In 1974, Mel Brooks’ western comedy “Blazing Saddles” rocked the game, bringing to light the themes of racism that were pervasive in Hollywood, the Western genre and American culture as a whole. Now, “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” is trying to keep its legacy alive in a fresh new story for the family audience.
“You know, it’s inspired by [‘Blazing Saddles’]Rob Minkoff, director of the new film, said: diverse. “Then it became a legend. Because it wasn’t originally intended to be a legend, but that was actually my contribution – which was that we’re making it a story about a dog in a world of cats that doesn’t accept it because it’s a dog. The idea of that, it’s a metaphor for the same kind of story and the same kind of Attitudes. But it becomes more global.”
Along with co-directors Mark Koetsier and Chris Bailey, the filmmakers behind “Paws of Fury” set out to bring a new take on Brooks’ classic comedy. In the animated film from Paramount, Michael Cera voices an unlucky dog named Hank as he becomes a samurai in a small town of cats. Together with retired samurai Jimbo (Samuel L. Jackson), Hank sets out on a journey to become a true samurai and defend the city from evil cats Ika Chu (Ricky Jervis). The 96-year-old Brooks also plays a small role in the movie as Shogun, a play about the Governor’s character in “Blazing Saddles.”
While the movie is undoubtedly indebted to “Blazing Saddles,” the filmmakers aren’t even considering a remake.
“Hollywood loves a remake. There is a really big difference,” Minkoff explained. “The moment we talk about making an animated family movie, obviously we want people to take this and accept it on its own terms.” It’s really inspired, or it’s a tribute”
And Koetsier added, “I mean, there’s a lot of stuff that we took from her…I think it opened up a lot of avenues for us to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got the story, and we have these characters in it where we play along with Mel Brooks’ style of filmmaking.'” Let’s do what we can to make it richer and enjoy every moment of it.”
Talk to Koetsier and Minkoff diverse About the movie’s relationship to “Blazing Saddles” and what it was like trying to get Mel Brooks out – who didn’t need much directing at all.
What does “Blazing Saddles” mean for “Paws of Rage?”
Minkoff: As you know, it was inspired by . This was kind of where I started. Then it became a legend. Because it wasn’t originally intended to be a legend, but that was actually my contribution – which was that we’re making it a story about a dog in a world of cats that doesn’t accept it because it’s a dog. The idea of it, it’s a metaphor for the same kind of story and the same kind of situation. But it becomes more global. Especially for making a family animated movie, you know. Everyone can handle a story where they are an outsider and not accepted just for their looks. And that’s kind of the point of the movie that, there’s more to Hank and that [the cats] You can learn to love him for what’s inside. In the end, it doesn’t matter what it looks like.
Kozier: Dogs are always loyal, always carry on, it doesn’t matter. It’s funny with dogs, you can get upset with them and then they’ll come right back and wagging their tails and they’re all still happy. The persistence of that character gives them real qualities.
Why do you guys think this story is particularly relevant for today? Along the same lines, why do you think reimagining “Blazing Saddles” is something audiences need right now?
Minkoff: I think this is very relevant, that social issue about acceptance with diversity and inclusion. I think these are the things everyone is involved in thinking about and talking about. And I think this movie really gets to the heart of that.
So tell me a little bit about the starting process behind “Paws of Fury”. How did you guys want to pay tribute to Mel Brooks while also creating something new and fresh?
Minkoff: Well, I mean, it’s starting to evolve. And the more it evolved, the more it kind of became something of its own. There has always been this ambition to make a movie on its own. You don’t have to watch “Blazing Saddles” to like or associate with this movie. And maybe if you have it, that’s a bonus. So what it has in common with the original is, obviously, there’s a kind of overarching story and storytelling, and there’s the story structure, which is similar. And obviously there are some scenes and some sequences that we reimagined, sort of. You can’t imagine making a movie inspired by [“Blazing Saddles”] Without, you know, eating beans, for example. But again, it was different! It stands on its own and has some integrity.
