And the best Black and White movie ever is:

[nycsteve]

Hmmm, takes place in the 1800s. Railroad coming through town. New sheriff. Rustlers try to take over. People team up to fight the bad guys.

Yep, I don't see it either.

Since your protective of Blazing, then lets ask this. Is Spaceballs true Scifi or is it a satire or parody?

[nycsteve]

I am watching Inherit the Wind presently. If you want to see two remarkable actors playing each other's foil, then I can suggest no better movie than this one with Spencer Tracy and Frederic March.

Very true and BW to boot.
"The Gospel according to Brady! God speaks to Brady and Brady tells the world! Brady. Brady, Brady Almighty!"
So many good lines in this one.

I do not think about things I do not think about.

Do you ever think about the things you do think about?

[ronmac]

I am watching Inherit the Wind presently. If you want to see two remarkable actors playing each other's foil, then I can suggest no better movie than this one with Spencer Tracy and Frederic March.

I meant to mention that was on today. Man, is Frederick March amazing in that movie. That final court scene ... wow.

Since your protective of Blazing, then lets ask this. Is Spaceballs true Scifi or is it a satire or parody?

First of all, it's "you're," not "your." And it's "let's" not "lets."

Secondly, I'm not protective of anything.

Thirdly, I never saw more than a couple of minutes of Spaceballs, thought it was really stupid and moved on. So, I have no idea if it's "true sci-fi." I will leave it up to someone else to suggest.

Fourth, whether it's satire, parody, sci-fi in any combination or all of the above, they are not necessarily mutually exclusive of one another.

So, is "Westworld" sci-fi or a western? Can it not be both?

[nycsteve]

I meant to mention that was on today. Man, is Frederick March amazing in that movie. That final court scene ... wow.



First of all, it's "you're," not "your." And it's "let's" not "lets."

Secondly, I'm not protective of anything.

Thirdly, I never saw more than a couple of minutes of Spaceballs, thought it was really stupid and moved on. So, I have no idea if it's "true sci-fi." I will leave it up to someone else to suggest.

Fourth, whether it's satire, parody, sci-fi in any combination or all of the above, they are not necessarily mutually exclusive of one another.

So, is "Westworld" sci-fi or a western? Can it not be both?

Your spelling and grammar lesson indicates a protective attitude towards Blazing Saddles or its status as a western. I think the argument can be made that its a parody just by the inclusion of the gay dancers on the movie set in the finale. Then theres the tollbooth and other referances to modern day.
As far as Westworld I would say its scifi. Yul is a robot after all. I will go as far as saying Hell And High Water is a "modern " western in that it similar plotlines and feel of a classic or true western in Modern Day. Support Your Local Sheriff is a western and a comedy.

[NogbadTheBad]

A parody of a Western can also be a Western, these two things can be true.

[ronmac]

A parody of a Western can also be a Western, these two things can be true.

That's precisely my point. Thank you.

[Hal...]

You're all making me want to watch Blazing Saddles, now.

[NogbadTheBad]

You're all making me want to watch Blazing Saddles, now.

I've probably watched it 30 times

[ronmac]

[Halmyre]

I've probably watched it 30 times

Well, instead we could play chess, or...

[nycsteve]

A parody of a Western can also be a Western, these two things can be true.

Support Your Local Sheriff is a comedy and a western. As I see it the difference between Blazing and Support is that regardless of the fact that Support plays for laughs it takes place in the old west. Blazing on the other hand , as revealed in the final sequences with the Hollywood sets etc to have been a movie within a movie, taking place in modern time on a movie set.

Parody;
noun: an imitation of the style of a particular writer , artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect.
"the movie is a parody of the horror genre"
verb produce a humorously exaggerated imitation of.

note " imitation " appears in both definitions.

If Blazing is a parody, which I believe so, that doesn't make it less of a movie. Its funny as sh*t. My point is something cant be an imitation and the real thing simultaneously.

[Rogue Mail]

A parody of a Western can also be a Western, these two things can be true.

This raises another interesting issue, though slightly OT (still, not sure how we got from B/W movies to comedy westerns, but never mind).

