list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Blazing Saddles on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Blazing_Saddles/3615/default.aspx Title: Blazing Saddles
Year: 1974
Director: Mel Brooks
Plot: Vulgar, crude, and occasionally scandalous in its racial humor, this hilarious bad-taste spoof of Westerns, co-written by Richard Pryor, features Cleavon Little as the first black sheriff of a stunned town scheduled for demolition by an encroaching railroad. Little and co-star Gene Wilder have great chemistry, and the delightful supporting cast includes Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, and Madeline Kahn as a chanteuse modelled on Marlene Dietrich. As in Young Frankenstein (1974), Silent Movie (1976), and High Anxiety (1977), director/writer Mel Brooks gives a burlesque spin to a classic Hollywood movie genre; in his own manic, Borscht Belt way, Brooks was a central player in revising classic genres in light of Seventies values and attitudes, an effort most often associated with such directors as Robert Altman and Peter Bogdanovich . Some of this film's sequences, notably a gaseous bean dinner around a campfire, have become comedy classics. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 46
Number of Lists: 78
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:09:09 GMTBlazing Saddles1974Mel BrooksVulgar, crude, and occasionally scandalous in its racial humor, this hilarious bad-taste spoof of Westerns, co-written by <a href="/players/P___107177/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Richard Pryor</a>, features <a href="/players/P____42706/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Cleavon Little</a> as the first black sheriff of a stunned town scheduled for demolition by an encroaching railroad. Little and co-star <a href="/players/P___116771/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gene Wilder</a> have great chemistry, and the delightful supporting cast includes <a href="/players/P____39121/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Harvey Korman</a>, <a href="/players/P____56691/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Slim Pickens</a>, and <a href="/players/P____36650/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Madeline Kahn</a> as a chanteuse modelled on <a href="/players/P____19148/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Marlene Dietrich</a>. As in <a href=/films/39355/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Young Frankenstein</a> (1974), <a href=/films/31299/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Silent Movie</a> (1976), and <a href=/films/15338/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>High Anxiety</a> (1977), director/writer <a href="/players/P____83158/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Mel Brooks</a> gives a burlesque spin to a classic Hollywood movie genre; in his own manic, Borscht Belt way, Brooks was a central player in revising classic genres in light of Seventies values and attitudes, an effort most often associated with such directors as <a href="/players/P____79456/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Altman</a> and <a href="/players/P____82288/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Peter Bogdanovich</a> . Some of this film's sequences, notably a gaseous bean dinner around a campfire, have become comedy classics. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide46Tag Target (>10)78624http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t85873oudgo.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Blazing_Saddles/3615/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/2/27/40713.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/27/2009 6:02:03 PM
Body: Who knew that the 1985 board game adaptation Clue had so many fans? These people certainly weren’t around 24 years ago when the movie opened 6th at the box office, behind even the terrible Santa Claus: The Movie in its third week (I’ll admit, though, Santa Claus is one of my dear guilty pleasures). But suddenly, via the internet, loyalists are everywhere, up in arms over news that a new Clue adaptation is moving forward as if the original were as popular a film as the 1985 box office champ Back to the Future (which grossed as much as 14 times more than Clue). Well, I am with the devoted to an extent. I have loved Clue since seeing it in the theater, and am embarrassed to admit it was probably the film that introduced me to the comic talents of Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn and Michael McKean (what can I say except that I was 8 and hadn’t yet seen Rocky Horror, Blazing Saddles or Spinal Tap?). But I’m not joining the protest, because I know we’ll always have the original movie. Plus, I recognize that it was anything but an original idea (never mind that it was based on a board game; hasn’t anyone see Murder By Death?). And besides, the new version, to be directed by Pirates of the Caribbean’s Gore Verbinski, hardly sounds anything like either the game or the first film. “Global thriller and transmedia event”? I don’t know what that is, but it isn’t the Clue I played. After the jump, the internerds weigh in on their love for Clue or (gasp!) their excitement for Verbinski’s effort: Cinematical’s Monika Bartyzel apparently loves Clue enough to compare it to some of the most beloved classics and cult favorites: “Nothing is sacred. Get ready, because I’m sure Gin, The Movie is on its way, as well as remakes of Gone with the Wind and Citizen Kane, plus someone with enough cojones to try and replicate Bruce Campbell’s Ash.” Adam B. Vary at PopWatch relays Entertainment Weekly editor Nicholas Fonseca’s opinion that the news is “blasphemy” and offers his own praise of the first film: You could scarcely ask for a better script — Professor Plum: “What are you afraid of, a fate worse than death?” Mrs. Peacock: “No, just death, isn’t that enough?” — or a more talented cast. But even if you (inexplicably) think this film of dubious quality, or have absolutely no idea what I’m even talking about, I think we can all agree on this: There is absolutely no need for another movie based on the Hasbro board game Clue. Josh Taylor at Cinema Blend has similar praise: “The original, hilarious, 1985 take on the mystery solving board game sported an incredible ensemble cast led by the likes of Tim Curry, and it’s brilliance defies duplication.” Vulture claims that “everyone loves the campy original,” hence the “humorless-sounding” description of this new version. Nicole at Collider looks forward to the new movie: “Verbinski’s ‘Clue’ already has a leg up on its predecessor, however.  It has a director who knows how to take a crassly commercial concept (there’s nothing more crassly commercial than a ride at Disneyland) and turn it into something sublime.” Snarkarati’s Kirsten Anderson clearly hasn’t noticed the unhappy masses and therefore agrees with Nicole: “There was a previous film version of Clue made in 1985, but it was apparently dreadful, so Verbinski has nowhere to go but up.” “maestro610″ agrees in his comment on Cinematical: “If he wants to do this I’ve got to imagine that he’s interested in putting together something that could fit next to the original. We are talking about a movie based on a board game… remember all the explanation necessary is that its a new game. Don’t disacknowledge the original just step away from it.” Megorious seems fine with Verbinski directing, but not necessarily because of his surprising success with Pirates: “Hopefully Verbinski’s version of Clue will be more like his Mousehunt and less like most everything else he’s ever made.” Commenting on PopWatch, “jd” offers up another idea for the new film: “The movie they should make- in the 70’s, National Lampoon magazine did a ghetto parody, called ‘CLOO’. The character names were a bit more urban, and the weapons were straight razors and blackjacks. Very funny, in those non-PC times!” And at Screengrab, Scott Von Doviak sees the potential for a better film with the right casting: “I may be imagining things here, but I seem to recall a notorious bomb from the ‘80s adapted from Clue. And yet … Let the Johnny Depp as Colonel Mustard rumors start now.” Meanwhile, people are commenting all over the web with ideas for who to cast in the new version, but my favorite is this old chestnut, suggested by “Furzee” at Aint It Cool News: “Kate Moss as the candlestick…” And now I present my favorite 25 seconds of the film (boy, do I miss Madeline Kahn): Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:02:03 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com2/27/2009 6:02:03 PMWho knew that the 1985 board game adaptation Clue had so many fans? These people certainly weren’t around 24 years ago when the movie opened 6th at the box office, behind even the terrible Santa Claus: The Movie in its third week (I’ll admit, though, Santa Claus is one of my dear guilty pleasures). But suddenly, via the internet, loyalists are everywhere, up in arms over news that a new Clue adaptation is moving forward as if the original were as popular a film as the 1985 box office champ Back to the Future (which grossed as much as 14 times more than Clue). Well, I am with the devoted to an extent. I have loved Clue since seeing it in the theater, and am embarrassed to admit it was probably the film that introduced me to the comic talents of Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn and Michael McKean (what can I say except that I was 8 and hadn’t yet seen Rocky Horror, Blazing Saddles or Spinal Tap?). But I’m not joining the protest, because I know we’ll always have the original movie. Plus, I recognize that it was anything but an original idea (never mind that it was based on a board game; hasn’t anyone see Murder By Death?). And besides, the new version, to be directed by Pirates of the Caribbean’s Gore Verbinski, hardly sounds anything like either the game or the first film. “Global thriller and transmedia event”? I don’t know what that is, but it isn’t the Clue I played. After the jump, the internerds weigh in on their love for Clue or (gasp!) their excitement for Verbinski’s effort: Cinematical’s Monika Bartyzel apparently loves Clue enough to compare it to some of the most beloved classics and cult favorites: “Nothing is sacred. Get ready, because I’m sure Gin, The Movie is on its way, as well as remakes of Gone with the Wind and Citizen Kane, plus someone with enough cojones to try and replicate Bruce Campbell’s Ash.” Adam B. Vary at PopWatch relays Entertainment Weekly editor Nicholas Fonseca’s opinion that the news is “blasphemy” and offers his own praise of the first film: You could scarcely ask for a better script — Professor Plum: “What are you afraid of, a fate worse than death?” Mrs. Peacock: “No, just death, isn’t that enough?” — or a more talented cast. But even if you (inexplicably) think this film of dubious quality, or have absolutely no idea what I’m even talking about, I think we can all agree on this: There is absolutely no need for another movie based on the Hasbro board game Clue. Josh Taylor at Cinema Blend has similar praise: “The original, hilarious, 1985 take on the mystery solving board game sported an incredible ensemble cast led by the likes of Tim Curry, and it’s brilliance defies duplication.” Vulture claims that “everyone loves the campy original,” hence the “humorless-sounding” description of this new version. Nicole at Collider looks forward to the new movie: “Verbinski’s ‘Clue’ already has a leg up on its predecessor, however.  