Kozier: I mean, there are a lot of items we took from him. Like, even at the end where we start to break and we start to break out. We go to the theater, basically. I think it opened up a lot of ways for us to say, “Hey, we have the story, we have these characters where we play along with Mel Brooks’ style of filmmaking. Let’s do what we can to make it richer and enjoy every moment of it.”
Minkoff: And Hollywood loves a remake. But there is a really big difference. There are actually two different types of recycling. There is a remake where you do something completely different than what was done before. Incidentally, some of the greatest movies ever made weren’t the original. I think our approach was not to make the same movie, but to do something about it. “Blazing Saddles” is a movie made for the elderly. So the moment we talk about making this an animated family movie, obviously we want people to take this and accept it on its own terms.
Obviously, “Blazing Saddles” is a very daring movie with all of its messages, language, etc. Did you decide that you had to pull any hits with the new movie in order to make it more relevant for the day? And for the family audience?
Minkoff: There are clearly things in this movie that are completely inappropriate for a modern audience. So it was never thought, that we would try to go there. Once you say, “Well, this would be a different movie about a dog who has to become a samurai in the cat world, and who are these characters?” They become completely new and different. I mean, Gene Wilder played the character in the sense that Sam Jackson plays her, but they are completely different characters. And Hank is completely different, you know, from Michael Cera and Clevon Little. Not the same thing. It is just a starting point.
Kozier: It is interesting that you mentioned that this is a relevant story of what is happening today. But I think of it as like, “Is this today?” All ages have passed, since the beginning of man, this kind of problem has probably been. We’ve all at some point either been this dog surrounded by cats that feels like a weird guy or you’re a cat thinking, “Why is this dog with us?” And if we talk about it and understand that we’re all in this big spinning world, we’re all the same.
Minkoff: This is an interesting point. I think the main thing is that we are not all the same. This is actually a key. So we have to learn to celebrate each other’s differences. Yes, that’s really the message, which is that you can be different, you can find your place and be accepted and celebrated.
Why did you decide to put it in a different culture, especially since “Blazing Saddles” is so entrenched in American culture, the American West, and Western movies?
Minkoff: Oh my gosh, I think this goes back to the initial concept. Which was more about the anime. It was like an anime that would combine story elements from East and West. I mean, I grew up – and I’m sure Mark did too – watching these kinds of movies. Not only kung fu films, but also samurai films and oriental genre films. So getting a chance to take that and put them in this Mel Brooks style comedy was a lot of fun.
Kozier: By the way, they borrowed from each other. Those western movies and samurai movies, that style of filmmaking. They borrowed from each other.
Minkoff: Yes, especially Sergio Leone and Akira Kurosawa were contemporary filmmakers. And Clint Eastwood’s Spaghetti Western was made simultaneously with Toshiro Mifune Samurai films. They are quite similar frameworks for stories, right. It’s always about the lone gunman, the only swordsman who comes across town and is in trouble and needs help. And these are two incredible genres, and the idea was to mix them together.
Can you tell me a little bit about the descriptive aspects of this movie? Why did you want it, and how did you make sure it connected to the rest of the movie?
Minkoff: You know, part of the fun of the movie is that it’s almost like an appreciation for the movie. So we’re actually talking about what’s going on in the story and how these things are put together. I think it adds to the quality and character of the humor in this particular approach. It’s a way of being disrespectful towards film and movies in general.
He told me a little bit what it was like to work with Mel Brooks for the short amount he’s been working on. How was that, and what does it mean to you?
Minkoff: It was a really great experience. Because you know what, Mel Brooks’ directing is a bit of a stretch. Because Mel Brooks needs no direction. It can handle the entire job. So it was so much fun! Because he is a great actor. I mean, it’s a symbol. I think we all like his work. And so, it’s a really great honor, to be working with someone like that.
Was he getting his hands on a lot of the movie?
Minkoff: He can’t help himself! I mean, it’s Mr.! so, what are we going to do? It’s Jimbo. And we’re all Hank, basically.
Kozier: He knows what he wants to express. So we’ll go, “Okay, that’s it!” And he’ll say, “No, no, that’s not quite right. Let’s do that one more time. Now you have it.” And we’re just like, “Oh, well, cool!”
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