Tag Athenaeum: the inquisition (song)

October 7, 2011 · 22:59

Politics! Politics! Politics! Mel Brooks, the Roman Empire the Inquisition, the Former West and our Commonwealth

I love Mel Brooks movies and find them hysterically funny. Despite some of the class language and double entendres employed I find that they speak our political climate. Both Blazing Saddles and History of the World Office I came out in times of political and economic turmoil. Similar now when these films came out people were disillusioned and cynical about their political leaders.  The country was badly divided, racism was rampant while divisive social issues, a problem riddled military and economical malaise ruled the day.  The Soviet Wedlock seemed to be on the ascendant while some were writing the obituary of the U.s. and Western Europe.  At that place are a lot of similarities.

In such hard times most political leaders and their partisan followers are admittedly devoid of humor, as are most pundits and politically minded preachers.  Every bit a result everything becomes personal, and anyone that deviates from the political party line is "the enemy."  This goes for partisans on both sides of the political chasm.

Unfortunately our problems are multifaceted in scope, and deeper than the Marianas Trench.  Scandals have long been role and parcel of both the Legislative and Executive branches of our regime.  As a people nosotros seem to hate the sinner involved but beloved the scandal itself. The scandals titillate usa and satiate our almost wanton desires for reality entertainment. Our corporate 24 hour news cycle thrives on them and even the slightest smell of a potential scandal sends the media into a frenzy. Only many of the scandals while troubling seldom amount to a hill of beans. Meanwhile  implicated office holder or official  is incessantly beaten by the opposing media and sometimes even "friendly" media long after grounds for the scandal are shown to exist false.  That being said there is a double standard because it is quite often that a truly guilt party gets off with no punishment, few are forced forced to resign from part, while even fewer ever stop up in courtroom for offenses that most of united states would become jail time for doing.

More troubling from my bespeak of view is the manner in which politicians at almost every level prostitute themselves in order to rake in political donations from big donors.  This is a bi-partisan problem.  Business, political action committees, and special interest groups of all varieties participate in getting in bed with those in power. I think one of the virtually egregious examples are the Koch brothers, simply they are not solitary. In the midst of the money driven depravity for ability the actual needs of constituents or the greater adept of the country are seldom address. God forbid a constituent show up at a town hall coming together and ask hard questions or country opposition to their representative's position.  Sometimes those who have the courage to do so are physically assaulted by the supporters of the politico, forcibly removed and sometimes arrested.

The average congressman spends a 3rd or more his or her fourth dimension in office raising money for the next election, some spend more than 50% of their fourth dimension raiding entrada contributions.  The thing is that money talks and if you await at any major legislation who volition see a direct correlation of coin to the votes of congress. Over again, both parties are guilty of this and they do information technology every 24-hour interval. Is it a wonder that Congress has single digit approval ratings?  Is it whatsoever wonder that the President barely polls twoscore% approval?  Is it any wonder that grass roots Tea Party members and the progressives that past and large make up the Occupy Wall Street movement are in the streets?  True partisans on both sides deride the opposing movement but the fact that then many people are upset shows that our political system as nosotros know it is cleaved and may not last.

Now I admit that was an clumsily serious interlude. However, it sets the stage for the humour of Mel Brooks.  Like I said in the beginning I love the humor of Mel Brooks. He is a comic genius and understands that humour is often more than effective in making political and social commentary than almost any other means. Both Blazing Saddles and The History of the Globe Part One had wonderful if crude satire about politics and speak volumes nearly our political condition and how many people feel about their government.  I am putting a few clips from both films here and allow them practise the talking with no commentary from me.  Take fun and enjoy fifty-fifty equally you lot cringe at how accurate Brooks' commentary is today.  You would remember that he is a prophet.

