Film Details
Celebrating Mel Brooks' 100th Birthday (one day early). When talking about film parody it's impossible not to think of Mel Brooks. Blazing Saddles is quintessential Brooks - a Western spoof loaded with inside jokes, anachronisms, toilet humour and the director's favourite actors performing his favourite form of broad burlesque comedy. Cleavon Little is Bart, a black sheriff hired by the nefarious Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman) to get the residents of Rock Ridge, who live in the way of his railroad, to sell out. But the plan backfires and the new sheriff and his deputy, the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder), a reformed gun-and-bottle-slinger, stand up against Lamarr and his thugs. For sheer offensive-jokes-per-minute Blazing Saddles may still hold the world record. Still, many hail the film as an unflinching satire of racism. And let's not forget that the film was nominated for three Oscars - Best Supporting Actress (Madeline Kahn, doing a hilarious takeoff on Marlene Dietrich in Destry Rides Again, 1939), Best Editing and Best Song.
Director: Mel Brooks
Cast: Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, Cleavon Little
Certificate: 12A
Running Time: 89 minutes