It has a director who knows how to take a crassly commercial concept (there’s nothing more crassly commercial than a ride at Disneyland) and turn it into something sublime.” Snarkarati’s Kirsten Anderson clearly hasn’t noticed the unhappy masses and therefore agrees with Nicole: “There was a previous film version of Clue made in 1985, but it was apparently dreadful, so Verbinski has nowhere to go but up.” “maestro610″ agrees in his comment on Cinematical: “If he wants to do this I’ve got to imagine that he’s interested in putting together something that could fit next to the original. We are talking about a movie based on a board game… remember all the explanation necessary is that its a new game. Don’t disacknowledge the original just step away from it.” Megorious seems fine with Verbinski directing, but not necessarily because of his surprising success with Pirates: “Hopefully Verbinski’s version of Clue will be more like his Mousehunt and less like most everything else he’s ever made.” Commenting on PopWatch, “jd” offers up another idea for the new film: “The movie they should make- in the 70’s, National Lampoon magazine did a ghetto parody, called ‘CLOO’. The character names were a bit more urban, and the weapons were straight razors and blackjacks. Very funny, in those non-PC times!” And at Screengrab, Scott Von Doviak sees the potential for a better film with the right casting: “I may be imagining things here, but I seem to recall a notorious bomb from the ‘80s adapted from Clue. And yet … Let the Johnny Depp as Colonel Mustard rumors start now.” Meanwhile, people are commenting all over the web with ideas for who to cast in the new version, but my favorite is this old chestnut, suggested by “Furzee” at Aint It Cool News: “Kate Moss as the candlestick…” And now I present my favorite 25 seconds of the film (boy, do I miss Madeline Kahn): Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_TOP_5_MOVIES_TO_TEACH_AN_ALIEN_ABOUT_EARTH/563/31761/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: indieabby88
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 6/26/2008 10:06:25 PM
Body: Well, I figure if an alien shows up on earth, they're going to want to converse with people. And in order to communicate with people these days, you're going to need to know movie quotes, especially if you're talking to somebody in the 18-to-35-year-old demographic. So, here goes: quotable movies you need to be familiar with to function in modern society: 1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail...Although they might like "Life of Brian" better. 2. Blazing Saddles-Get some classic Mel Brooks in there. 3. Fight Club-Do I really need to explain this one? 4. Knocked Up-Considering Judd Apatow is everywhere these days, and this is the movie that's been getting the most references of late. Also explains a lot about American culture: we're oversexed and enjoy jokes about pot and bodily functions. 5. It's a Wonderful Life-Shows the classic American "can-do" spirit the way only Capra can, it's watched by millions of people every Christmas and (at least in my family) it's just one of those movies you "have to know."
]]>Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:06:25 GMTindieabby88Filmgaming6/26/2008 10:06:25 PMWell, I figure if an alien shows up on earth, they're going to want to converse with people. And in order to communicate with people these days, you're going to need to know movie quotes, especially if you're talking to somebody in the 18-to-35-year-old demographic. So, here goes: quotable movies you need to be familiar with to function in modern society: 1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail...Although they might like "Life of Brian" better. 2. Blazing Saddles-Get some classic Mel Brooks in there. 3. Fight Club-Do I really need to explain this one? 4. Knocked Up-Considering Judd Apatow is everywhere these days, and this is the movie that's been getting the most references of late. Also explains a lot about American culture: we're oversexed and enjoy jokes about pot and bodily functions. 5. It's a Wonderful Life-Shows the classic American "can-do" spirit the way only Capra can, it's watched by millions of people every Christmas and (at least in my family) it's just one of those movies you "have to know." http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/5/30/30219.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 5/30/2008 6:01:00 PM
