Netflix's Milestone Movies - The Anniversary Collection : Blazing Saddles (1974) and TV's Black Bart

0:03 Calaroga Shark Media. Welcome back to TV in the Basement. Today, we have a cinematic gem that's not just a classic, but a cultural milestone. We're delving into Netflix's Milestone Movies, the Anniversary Collection, and our spotlight is on the legendary nineteen seventy four film Blazing Saddles. Before we saddle up and dive into the wild and wacky world of Blazing Saddles, let's set the stage by exploring the significance of the year nineteen seventy four in cinema history. This year marked the fiftieth anniversary of the film industry, and Hollywood was determined to celebrate in style. In nineteen seventy four, Hollywood unleashed a creative whirlwind that produced some of the most memory and iconic films of all time. It was a time when classic movies were being churned out with extraordinary regularity. The Milestone Movies the Anniversary Collection on Netflix brings together fourteen of these cinematic treasures, and Blazing Saddles shines as one of the brightest stars in that constellation. But what makes Blazing Saddles so special, Well, my friends, that's what we're here to explore. Blazing Saddles is not your typical Western. It's a Western comedy, a genre bending masterpiece that shattered conventions and had audiences rolling in the aisles.

1:33 And at the helm of this comedic juggernaut was none other than the brilliant mel Brooks, who co wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Blazing Saddles is a riotous satire that takes aim at racism, stereotypes, and the Western genre itself. The story unfolds in the fictional town of rock Ridge, which is about to face its doom at the hands of a corrupt railroad developer. To hasten the destruction, the devious Attorney General head Lamar, played by the impeccable Harvey Korman, concocts a plan to appoint a black Sheriff Bart, portrayed by the incomparable Cleven Little. The idea is to create chaos and drive the townsfolk away from the moment Sheriff Bart sets foot in rock Ridge. The humor is relentless. The film uses sharp wit, slapstick comedy, and clever wordplay to skewer prejudice and bigotry. What's remarkable about Blazing Saddles is its audacious approach to tackling sensitive topics head on. Rather than tiptoeing around them, it boldly confronts them with humor that forces us to examine our own biases. Cleven Little stars as Sheriff Bart. Cleven's portrayal of the charming and quick witted Sheriff Bart is nothing short of brilliant. His comedic timing and charisma made Bart an iconic character. Gene Wilder is Jim the Waco Kid. Gene Wilder's portrayal of the drunken and gunslinging Waco Kid is a masterclass in comedic acting. His chemistry with Clevan Little's Bart is electric. The remainder of this great cast includes Harvey Corman as Attorney General Hedley Lamar. Harvey Corman's performance as the scheming and conniving Lamar

3:07 adds depth to the film's villainous character. Slim Pickens as Taggart. Slim Pickens's portrayal of the dim witted and bigoted Taggart provides many memorable moments in the film. Madelein Khan as Lilly von Stup. Madelein Khan's sultry and hilarious performance as the German cabaret singer Ley is a standout. Her musical number is a comedic highlight. Mel Brooks himself makes an appearance as the eccentric and flatulent Governor, delivering some of the film's most memorable lines. Now, let's delve into the heart of the film's plot, exploring its hilarious twists and turns, memorable moments, and enduring impact. The story begins with the construction of the first transcontinental railroad and were introduced to Attorney General Hedley Lamar. Lamar hatches a nefarious plan to root the new railroad through the peaceful town of rock Ridge, displacing its residents. To execute his plan, Lamar appoints Bart, a black railroad worker falsely accused of assaulting a white man, as the new sheriff of rock Ridge.

4:09 The idea is to create chaos and force the townspeople to abandon their homes. However, Bart is no ordinary sheriff. His intelligence, wit and charisma quickly went over the townsfolk despite initial resistance. As Bart settles into his role, he forms an unlikely friendship with Jim, known as the Waco Kid, the town's former alcoholic gunslinger. Together, they work to save rock Ridge from destruction. Meanwhile, Lamar enlists the help of the brutish Taggart to terrorize the town and drive Bart out. However, Bart and Jim, with the support of the townspeople, devis a daring plan to defend Rockridge. The film culminates in a spectacular and uproarious showdown, where Bart, Jim, and the residence of Rockridge face off against Lamar and his henchmen in a classic Western showdown that takes hilarity to a whole new level. Blazing Saddles is a riotous roller coaster ride filled with unforgettable moments such as the infamous campfire scene, the classic beans scene, and the uproarious mango sequence. It's a film that leaves no comedic stone unturned. Blazing Saddles received three OSCAR nominations. It was nominated for Best Film Editing, Best Original Song for Blazing Saddles, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Madeline Kahn's memorable performance as Lilly von Stupp. The film also received a nomination for the WGA Award for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen.

5:33 Mel Brooks and his co writers were recognized for their sharp and clever screenplay. In two thousand and six, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It was deemed culturally, historically, or esthetically significant. Black Bart was a sitcom concept that served as a pseudo spinoff of the iconic film Blaze Saddles. There's an intriguing tale associated with it. It's alleged that an entire four seasons of the show were filmed but remain unreleased, possibly in unedited and incomplete form to this day. The backstory to this unusual situation traces back to mel Brooks's clever legal maneuvering.

6:16 When negotiating the distribution contract with Warner Brothers for Blazing Saddles, Brooks included a clause that prevented the studio from gaining control of the Blazing Saddle's intellectual property for sequels, spin offs, and more unless they acted within six months of the movie's release. The intention behind this clause was somewhat absurd. It was challenging to create a TV show or sequel within such a tight time frame. However, Warner Brothers accepted the challenge and rushed to produce a TV series based on Blazing Saddles to retain the rights. The result was Black Bart, a Western spoof featuring a black sheriff and his fast drawing sidekick fighting corruption and bigotry in the Old West. While the pilot episode did a many more episodes were filmed but never made it to television screens. The reason behind this intriguing situation lies in a contractual loophole. The studio was indeed contractually obligated to create more episodes to maintain the rights to Blazing Saddles. Still, they found a way to avoid actually airing them, thus keeping the rights without having to release the full series. Mel Brooks himself has shared insights into this unique situation, recounting how his lawyers devised the brilliant clause in the contract. They anticipated that making a sequel in six months would be nearly impossible, and the film was considered too vulgar to become a TV show. However, in nineteen seventy seven, three years after the film's release, Warner Brothers approached mel Brooks with the idea of making another Blazing Saddles project. Brooks initially rejected the proposal, stating that they

7:50 didn't have the right to do so Warner Brothers countered by revealing that they had secretly been producing a TV series based on the film and still maintain control over the rights. Mel Brooks was shown three episodes of the series and the rest, as they say, is history. I'll be taking a look at more films in this exciting Netflix feature. Until next time, stay warm and hit that follow button as we all watch TV in the basement.