Peace

Padre Steve+

The System: Politics Politics Politics! The corruption starts….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtX9Mj8sofs

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The Mental attitude: Shall we continue to build palaces for the rich or affordable housing for the poor?

http://world wide web.youtube.com/watch?5=rYqF_BtIwAU

The new inquisitors (religious correct and ultra secular left): The Inquisition let's begin…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?five=jbcyiFt5VEs

Political loyalty: I love my people….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk47saogI8o

Responsibleness: We've got to salvage our phony baloney jobs…

http://www.youtube.com/lookout man?v=uTmfwklFM-Chiliad

The prejudice that some nonetheless have: We'll take…just we don't want the Irish gaelic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?five=boO4RowROiw

Filed under film, movies, Political Commentary

Tagged as large political donors, blazing saddles, history of the world role 1, mel brooks, occupy wall street, political action committees, Political Commentary, political corruption, political donations, tea political party movement, the inquisition (song)

January 26, 2010 · 22:eighteen

Laughing to the Music: The Musical Genius of Mel Brooks

The Zany Mel Brooks equally the Governor in Blazing Saddles

When most people think of legendary comedian Mel Brooks they are likely to retrieve of the hilarious shtick of such movies as Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein and Spaceballs, the Movie, DVD or Video. Brooks is a comic genius only mixed in with the comedic side of Brooks he has a musical side that captures some of the virtually popular genres of yesteryear and overlays them with incredibly witty lyrics and catchy music.  Whether the music is Broadway musical, crooning, or fifty-fifty something out of the old west brooks brings a comedic edginess that can offend and please at the same fourth dimension. Today I will share a bit about the songs and soundtracks from the various Brooks films interspersed with the songs from the films.

Teri Garr, Cistron Wilder and Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein

Now I know that some people will say and rightly so that I am just a bit warped in my worldview.  I'1000 okay with that, in fact I would hate not to be equally I remember that life would be boring.  Perchance that is why I like Brooks so much.  He demonstrates that rare form of being able to entertain and even provide social commentary on issues similar racism and discrimination in Blazing Saddles.  Function of how he did this so successfully was in the music that he often wrote for his movies.  Information technology is one of those unusual things that most people, even Brooks aficionados take no idea that Brooks was the genius backside the music in his movies.

As for me I dearest Brooks' music also as his comedy.  I can practically sing from retentivity the major songs of each of his movies and oft will find that I am inadvertently singing them going down a hallway at piece of work or in the auto. Some Priests sing hymns or praise and worship songs, I sing Mel Brooks songs. C'est la vie.

Springtime for Hitler 1968

The first film that Brooks music featured prominently was the original The Producers starring Zero Mostel, Cistron Wilder and Dick Shawn which was reprised on Broadway and subsequently the big screen with Nathan Lane, Matthew Modine and Will Ferrell. The original Producers involved a Broadway producer who has seen better days (Mostel) and his new tax accountant (Wilder) trying to find the "world's worst play" to produce as a flop which they would then go on the money raised for the play.  They discover their play written by old German Soldier Franz Liebkind the author of Springtime for Hitler "a gay romp with Adolph and Eva at Berchesgarten."  They hire the world'southward worst manager "Roger Droppings" to direct the play and enhance a huge amount of money to produce it by selling well far more than 100% of the profits.  Expecting the play to offend everyone they brainstorm an early commemoration before finding out that people love the play. The play becomes a critically acclaimed hit leading them to try to blow up the theater.  The music of Brooks is prominently featured in all iii. The irony of producers producing a guaranteed flop which becomes a hot on the big screen and then a real hit on Broadway is not to be lost.  The theme song from the play Springtime for Hitler both in 1968 http://www.youtube.com/spotter?five=ZGp0hCxSg98 and the later version http://www.youtube.com/picket?v=WCUfkMkVbwo likewise found its manner into Blazing Saddles.

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As an interesting side notation Brooks has a cameo during the song in both versions where every bit a member of the cast he sings "Don't be stupid, exist a smarty come up and join the Nazi Party." The Producers as well featured more Brooks' songs including Love Power sung past Dick Shawn playing Lorenzo St. Dubois or LSD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkYBJId7WZs Prisoners of Beloved featured in both the 1968 and the 2005 versions and When You Got it Flaunt it, I Want to Be a Producer and Go on information technology Gay all from the 2005 version are classic evidence tunes.