Body: It’s a sad day for Mel Brooks fans. With us still mourning yesterday’s passing of Harvey Korman, who appears in a number of Brooks’ films, today Page Six reports that the Spaceballs director is “quietly shuttering” his film production company, Brooksfilms. In addition to Brooks’ directorial works from A History of the World: Part 1 through Dracula: Dead and Loving It, the company also made such films as The Elephant Man, 84 Charing Cross Road, My Favorite Year and one of my childhood favorites, the underrated guilty pleasure Solarbabies. I first caught wind of the news from Stu over at Defamer, and seeing as how his post features a montage of Brooksfilm clips that excludes Solarbabies (for which he apologizes), I present you with a clip from the film here. Isn’t it great to know that breakdance and beatboxing is still cool in the waterless post-apocalyptic future? Another thing that would be cool in the future: a Broadway adaptation of Solarbabies. Hopefully Brooks will forget about that Blazing Saddles musical that’s rumored to be in the works and concentrate on bringing one of his non-classics to the stage. It’d be kinda like Starlight Express meets Urinetown. If Xanadu can be a hit and Young Frankenstein can’t, I say this idea should at least be explored. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 30 May 2008 22:01:00 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com5/30/2008 6:01:00 PM It’s a sad day for Mel Brooks fans. With us still mourning yesterday’s passing of Harvey Korman, who appears in a number of Brooks’ films, today Page Six reports that the Spaceballs director is “quietly shuttering” his film production company, Brooksfilms. In addition to Brooks’ directorial works from A History of the World: Part 1 through Dracula: Dead and Loving It, the company also made such films as The Elephant Man, 84 Charing Cross Road, My Favorite Year and one of my childhood favorites, the underrated guilty pleasure Solarbabies. I first caught wind of the news from Stu over at Defamer, and seeing as how his post features a montage of Brooksfilm clips that excludes Solarbabies (for which he apologizes), I present you with a clip from the film here. Isn’t it great to know that breakdance and beatboxing is still cool in the waterless post-apocalyptic future? Another thing that would be cool in the future: a Broadway adaptation of Solarbabies. Hopefully Brooks will forget about that Blazing Saddles musical that’s rumored to be in the works and concentrate on bringing one of his non-classics to the stage. It’d be kinda like Starlight Express meets Urinetown. If Xanadu can be a hit and Young Frankenstein can’t, I say this idea should at least be explored. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/4/25/27819.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 4/25/2008 4:00:30 PM
Body: The sequel to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle opens in theaters today, and you can read my SXSW review of the movie, titled Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, over here. Though I enjoyed it, H&K2 disappointed me for taking on too much plot. But apparently some other reviews are favoring the second installment, and according to Craig Phillips at Green Cine, the matter has critics divided. Phillips, who marginally prefers the sequel, uses the opportunity to revisit those sequels that improved upon the original. Obviously, the list includes The Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and The Road Warrior. However, surprisingly, The Godfather Part II is not in the top ten, because he considers the first and second films tied, and he claims both Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Gremlins 2: The New Batch are only honorable mentions, because their definite superiority is up for debate (true, I’ve never been able to decide if I like them better than their respective counterparts). Over at Entertainment Weekly, there’s another list associated with H&K2 in honor of Neil Patrick Harris’ return as “himself”. It’s a list of favorite performances by stars playing themselves, and it features my favorite cameo of all time, Kurt Vonnegut in Back to School. While thanks to Entourage and Extras, it has become too popular nowadays to lampoon your celebrity through exaggeration or false self-representation, I think Harris does rise above in the H&K movies. It’s probably only secondary to John Malkovich’s good sportsmanship in appearing as himself in a film titled Being John Malkovich. And here’s one more: Cinematical’s Jette Kernion continues the comparisons between H&K2 and Blazing Saddles (which I hear may be turned into a Broadway musical, unfortunately) by coming up with seven “Deliberately Offensive (But Fun) Comedies.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:00:30 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com4/25/2008 4:00:30 PMThe sequel to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle opens in theaters today, and you can read my SXSW review of the movie, titled Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, over here. Though I enjoyed it, H&K2 disappointed me for taking on too much plot. But apparently some other reviews are favoring the second installment, and according to Craig Phillips at Green Cine, the matter has critics divided. Phillips, who marginally prefers the sequel, uses the opportunity to revisit those sequels that improved upon the original. Obviously, the list includes The Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and The Road Warrior. However, surprisingly, The