to America during the Potato Famine. It was typical to find next to signs for job seekers "Irish need not apply."
@@hackerx7329 " Nobody else wanted to be a police officer back then..." You just completely excluded black people in that "Nobody else..." Black people wanted those jobs as well but white people wouldn't allow it. When they finally did allow just a few black police officers back then...they could not ever arrest, detain or enforce the law against white people only black people.
The first slaves imported to the US were Irish.
The word Slave comes from the Slavic peoples.
Do what he say do what he saaaay!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hard to believe that of all the main characters, the only one living is Mel Brooks. The Mayor/ Indian Chief, and the Director of the film.
Hedy Lamarr was a famous actress years ago. So Hedley is a play on her name.
Most people don't get the "Laurel and Hardy" handshake joke...
Maybe I'm just old 😢😢😂😂
People need to rediscover Laurel and Hardy. The sooner the better.
"That's the end of this suit."
There was a popular actress in the 40's named Heddy Lamar which is the basis for the recurring gag with Hedley Lamar's name.
Not just an actress, she came up with the idea of what became bluetooth.
Mel Brooks directed and co-wrote Blazing Saddles with Richard Pryor. Awesome movie.
The chemistry between Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder in this movie is top notch
Hard to believe what it would be like with Mel Brooks’ original choice for The Waco Kid, John Wayne.
Mel Brooks co-wrote with Richard Pryor who was going to play Bart until he had legal troubles and had to step back.
its a funny little joke that the school teacher of the town isnt good at public speaking when you consider there are no kids in the town.
There is a story that during a crew meeting Brooks said that it was OK to offend people as long as you offend everyone. A crew member spoke up and said that he was Irish and hadn't been offended. So that is how the line about the Irish got added to the movie.
Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor wrote this film in the early 1970’s. They didn’t hold back on the corny, slapstick comedy or anything else for that matter. Degrading everyone from whites, blacks, native Americans basically everyone that walks on two legs😂😂😂. Thanks for sharing the video post ladies. God bless ❤
Mel Brooks played both the governor and the Indian chief. The chief is speaking in Yiddish.
_Blazing Saddles_ is a movie about racism. The entire point of the movie is that racism is stupid. More specifically, _Blazing Saddles_ is about the racism that was evident in Western movies and television at the time. One of the forms that racism took was in the hiring of Jews to play Indians, based on the stereotype that Jews have swarthy skin. Since Mel Brooks is Jewish, and lost most of his family in the Holocaust, there was no way that he was going to leave Jews out of this movie, hence the Indian chief, who was, indeed, played by a Jew.
Mel Brooks also played the Indian Chief and a person on line waiting to sign up to destroy Rock Ridge
"What is this?" This is the greatest comedy of all time. No reason to be shocked or offended about anything in it. It is funny how you take some scenes so literal and serious and don't necessarily understand the joke.
They got this movie extremely well! Especially considering age and native country
Your mini-review stating “”It’s just giggles” is perfect. I saw it when it was released and am amazed at how well it holds up. Some of the language would be seen as offensive if it was made today (as evidenced by your editing), but its good intentions and its focus on silliness keeps it in the category of classic comedies.
The language was offensive when the film was made.
One of the main things Mel Brooks wanted to offend everybody.
Glad y'all enjoyed this film. Many people back then didn't even know Mel Brooks is Jewish. The film's premise is to make fun of racism and racists especially. It had a Star studded cast with most being well established comedians. The guy who played Mongo was a NFL Pro hall of famer. The cowboy at the beginning, "can't be more 'den ahunderd fourteen!", he was already a famous western actor.
In the scene where Gene Wilder is comforting Cleavon Little after his debacle with the elderly lady, when Gene said, "You know. Morons." Cleavon actually broke character. That was Cleavon laughing at the joke, not the sheriff. It fit so well in the moment, Mel kept it in the final cut.
The gentleman who was to give "a laurel and hearty handshake" as the sheriff arrived, the actor was the boss of Tom Selleck's 'Magnum P.I.'.
Thats a Laurel and Hardy (Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy - an early slapstick comedy duo) handshake.
