Blazing Saddles (1974)

I just upgraded this one to blu-ray and holy cow does it look amazing.  I know this is a repeat post but it's been over a year since I'd seen it and I figured you guys could stand to hear about it again.  Also, I am traveling today to Alabama and probably won't have another opportunity to post today.  Wish me luck!    Can you believe Christy had never seen this movie?  I mean honestly, sometimes I think she's adopted.  From another planet.

Just kidding, her parentage is clear.  Still, never seen Blazing Saddles.  You know I had to remedy that.

The town of Rock Ridge is sitting on top of some extremely valuable land now that the railroad plans to cut through it and Procurer Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman) wants it all.  The only thing standing in his way is that the town is already owned by other people.  After their sheriff is killed, the townsfolk write to Governor Le Petomane (Mel Brooks) for another one.  Lamarr sees it as his big break and sends former railroad worker Bart (Cleavon Little) to be the new sheriff.  As you may have guessed, Bart (being black) is not the townsfolk's first choice.  After a cool reception, Bart is determined to make good.  He has a friend in local drunk and former gunslinger Jim (Gene Wilder), the Waco Kid, and the pair use their skills to try and foil Lamarr's gang of henchmen.  But, Hedley has an ace up his sleeve in the curvaceous form of Lili von Shtup (Madeline Kahn).  Will Bart be able to resist the Bavarian Bombshell's wiles?

It was nice to see (from Christy's expressions) that the movie was just as shocking now in 2012 as it was in 1974.  Well, okay, maybe not as shocking but still salacious nonetheless.  Some of the jokes are a little obscure now --for instance, Hedley Lamarr is a play on famous 40's actress Hedy Lamarr and Le Petomane is a throwback to a French performance artist --but the majority of the movie is timeless.  This is a must see for Mel Brooks fans and is one of the best films of his career.

(Originally published 8/12/12.)