Where da White Women At?

Ah Blazing Saddles. A movie that would never be made today. Mel Brooks' directing with Richard Pryor's writing made this movie one of the funniest, craziest, and racist charged films of all times. The subtlety of Brooks using over-the-top racism as a social commentary on the stupidity of white society is largely lost on many of the PC-Friendly, touchy-feely crowd today.

Blazing Saddles has everything. Toilet Humor, sex appeal, action, physical comedy, great one-liners, unexpected twists, a stellar cast, and one of the most bizarre endings ever to a film.

What in the wide world a sports is a-goin on here!

Among my favorite scenes:

1) Where Cleavon Little takes himself hostage after arriving as the new sheriff.
2) The introduction of the hard-drinking Cisco Kid
3) Madeleine Khan in everything she did
4) As above, everything with Headley Lamar
5) the introduction of Mel Brooks as the cross-eyed, pervert governor
6) Mongo
7) The infamous baked-beans scene
8) The singing of the negro spiritual
9) The hangman during the public execution scene
10) The climactic fight scene at the end

I suppose a big part of the appeal of Blazing Saddles is the impropriety of the film in the 21st century. Like a sitcom set in a concentration camp (Hogan's Heroes) this film concept would never make it past overly sensitive American values today.

A wise man (the Coach) once told me that American's do not have the Constitutional right of NOT being offended. At the time I thought he was just plastered and talking out of his ass. But as the years have gone on, his words ring true. We are too overly sensitive and the pussification of America in the face of simple entertainment is the real offense.

That being said, Blazing Saddles in my #1 of the greatest comedy films ever.

I've had my 2 cents. Now it's your turn. Vote for what you think the best film is in Megaton Maynard's new weekend poll below!