copyright © Jedo Dre 2011

Blazing Saddles is one step away from being a Saturday morning cartoon. If you have any doubts, the movie at one point plays the Looney Toons theme. If you watch it as a cartoon, the weirdness of the film will thus be received much better.


Blazing Saddles is a Western comedy about a black sheriff. It is set in the Wild West but treats its time an place setting very loosely. One of the characters introduced early on is an executioner that is clad in chain mail in a cowl, with a big axe behind him. It tends to break the 4th wall as well...once literally.


It is quite funny, and also really not funny. It has a lot of weird childish and dumb jokes that really miss as well as a lot of nonsensical slapstick, but it also has a lot of cute and sometimes outright brilliant stuff. It throws enough of them and a fast enough pace to let you pick and choose. Overall the movie is witty and enjoyable enough.


Also, it is SUCH A WELCOME CHANGE from the modern comedies that use blunt gross extremes or dumb spoofs instead of actual comedy.


The comedy is direct and a bit dark, racism and rape jokes included of course. I am glad someone had the guts in 1974. I know I just earlier mentioned that it was different from the modern gross comedies, and I maintain that. This humour works. It has effort put into it and does not go overboard.


Frankly, this may not seem a favorable comparison to some, but Blazing Saddles is like a good episode of Family Guy. Unlike Family Guy, this film has a really good story to it. It is competently shot and has a smooth progression in scenes.


Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder have really good chemistry as the two main characters. Gene Wilder is …Gene Wilder.


This movie does not deserve as much praise for all the stupidity it brings to the table, but it is really cute and has a lot of heart. Its entertainment value greatly exceeds any of its weaknesses.

Blazing Saddles