Godfather Part II is not in the top ten, because he considers the first and second films tied, and he claims both Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Gremlins 2: The New Batch are only honorable mentions, because their definite superiority is up for debate (true, I’ve never been able to decide if I like them better than their respective counterparts). Over at Entertainment Weekly, there’s another list associated with H&K2 in honor of Neil Patrick Harris’ return as “himself”. It’s a list of favorite performances by stars playing themselves, and it features my favorite cameo of all time, Kurt Vonnegut in Back to School. While thanks to Entourage and Extras, it has become too popular nowadays to lampoon your celebrity through exaggeration or false self-representation, I think Harris does rise above in the H&K movies. It’s probably only secondary to John Malkovich’s good sportsmanship in appearing as himself in a film titled Being John Malkovich. And here’s one more: Cinematical’s Jette Kernion continues the comparisons between H&K2 and Blazing Saddles (which I hear may be turned into a Broadway musical, unfortunately) by coming up with seven “Deliberately Offensive (But Fun) Comedies.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/3/27/26656.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 3/27/2008 2:30:32 PM
Body: Cinematic parody as it once was is dead. And after much searching and researching, I have found the murderer of this under-appreciated sub-genre of filmmaking. It’s Waldo. Oh sure, the bespectacled, striped-ski-cap-sporting little geek likes to appear anonymous, but I am positive he is to blame for the current slate of “Movie” movies: “Epic Movie,” ”Date Movie” and, most recently, “Superhero Movie.” If he’s not guilty, ask yourself this, why is he always hiding? You see, it is my assertion that the latest generation of filmgoers was weaned on Waldo in their youths. At an early age, they were trained to snoop and search page after page for the skinny little dweeb, and they approach these films much the same way. “Hey, there’s Borat!” “Oh, that’s a reference to ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’” They do not concern themselves with narrative, character development, plot, rationality, common sense or any other law, be it cinematic or logic. Just throw in a quick bodily function gag or a hip-hop reference and they are pacified.This sad state rests solely on the scrawny shoulders of that elusive little nerd who populates the books of their youth. “Oh, there’s Waldo in Paris!” “Hey, isn’t that Waldo in Tiananmen Square?” The page is simply turned and the search begins anew. The declineIt’s easy to vilify Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer (the comedically bankrupt parents of such lowest-common-denominator fare as “Date Movie,” “Epic Movie” and “Meet the Spartans”) , or one of the 8,000 writers of the original “Scary Movie” (7, 629 of which were Wayans siblings).. But they are merely feeding the audience what it apparently wants. How else can you explain the fact that an intelligent (if flawed) stab at actual parody, “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” which actually harkened back to the days of “Airplane!” and “Naked Gun,” blinked in and out of theaters while the bottom-feeding “Spartans” landed atop the box office, making in its opening weekend almost what “Cox” earned in its entire theatrical run? “Cox” took the route traveled by the founding fathers of parody (that would be both Mel Brooks and the creative team of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abraham and David Zucker – collectively known as ZAZ), which meant building an original character based on a cinematic archetype and structuring a cohesive plot that had purpose. Conversely, “Spartans” merely planted actors who not only resembled their previous on-screen doppelgangers, but sometimes merely kept their original names in case it was too difficult for the audience to get it. Then plopped them in nearly identical settings and allowed someone to break wind, vomit, belch or breakdance (or any combination thereof). Now, apparently, mere imitation is the new parody. Storylines are cobbled with the only motive of tying the countless references crammed inside (“Spartans” mocks not only films like “300,” “Rambo,” and “Transformers,” but also makes room for television shows such as “American Idol,” “Heroes” and “Ugly Betty,” video games, commercials and even the MTV Music Video Awards). It’s the cinematic equivalent to sitting on the couch with someone who cannot stop flipping channels with the remote. The legacyDone properly, the parody film can enrich a generation with its writing. “Surely you can’t be serious?” you say. And any movie-lover worth his or her salt should be able to adequately answer that question.Take a look at some of these iconic statements made in parody films throughout the ages:· “Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!” (Blazing Saddles, 1974)· “Wait, Master. It may be dangerous. You go first!” (Young Frankenstein. 1974)· “Go away or I shall taunt you a second time. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!” (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975)· “ “ (Silent Movie, 1976)· “Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?” (Airplane! 