2016 continues to pave a road of grief as we lost yet another great talent in comedian Gene Wilder, best known for his collaborations with Mel Brooks and his role as the eponymous Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He passed from complications with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 83. We here at TheYoungFolks wanted to honor him by taking a look at his finest performances.
Blazing Saddles
As the world says goodbye to Gene Wilder there is one movie that embodies his personality to me. Blazing Saddles was released in 1974 and is still considered today one of director Mel Brooks’ greatest comedic works. Brooks has a history of making films that take certain aspects of society and amplify them to their extreme. In Blazing Saddles, audiences were treated to the best spoof of a western film ever created. One of the reasons why this film was so successful was the hilarious cast. Legendary actors like Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks, Harvey Korman and Cleavon Little. There are so many moments that come to mind when I think of this film, most of which make me uncontrollably laugh. To take real world issues like racial tensions and big business taking over the world and making situations that the audience feels like they shouldn’t be laughing at but continue to do so anyway is what this film is truly all about. Whether it’s everyone being named Johnson, the now famous farting cowboys scene, or the hangman trying to hang a horse with its owner, this film will always be a classic example of why the world is so thankful for Gene Wilder’s acting. Tyler Carlsen
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