Just because it was the seventies? Even without the benefit of seeing the finished whole, they must have had some idea what a ridiculous farce this flick was going to be. Pretty, but ridiculous.
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I don't think we're in CONUS any more, Toto...
Would the audience treat the subject matter any differently?
The movie seems to know when it's being ridiculous and plays into it. It knows why.
Take the first 10 minutes - in a way, it's unintentionally funny when the guns spew out of Zardoz' mouth. But watch the scene and understand why it's taken seriously. Then note all the times, especially in the opening 60 seconds, where it's slammed in people's faces how the movie is parodying so much more than what they think they're about to see. The movie is trying to sell messages, while tricking the audience, while being as subtly unsubtle as it gets, all while being as unsubtly subtle as it gets. Depends on the scene - the movie was clearly consciously made the way it was, which is brilliant.
I think they knew precisely what they were making. Making it a self-aware farce is something modern moviemakers would do, because they haven't got a clue.
I think it was meant to be taken seriously.
It's that man again!!
I came across this in the middle of the night and didn't know whether it was a joke or a bad dream.
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