1980)· “I know a little German… He's sitting over there.” (Top Secret!, 1984)· “Jane, since I've met you I've noticed things that I never knew were there before: birds singing, dew glistening on a newly formed leaf, stoplights” (Naked Gun, 1988)· “My eyes are ceramic. Caught a bazooka round at Little Big Horn. Or was it Okinawa? The one without the Indians.” (Hot Shots, 1991) The future?Has the eulogy been written for the parody, an archaic artifact left best to the memory, or is there a phoenix-like future for the genre? “Superhero Movie” does not inspire much hope. While it does boast a production credit from “Airplane’s” David Zucker, it was written and directed by Craig Mazin, who, aside from penning the latest two “Scary Movie” installments, has a handful of other minor credits to his name. Really, it does not matter who is behind the lens or the script of such films, as realized by “Dewey Cox,” which was backed by current comic “it-boy” Judd Apatow. No, I think any future hope for the parody film to make a comeback will rest in the homes of those raised on the exploits of Lt. Frank Drebin, Ted Striker, Hedly Lamarr, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (“that’s Franken-steen!”) and others who not only made us laugh, but made indelible marks in our cinematic psyche. For they now have children of their own who may one day demand a bit more sophistication with their humor and need to no longer help their children find that globe-trotting geek so innocently named Waldo and stop him in his tracks before he kills again.The future of comedy as you once knew may just depend on it.
]]>Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:30:32 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog3/27/2008 2:30:32 PMCinematic parody as it once was is dead. And after much searching and researching, I have found the murderer of this under-appreciated sub-genre of filmmaking. It&rsquo;s Waldo. Oh sure, the bespectacled, striped-ski-cap-sporting little geek likes to appear anonymous, but I am positive he is to blame for the current slate of &ldquo;Movie&rdquo; movies: &ldquo;Epic Movie,&rdquo; &rdquo;Date Movie&rdquo; and, most recently, &ldquo;Superhero Movie.&rdquo; If he&rsquo;s not guilty, ask yourself this, why is he always hiding? You see, it is my assertion that the latest generation of filmgoers was weaned on Waldo in their youths. At an early age, they were trained to snoop and search page after page for the skinny little dweeb, and they approach these films much the same way. &ldquo;Hey, there&rsquo;s Borat!&rdquo; &ldquo;Oh, that&rsquo;s a reference to &lsquo;Pirates of the Caribbean.&rsquo;&rdquo; They do not concern themselves with narrative, character development, plot, rationality, common sense or any other law, be it cinematic or logic. Just throw in a quick bodily function gag or a hip-hop reference and they are pacified.This sad state rests solely on the scrawny shoulders of that elusive little nerd who populates the books of their youth. &ldquo;Oh, there&rsquo;s Waldo in Paris!&rdquo; &ldquo;Hey, isn&rsquo;t that Waldo in Tiananmen Square?&rdquo; The page is simply turned and the search begins anew. The declineIt&rsquo;s easy to vilify Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer (the comedically bankrupt parents of such lowest-common-denominator fare as &ldquo;Date Movie,&rdquo; &ldquo;Epic Movie&rdquo; and &ldquo;Meet the Spartans&rdquo;) , or one of the 8,000 writers of the original &ldquo;Scary Movie&rdquo; (7, 629 of which were Wayans siblings).. But they are merely feeding the audience what it apparently wants. How else can you explain the fact that an intelligent (if flawed) stab at actual parody, &ldquo;Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,&rdquo; which actually harkened back to the days of &ldquo;Airplane!&rdquo; and &ldquo;Naked Gun,&rdquo; blinked in and out of theaters while the bottom-feeding &ldquo;Spartans&rdquo; landed atop the box office, making in its opening weekend almost what &ldquo;Cox&rdquo; earned in its entire theatrical run? &ldquo;Cox&rdquo; took the route traveled by the founding fathers of parody (that would be both Mel Brooks and the creative team of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abraham and David Zucker &ndash; collectively known as ZAZ), which meant building an original character based on a cinematic archetype and structuring a cohesive plot that had purpose. Conversely, &ldquo;Spartans&rdquo; merely planted actors who not only resembled their previous on-screen doppelgangers, but sometimes merely kept their original names in case it was too difficult for the audience to get it. Then plopped them in nearly identical settings and allowed someone to break wind, vomit, belch or breakdance (or any combination thereof). Now, apparently, mere imitation is the new parody. Storylines are cobbled with the only motive of tying the countless references crammed inside (&ldquo;Spartans&rdquo; mocks not only films like &ldquo;300,&rdquo; &ldquo;Rambo,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Transformers,&rdquo; but also makes room for television shows such as &ldquo;American Idol,&rdquo; &ldquo;Heroes&rdquo; and &ldquo;Ugly Betty,&rdquo; video games, commercials and even the MTV Music Video Awards). It&rsquo;s the cinematic equivalent to sitting on the couch with someone who cannot stop flipping channels with the remote. The legacyDone properly, the parody film can enrich a generation with its writing. &ldquo;Surely you can&rsquo;t be serious?