Blazing Saddles

I think I was nine when I first saw Blazing Saddles, it was the first Mel Brooks movie I ever saw and the first time I ever heard the 'N' word used in a movie as a "joke". It was also the first time I ever had a crush on a black man. But I mean, come on, Cleavon Little was hot, hilarious, and witty, what's not to like. (Gene Wilder was a close second.)Filled with some of the funniest characters, Western or otherwise- with Slim Pickens as Taggart, Harvey Korman as Hedley Lamarr (It's 'HEAD-ly'),Madeline Kahn as Lili Von Shtupp (hilarious woman, very much an idol of mine, that accent alone kills me)and Mel Brooks as Governor William J. Lepetomane (and an Indian Chief ["You're darken then we are!" HAHAHA! love it.]) Blazing Saddles has held a special place in my heart for a long time. My dad's favorite scene was when the cowboys are around the camp fire and they're all eating beans and farting, yes, farting stirs all kinds of nostalgia for me... Apparently, after screening the movie, the head of Warner Brothers Pictures complained about the use of the 'N' word, the campfire scene and Mongo punching a horse, and told Brooks to remove all these elements from the film. Brooks' contract gave him control of the final cut, so the complaints were disregarded and all three elements were retained in the film with it holding the distinction of being the first film to display "flatulence". Awesome. Obviously, watching it now, I get alot more of the humor, but at nine it was pretty good for a laugh.