Just in time for its 50th anniversary, Blazing Saddles is riding out of the sunset and back to the big screen. Fathom Events is bringing the raucous Western comedy to theaters for two days only later this month. The Mel Brooks film will screen in select theaters on Sunday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 18.
All screenings will be preceded by an introduction from film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, discussing the film’s groundbreaking humor and legacy as one of the greatest comedies in cinema history. There will be 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. screenings on September 15, followed by 7:00 p.m screenings on September 18. You can find screenings near you and buy tickets on FathomEvents.com.
What Is ‘Blazing Saddles’ About?
Blazing Saddles takes place in the wild west of 1874; state attorney general Hedley (not Hedy) Lamarr (Harvey Korman) wants to run a railroad through the frontier town of Rock Ridge – but the citizens aren’t cooperating. Hoping to foment chaos in the deeply racist town, Lamarr appoints Bart (Cleavon Little), a Black man who’s been sentenced to hang, as the town’s new sheriff. Although his reception from the townsfolk is initially frosty, he joins forces with washed-up gunslinger the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder) to take on Lamarr’s hirelings, including loopy femme fatale Lili Von Shtupp (Madeline Kahn), chief henchman Taggart (Slim Pickens), and enormous thug Mongo (Alex Karras). Soon, Lamarr, in cahoots with the state’s crooked governor (Brooks), sends an army of rustlers, cutthroats, and so forth to destroy the town – and that’s when things get really silly. Directed by Brooks, the film features a gag-a-minute script with contributions from Brooks and Richard Pryor, and a full-throated theme song by Frankie Laine, who had not been informed that the film was a comedy. It does not feature John Wayne, who was offered a role in the film; after reading the script, he told Brooks he couldn’t be in a movie like that, but he’d be “first in line to see it”.
Blazing Saddles was considered shocking for its time thanks to its frank humor, which both tackles the stupidity of racism and features the first-ever audible farts in a motion picture. However, it was an enormous success, grossing $119 million USD on a $2.6 million budget. Kahn, Laine’s theme song, and the film’s editing were all nominated for Oscars, a rarity for a comedy, but all three lost. The film is now considered one of the greatest comedies of all time, and one of the highlights of Brooks‘ filmography.
Blazing Saddles will return to theaters on September 15 and 18.
via Collider