&rdquo; you say. And any movie-lover worth his or her salt should be able to adequately answer that question.Take a look at some of these iconic statements made in parody films throughout the ages:&middot; &ldquo;Badges? We don&#39;t need no stinking badges!&rdquo; (Blazing Saddles, 1974)&middot; &ldquo;Wait, Master. It may be dangerous. You go first!&rdquo; (Young Frankenstein. 1974)&middot; &ldquo;Go away or I shall taunt you a second time. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!&rdquo; (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975)&middot; &ldquo; &ldquo; (Silent Movie, 1976)&middot; &ldquo;Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?&rdquo; (Airplane! 1980)&middot; &ldquo;I know a little German&hellip; He&#39;s sitting over there.&rdquo; (Top Secret!, 1984)&middot; &ldquo;Jane, since I&#39;ve met you I&#39;ve noticed things that I never knew were there before: birds singing, dew glistening on a newly formed leaf, stoplights&rdquo; (Naked Gun, 1988)&middot; &ldquo;My eyes are ceramic. Caught a bazooka round at Little Big Horn. Or was it Okinawa? The one without the Indians.&rdquo; (Hot Shots, 1991) The future?Has the eulogy been written for the parody, an archaic artifact left best to the memory, or is there a phoenix-like future for the genre? &ldquo;Superhero Movie&rdquo; does not inspire much hope. While it does boast a production credit from &ldquo;Airplane&rsquo;s&rdquo; David Zucker, it was written and directed by Craig Mazin, who, aside from penning the latest two &ldquo;Scary Movie&rdquo; installments, has a handful of other minor credits to his name. Really, it does not matter who is behind the lens or the script of such films, as realized by &ldquo;Dewey Cox,&rdquo; which was backed by current comic &ldquo;it-boy&rdquo; Judd Apatow. No, I think any future hope for the parody film to make a comeback will rest in the homes of those raised on the exploits of Lt. Frank Drebin, Ted Striker, Hedly Lamarr, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (&ldquo;that&rsquo;s Franken-steen!&rdquo;) and others who not only made us laugh, but made indelible marks in our cinematic psyche. For they now have children of their own who may one day demand a bit more sophistication with their humor and need to no longer help their children find that globe-trotting geek so innocently named Waldo and stop him in his tracks before he kills again.The future of comedy as you once knew may just depend on it. http://www.spout.com/blogs/kickstandsup/archive/2007/12/14/22846.aspx Post By: kickstandsup
Post To: kickstandsup Blog
Post Date: 12/14/2007 10:54:52 PM
Body: This is a classic. Although, if you watch this when it is not on Comedy Central, you better have a tough skin and be able to handle a lot of racial humor. There are some classic one liners in there and still hear many of the clips on the radio. Mel Brooks is a great director and this one is no exception. It is set in the old west and based on being politically correct, should probably remain there. Although, I do tend to get the DVD out at least once a year.
]]>Sat, 15 Dec 2007 03:54:52 GMTkickstandsupkickstandsup Blog12/14/2007 10:54:52 PMThis is a classic. Although, if you watch this when it is not on Comedy Central, you better have a tough skin and be able to handle a lot of racial humor. There are some classic one liners in there and still hear many of the clips on the radio. Mel Brooks is a great director and this one is no exception. It is set in the old west and based on being politically correct, should probably remain there. Although, I do tend to get the DVD out at least once a year. http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmspotting/Re_Top_5_Fight_The_Power_Movies/304/13807/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: alexcharner
Post To: Filmspotting
Post Date: 7/13/2007 9:48:46 AM
Body: 5 Blazing Saddles :) 4 When We Were Kings Ali Bumaye! 3 Pan's Labyrinth & The Devil's Backbone Guillermo Del Toro's genius on display. One orphan's boyhood ends, two great anti-fascist heroines inspire.2 Together Franco is Dead, Franco is Dead 1 Do The Right Thing Radio Raheem!
]]>Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:48:46 GMTalexcharnerFilmspotting7/13/2007 9:48:46 AM5 Blazing Saddles :) 4 When We Were Kings Ali Bumaye! 3 Pan's Labyrinth &amp; The Devil's Backbone Guillermo Del Toro's genius on display. One orphan's boyhood ends, two great anti-fascist heroines inspire.2 Together Franco is Dead, Franco is Dead 1 Do The Right Thing Radio Raheem! http://www.spout.com/blogs/zero/archive/2007/5/1/7893.aspx Post By: zero
Post To: zero Blog
Post Date: 5/1/2007 3:34:45 AM
Body: This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I love Mel Brooks films, he doesnt care who he afends. This is the kind of movie where you can get all kinds of quotes. Ah preirie shit somebody's got to go back and get a shit load of dimes!
]]>Tue, 01 May 2007 07:34:45 GMTzerozero Blog5/1/2007 3:34:45 AMThis is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I love Mel Brooks films, he doesnt care who he afends. This is the kind of movie where you can get all kinds of quotes. Ah preirie shit somebody&#39;s got to go back and get a shit load of dimes! http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
Number of films tagged: 609