Cleavon Piddling and Gene Wilder as Sheriff Bart and the Waco Kid in Blazing Saddles

The Producer'southward netted Brooks an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.  Brooks' next two hitting films Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein both featured interesting musical arrangements, The most memorable coming from Blazing Saddles which starred Cleavon Little, Cistron Wilder, Harvey Korman and Madeline Kahn.  The songs Blazing Saddles http://world wide web.youtube.com/sentry?five=7tyhpt6_pwc the Ballad of Stone Ridge http://www.youtube.com/spotter?v=WiTKIbR69ss

Madeline Kahn as Lilly Von Schtupp singing "I'one thousand Tired"

I'm Tired http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQU0_PHUB2E and the French Mistake featuring Dom DeLuise http://www.youtube.com/watch?five=JMK6lzmSk2o are all Brooks' piece of work.

The French Mistake Musical Scene from Blazing Saddles

He even managed to take an old tune into Immature Frankenstein where Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle every bit Dr Frankenstein and the monster perform Puttin' on the Ritz http://world wide web.youtube.com/scout?v=VH2nQHPs4aA.

Dr Frankenstein and the Monster (Wilder and Peter Boyle) singing "Puttin' on the Ritz"

Beck's adjacent picture's High Feet, a takeoff on Hitchcock movies starring Brooks, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn and Cloris Leachman feature Brooks' songs High Feet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki_UcRmELvs and If Y'all Love Me Tell Me Loud. History of the World Function I which starred Brooks, Kahn, Korman and a host of comic greats would incorporate music is ways undreamed of past those who viewed these films.

The Inquisition from History of the Globe Function One

In fact the musical segment The Castilian Inquisition featured the song The Inquisition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oppHeMlaLVM where Brooks plays the Spanish Inquisitor Torquemada in a spoof of the 1930s musical featuring dancing monks in wink tips, nuns who perform a synchronized pond number equally well as banter between Brooks and the diverse Jews and heretics that he is trying to convert. The irony of grade being that Brooks is Jewish.  The closing song Jews in Space http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_jLnrUXJNM is the trailer for a sequel which was never produced. In Spaceballs Brooks collaborated with others to produce the title song Spaceballs http://world wide web.youtube.com/lookout?v=ezyoKr0v-HQ which was performed by The Spinners.

Men in Tights

Brooks would keep making movies which though non as pop brilliant as his earlier works would feature some funny songs written by Brooks. Robin Hood: Men in Tights featured Men in Tights http://world wide web.youtube.com/watch?five=pc1am3KyYgA , Marian and the Sherwood Forrest Rap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APTXBm5Zp-Y The 1983 motion-picture show To Be or Not to Be in which Brooks starred with his wife Anne Bancroft was most the Nazi invasion of Poland featured the Brooks songs A Little Peace and Ladies. A music video for this film entitled The Hitler Rap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu2NqfISm9k was released as office of the promotion for the film.

Hitler equally a polish Jew playing Hitler in a Parody in pre-War Warsaw in To Be or Not to Be

I don't know that we will ever see a comedic genius who is able to besides incorporate music, especially classic Broadway way show tunes in about every moving-picture show that they make.  Brooks in my listen is 1 of those once in a blue moon kind of entertainers whose creativity is not bound by words or gags but crafted through a diverse experience of live performance, picture, writing and producing taking comedy to places where his edginess and occasional social commentary was heard and appreciated by middle America.  That is the genius of Mel Brooks.

Peace,

Padre Steve+

Filed under film, music, purely humorous

Tagged as anne bancroft, blazing saddles, cleavon little, dick shawn, dom deluise, cistron wilder, harvey korman, high anxeity (song), loftier anxiety, history of the earth part one, hitler, i'grand tired, jews in infinite, love ability (song), madaline kahn, marty feldman, matthew modine, mel brooks, men in tights (song), nathan lane, peter boyle, pottin' on the ritz, robin hood men in tights, sherwood forrest rap (song), spaceballs, springtime for hitler, teri garr, the ballad of stone ridge, the french mistake, the hitler rap, the inquisition (song), the spinners, to exist or not to be, will ferrell, young frankenstein, nothing mostel