I agree completely with the notion that films can mix genre's and do so successfully, they don't have to be one thing.

But one of the most lazy forms of journalism (which is also seen online frequently these days) is people who review a film that mixes multiple genre's very deliberately, and even does so successfully, for these people to downgrade the movie by saying something along the lines of 'It could not make its mind up what it wanted to be'.

It's as though for some people a movie must settle down into one single genre for it to be watchable for them...introduce something different into the mix and they seem to get confused. It's like different genres are not supposed to exist within one movie.

The notion that a writer or director deliberately wanted to mix different genre's seems like an alien concept to such people, and to them they just see it as a poorly directed/constructed movie.

There are probably plenty of examples, but one of the best ones and earliest examples would be Big Trouble In Little China. At the time a lot of critics and some audiences were confused by it, with its mixture of comedy, martial arts, magic and high adventure.

Granted, a lot of movies may do it more successfully than others. And I have seen some movies which have pulled switcheroo's and completely changed genres at some point which can be jarring. Brazil may be a good example of this, but that was deliberate (at least in the directors cut version).

[Hal...]

I've probably watched it 30 times

Well, I certainly don't like it that much.

[Jerjo]

I've seen Blazing Saddles quite a few times but not nearly as much as I've seen Young Frankenstein.

[ronmac]

I've seen Blazing Saddles quite a few times but not nearly as much as I've seen Young Frankenstein.

Same here. But, that's only because you can't air Blazing Saddles without being compelled to bleep-out the "N" word, which kills the movie. TCM, to their credit, showed it unedited not long ago.

[Staun]

I can see a little bit of truth in all the above posts regarding parody or the real thing. But, you must admit, Saddles threw us a curve at the end. It remains one of the funniest movies ever. "You will have the good taste not to mention I spoke to you". My friends and I continue to roll those lines at each other and we are always finding new people who love it. I think in some ways, people are afraid to talk about it. Lots of aspects to Inherit The Wind but Spencer was getting killed in Harrys' court. "How can they pass judgment if they don't know what it's all about"? I think the same thought process was used when the law was first written. I felt Colonial Brady was wrong when Rachel talked with him and the next day he exposed their confidential conversation on the stand. Gene Kelly almost stole the show. Just a great movie. Think I would like to be a Temporary Honorary anything.

[Staun]

Same here. But, that's only because you can't air Blazing Saddles without being compelled to bleep-out the "N" word, which kills the movie. TCM, to their credit, showed it unedited not long ago.

I remember you mentioning this and I missed it. If you recall, Brooks tried to help us out with this problem. "Can't you see that man is a ni"? Saddles and Young Frankenstein, is there a better back to back combo?

[Staun]

Vertigo Wednesday night I believe.

[Jerjo]

What astounds me is that Brooks made both films in the space of a year.

[Hal...]

I've seen Blazing Saddles quite a few times but not nearly as much as I've seen Young Frankenstein.

Same here.

Me, too. But that's because I think Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks' masterpiece.

Saddles and Young Frankenstein, is there a better back to back combo?

For comedies? Maybe not.


BTW, guys, there's a great interview with Gene Wilder from 2005 on NPR's Fresh Air. Click here to listen or download.

[ronmac]

Vertigo Wednesday night I believe.

8:00 PM Vertigo (1958)
10:30 PM North By Northwest (1959)
1:00 AM Psycho (1960)
3:00 AM Birds, The (1963)

Hard to top this list.

[Jerjo]

I'm going to have to record NBNW, it's been a very long time.

[Staun]

8:00 PM Vertigo (1958)
10:30 PM North By Northwest (1959)
1:00 AM Psycho (1960)
3:00 AM Birds, The (1963)

Hard to top this list.

Was never a big fan of The Birds. Tippi was adorable and I've liked Rod Taylor since The Time Machine. It just never did much for me.

[Hal...]

Was never a big fan of The Birds. Tippi was adorable and I've liked Rod Taylor since The Time Machine. It just never did much for me.

I was gonna say something similar about Vertigo.

I think Psycho is Hitch's magnum opus.

[ronmac]

I think Psycho is Hitch's magnum opus.

One of, maybe, three or four movies that I watch every time it's on.