Blazing Saddles

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Mel Brooks turns the classic Hollywood Western upside down in this outrageous, boundary-pushing comedy. When scheming politician Hedley Lamarr plots to drive residents out of Rock Ridge to clear the way for a railroad, he appoints Bart, a Black railroad worker, as the town's new sheriff—expecting prejudice and chaos to do his dirty work. Instead, Bart teams up with the quick-witted, hard-drinking gunslinger known as the Waco Kid to defend the town and expose the scheme.

Filled with sharp satire, slapstick, movie parodies and deliberately provocative humor, Blazing Saddles takes aim at racism, political corruption and the conventions of Hollywood Westerns. Content advisory: Includes strong language, racial slurs used in satire, and adult humor.

Cast & Crew

• Cleavon Little as Sheriff Bart
• Gene Wilder as Jim, the Waco Kid
• Harvey Korman as Hedley Lamarr
• Madeline Kahn as Lili Von Shtupp
• Slim Pickens as Taggart
• Mel Brooks as Governor William J. Le Petomane and Chief
• Alex Karras as Mongo
• Directed by Mel Brooks
• Screenplay by Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor and Alan Uger

About the Film

Released in 1974, Blazing Saddles became a landmark American film comedy by blending broad physical humor with pointed social satire. Its rapid-fire gags and famous fourth-wall-breaking finale helped make it one of Mel Brooks's signature films.

Hollywood Connections & Trivia

• Richard Pryor helped write it: Comedy legend Richard Pryor was one of the film's credited screenwriters, contributing to its fearless satirical voice.
• Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks: Wilder also starred in Brooks's The Producers (1967) and Young Frankenstein (1974), the latter released the same year as Blazing Saddles.
• Madeline Kahn's celebrated performance: Kahn received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the flamboyant saloon performer Lili Von Shtupp.
• A song with Oscar recognition: The title song, performed by Frankie Laine, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
• A Western that breaks the rules: The finale famously spills out of its Western setting into a Hollywood studio, turning the movie-making process itself into part of the joke.

DVD Details

• Format: DVD
• Condition: New

Condition: New DVD. Bonus features and inserts depend on the specific manufacturer's edition; digital offers, if included, may have expiration or redemption restrictions.