Blazing Saddles, the 1974 western parody by legendary director Mel Brooks, receives a three-minute introduction that contextualizes language and characterizations related to the race for today's audience. HBO Max added an intro from Jacqueline Stewart, a cinema professor at the University of Chicago and host of Turner Classic Movies, which discusses the racial issues of the film as well as the streaming service recently featuring the 1939 Civil War epic Gone with the Wind.
Stewart's admits that many people consider the film "one of the greatest comedies of all time". She also notes the obvious - that "the issue of race is paramount" and notes that "racist language and attitudes permeate the film".
Stewart goes on to explain that the racist characters are portrayed as ignorant and fainthearted and that the characters played by Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder offer a more enlightened perspective.
Stewart also discusses the film's casting history, noting that comedian Richard Pryor was being considered for Little's role as Old West Town's black sheriff, but that his drug browsing problems and controversial stand-up routines prompted Warner Bros. to do so to consider it too risky.
Representatives from HBO and TCM did not immediately respond to a request for information about when the introduction was added. The Hollywood Reporter quoted an HBO Max spokesman as saying, "The intro was added to make sure the film was put in the right social context."
Gone with the wind pulled short from HBO Max on June 10 for "racist acts" and returned to service later that month with a contextual introduction from Stewart. HBO Max also added a video of a panel discussion titled Gone With The Wind: A Complicated Legacy.
From Friday afternoon at publication time, Brooks' Twitter account had not commented on the addition.