Number of people who tagged: 317

Number of times used: 942

]]>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:10:58 GMT609317942Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
Number of films tagged: 816

Number of people who tagged: 312

Number of times used: 1453

]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMT8163121453Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/comedy/MemberTagFilms.aspxcomedy
Number of films tagged: 1087

Number of people who tagged: 253

Number of times used: 1342

]]>Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:38:30 GMT10872531342Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspxfriendship
Number of films tagged: 6791

Number of people who tagged: 154

Number of times used: 980

]]>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:42:20 GMT6791154980Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/overrated/MemberTagFilms.aspxoverrated
Number of films tagged: 152

Number of people who tagged: 106

Number of times used: 240

]]>Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:37:37 GMT152106240Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/marriage/MemberTagFilms.aspxmarriage
Number of films tagged: 3471

Number of people who tagged: 67

Number of times used: 267

]]>Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:39:11 GMT347167267Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/western/MemberTagFilms.aspxwestern
Number of films tagged: 93

Number of people who tagged: 64

Number of times used: 136

]]>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:09:54 GMT9364136Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/wife/MemberTagFilms.aspxwife
Number of films tagged: 2588

Number of people who tagged: 20

Number of times used: 70

]]>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:51:57 GMT25882070Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/slapstick/MemberTagFilms.aspxslapstick
Number of films tagged: 65

Number of people who tagged: 19

Number of times used: 30

]]>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:01:24 GMT651930Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/scam/MemberTagFilms.aspxscam
Number of films tagged: 30

Number of people who tagged: 15

Number of times used: 36

]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:02:27 GMT301536Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/politician/MemberTagFilms.aspxpolitician
Number of films tagged: 1569

Number of people who tagged: 14

Number of times used: 25

]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:59 GMT15691425Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/conscam/MemberTagFilms.aspxconscam
Number of films tagged: 2333

Number of people who tagged: 12

Number of times used: 19

]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:59 GMT23331219Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/dentist/MemberTagFilms.aspxdentist
Number of films tagged: 101

Number of people who tagged: 12

Number of times used: 16

]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:32:30 GMT1011216Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/bigotry/MemberTagFilms.aspxbigotry
Number of films tagged: 121

Number of people who tagged: 11

Number of times used: 13

]]>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:02:33 GMT1211113Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/sheriff/MemberTagFilms.aspxsheriff
Number of films tagged: 700

Number of people who tagged: 11

Number of times used: 22

]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:53:34 GMT7001122Tag