Unsolicited Recommendations 8
Yeah yeah it's been a while bla bla bla unexpected delays yada yada "been meaning to get to this," personal anecdotes, placating lies and vague descriptions. Lets get kicking-
Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles-
So a part of me realized that the grand majority of entertainment I talk up here is really, really depressing. So I thought, as a truce between us, Ill offer up one of the funniest movies I know. Blazing Saddles is a 1974 Mel Brooks film that really has it all.
First of all, it's hilarious. Not in the "typing LOL but staying straight faced" way but in the neighbor annoyingly "must straighten my face when it comes back to me in public" kind of way. Not only is this one of Mel Brooks' finest hours, but the writing credits include Alan Uger and Norman Steinberg of Family Ties and fuckmothering Richard Pryor himself. The cast is a tour de force of 70s cinema, boasting Gene Wilder and all kinds of people wikipedia assures me were popular.
Second of all... actually there isn't a second of all. 93 minutes of top tier funny unlike anything else.
P.S, Word to the wise- if you're like "oh Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, Alan Uger, family movie," I'd caution against. Miss. Stein (Robyn Hilton,) will have you fielding some very awkward questions.
Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal
Ever wonder where all those classic illustrations of demons in the Ars Goetia come from? No? Well fine, start wondering.
And now wonder no longer, they originate in the work of the 19th century French demonologist Colin de Plancy's seminal Dictionnaire Infernal. The illustrations were done by the one, the only, the person who's name I learned while researching this - Louis Le Breton. His works were either based on or were made in conjunction with one M. Jerrault. The trail ends there as we don't know who M. Jerrault was and if he had any contact with Plancy . Therefore McLovin Jerrault's input is hard to ascertain
Beyond the illustrations for 69/72 of the demons, the book's descriptions give interesting insights into demonology, the occult world, and Plancy's journey from being somewhat secular to fully embracing fire and brimstone Catholicism. One can even read a hint of fear in his later writings, which for a man who commissioned a painting of himself chilling out with Satan is a big transformation.