@@aaronbredon2948 ha, could be
As you noticed, a running gag in the movie is ... the more racist a person is, the dumber they are. Not sure if that is a gag, it is more a point that the movie is trying to make, but in a funny way.
Mel Brookes missed a good marketing for the movie. Having it starring Cleavon LITTLE and Gene WILDER, the tag line should of been ... Things just got a LITTLE WILDER.
That is very creative. But what he did use, "Never Give a Saga an Even Break" was ideal.
Good one! Never heard anyone ever come up with that before.
0:30 It was 117 the other day here in Phoenix...
"Meeting is adjourned" "It is??" "No, you SAY that!" "What??" "Meeting is adjourned" "It is??" "No, you SAY that!" "What??" "Meeting is adjourned!!" "It is??!?"...............
Nice reaction. Mel Brooks is definitely one of my favorites. Would suggest you both "hystory of the world" from him :D
I love these old comedies. They're extremely unafraid XD.
0:43 "They sound _good."_
Yes, but they're sounding good performing a song that was first composed and performed by Frank Sinatra in the 1934 Broadway musical _Anything Goes._ This movie is set in 1874, about 60 years _ahead_ of it.
Cole Porter wrote "I get a kick out of you." Frank Sinatra was one of many, many people who covered it. He didn't sing it in the original musical - he first sang it in the 1950s. And yes, this is one of hundreds of intentional anachronisms in the movie.
the man on the horse is a reference to Hung like a horse
It's weird watching young people struggling to comprehend absurdism.
Just before 1:15 he rides in and says what in the wide wide world of sports is going on here.
"The Wide Wide World of Sports" was before ESPN.
You two are so cute together!!
Another gag that no one ever picks up on, when the schoolmarm reads her letter to the governor in front of the congregation, she says that she's not used to public speaking. 🤔 She's a school teacher! 😆
But are there any children in town? I didn't see any.
@bobbuethe1477 It's true, we never see any, but I think it's just a part of the story that Brooks didn't bother to demonstrate. It's just implied when the preacher introduces her as their "esteemed schoolmarm".
The famous "you know...morons!" line was improvised by Gene Wilder. :)
The indian chief was played by Mel Brooks. And he was speaking Yiddish, which is not a Native American language. He let the black family go because he knew the whites were prejudice, so he was giving them a break.
Mel Brooks' Governor makes me think of Greg Abbott everytime, but then again, Greg Abbott never makes me laugh.
The movie is satire and parody. I see that you ladies were confused at the humor quite a bit during this reaction. You were taking some of the zany scenes a lil' too seriously by trying to apply logic...LMAO. The style of comedy is not just 'parody'...it's like a live-action cartoon (such as Bugs Bunny etc). Anyway, many commenters already explained what the movie is about, so I won't go into extra detail. But although this movie was long before my time, and as a black man, I still consider 'Blazing Saddles' to be one of the top 5 greatest comedies ever in cinematic history. This is a classic!!!
Y'all ain't ready for this
Nobody is the first time.
1. Mel Brooks played the Governor, the Indian Chief and one of the thug roundup.
2. Mel Brooks doesn't just break the 4th wall he shatters, steps on and grinds it into the ground.
3. The preacher/Liam Dunn also plays in Young "Frankenstein" as Mr. Hilltop. Madeline Kahn also had a smallish role in it.
4. Imagine how much fun this was to make.🤣🤣🤣🤣
5. The line, "You know morons" was ad lib by Wilder. Little's reaction was real.
6. The guy that was supposed to play Jim showed up the first day drunk so he was let go.
Wilder agreed to do this movie for Mel Brooks only if Mel would direct Young Frankenstein for him.
7. Richard Pryor was supposed to play Bart but he was going through his addictions at the time and they thought it wouldn't be a good idea. However, he did some of the writing.
8. Jim still has his popcorn from the theater.
Movie suggestion "Young Frankenstein" with Gene Wilder
Thanks for another great reaction, you two are wonderful.
Richard Pryor was one of the writers, Mel Brooks was concerned about the racist language but Pryor and others convinced him to keep it in.
"Shes old and already dying" ... lmfao
Fun one, Ladies! 😄
Richard Pryor co-wrote the script