BLAZING SADDLES

US, 1974, 93 minutes, Colour.
Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Mel Brooks.
Directed by Mel Brooks.

Satire-lovers, attention. Western-lovers, beware. Clearly intended as the satirical spoof to end all spoofs, this comedy parodies every western cliche, ridicules the solemnity of the western tradition and has a good go at contemporary U.S. problems - with a black sheriff and a Jewish ex-gunfighter as the heroes. Unfortunately, I cannot say it was hilarious; it was smiles rather than guffaws. American audiences would find it closer to home - and a touch of Yiddish for many jokes would help. The finale is over-exaggerated and an unnecessary coarseness pervades, But there is definitely a lot to smile at and the parody (especially Madeline Kahn's Dietrich take-off) is enjoyable.

1. The overall impact of this film? Its qualities of comedy? Its presentation of the west and its ingredients? The quality and tone of the parody? How do you explain the film's popularity with its audiences? As a film of the mid-'70s?

2. What are the main values of parody? The importance of the audience laughing at what is parodied? How is it important for the audience to laugh with characters and situations and jokes? Is there a moral purpose in parody? A judgment on people and situations? In this case a judgment on the west? How does parody heighten self-awareness by mockery and ridicule? Was this film a successful parody?

3. How effective was the humour? Was it consistent and well sustained? The cumulative effect of the comedy? The clever comedy, the jokes, the sight gags, the dialogue, the belly laughs? The humour of the ending and going beyond the west into the world of filming? How appropriate an ending for this kind of parody?

4. Comment on the basic ingredients of the western that were used: the black man, the arresting of the black man, the chain gang and the railways, the sheriff, a town and its life fights, the town jail, the saloon, the final siege and shoot-out. Comment on the way these were used for the development of the plot. Comment on how they were used and exaggerated for laughs. The insight into these ingredients via the laughs? The film's attention to small detail and the parody of many western films?

5. The impact of the opening, the old Warner Bros. sign, the use of colour, the ironic Frankie Laine song, the focus and the ridicule of a 'blazing saddle'? The emphasis on Black Bart? This being the original title of the film?

6. How important were the racial emphases of the film? The comment on the American negro situation by making Bart the hero? By showing white response to him, especially the hatred in its most blatant forms, e.g. the railway gangers, the people not wanting a black sheriff? The racial comment on the Indians: the flashback and the origins of the western family, the Jewish Indians' wagon, being in their own little ghetto? The racial comment on Jews? The Jewish characters, the Yiddish jokes?

7. The importance of the railway setting to give the atmosphere of the authentic west, the oppression of the chain gang? The irony then of Black Bart's song, and the men singing in a 'camp' fashion 'The Camptown Races'? The comment on the ambiguity of sexuality in the west?

8. Black Bart and his chic ensemble for becoming sheriff, e.g. his Gucci bag etc.? Bart's relationship with Jim? The morose and forlorn white man, his drinking problem, the moroseness? His introduction of himself in his monologue about his name being Jim? The irony of his being Bart's deputy? The place of Mongo in the town? Mongo being used by Bart? Lily being sent to seduce Hart and finishing up on his side? The irony of the black man as leader?

9. Comment on the role of Jim in the film, his helping of Bart. What were the strengths of his character? The comic aspects of his performance?

10. How humorous was the presentation of the town itself? The Johnson family and the humorous names? Seeing the families and the town at their religious service, the irony of their hymn and their singing about their town? The minister and his sermon? The welcoming committee for the new sheriff and their reaction? The way of life in the town and the parody of modern supermarket styles and big business?

11. What was being parodied in the character of Hedley Lamarr? The big time gangster and railroad man? His plots? His plotting with Taggart? Their scheme for the black sheriff to buy out the town? How humorous was this aspect of the plot?

12. What comment on American politics and government was being made through the character of the Governor? His parody of work? The girls in attendance? His irresponsibility and lack of awareness of what was going on? (The irony of the writer-director playing this part, as well as playing the part of the Jewish Indian?)

13. How serious was the parody commentary on political corruption etc.?

14. The character of Lily and the humour in the woman of the west? The parody of Marlene Dietrich in the songs and 'I'm Being Tired'? The flaunting of sex in the west? The seduction scene and the unexpected turn? Lily joining the goodies? The characteristics of Madeline Kahn's comic performance?

15. Comment on the presentation of the white cowboys and their vulgarity, especially the baked beans sequence? Their attack on their fellow men?

16. The humour of the signing up of the posse to besiege the town, e.g. the Hell's Angels, the Nazis, the Ku Klux Klanners and Black Bart and Jim disguised as Klanners? The humour of the siege of the town and its tricking of the attackers? The ironic details of the fight with women punching horses etc.?

17. Audience response to the transition to the musical sound stages at Warner Bros.? The nature of the musical being filmed? The 'camp' overtones of this musical and the response of the dancers and the director? The invasion and the mixing of the west and the musical? To what effect?

18. The presentation of Hollywood and the Hollywood tour, the Dream Factory and the tourist wanting to see the fantasy and seeing the mad chase?

19. How appropriate was the ending with the actors going to see themselves in the film? The irony of driving off in a car after riding their horses? The point behind this?

20. What achievement was this as a presentation of western comedy? How much was designed for laughs in themselves? How much moralising parody?