Crickets Filled The Room
Warner Brothers believed in Brooks’ capability to recapture the magic that he created in the film The Producers. However, Blazing Saddles was poorly received during its early viewings and studio executives became worried about how not funny the viewers found the film. Nonetheless, Brooks was confident the movie would perform well and he believed that they just had to show it to the masses. Warner Brothers eventually agreed to release the film and they were happy to be proven wrong based on the early reactions.
Crickets Filled The Room
Unexpected Blockbuster
Before release, Brooks had to work really hard to convince Warner Brothers of the film’s potential. The studio’s head of distribution commented, “It’s simply too vulgar for the American people,” and added, “Let’s dump it and take a loss.” John Calley, the president, then decided that the film would initially be released in specific cities, which included New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. By the end of that summer, the movie became the biggest blockbuster of the studio.
Unexpected Blockbuster
