He rode a blazing saddle, he wore a shining star.

Yesterday I watched one of my favorite all-time movies, Blazing Saddles.  The movie was written and produced by Mel Brooks and it does not disappoint.  It came out in 1974, the same year as Brooks' Young Frankenstein, making that year, in my opinion, one of the greatest ever for comedy.

Blazing Saddles tells the tale of a black railroad worker, Bart who was sentenced to death for attacking one of his employers.  Instead, Hedy Lamar (That's Hedley!!! as he must often exclaim) a politician who wishes to expand the railroad through a small town of Rock Ridge spares him in order to make him the sheriff of Rock Ridge.  His plan is to drive the people of Rock Ridge out of town by implementing the black sheriff.  

The townspeople immediately reject him, threatening to kill him from the moment he gets into town.  Bart tricks them by holding himself hostage.  After he gets to the jail he meets up with Jim who is in the holding cell.  Bart befriends Jim, the Waco Kid a washed-up alcoholic gunslinger, and makes him the deputy.  

Bart continually outwits Hedley in his attempts to empty Rock Ridge and eventually wins the love and respect of the people.  

This movie is not for those who do not like racial or insensitive humor because it is full of it.  Anyone who has an even close to sensitive sense of humor might want to stay away from this movie as if it can definitely be taken offensively.  The n-word is used very regularly and stereotypes for several races are made fun of.  I on the other hand love this movie.  As it is a Mel Brooks movie it is clever and witty.  I rarely stop laughing throughout the whole movie. Brooks brilliantly intertwines ridiculous situations with quick, clever one-liners and references.  His racial and insensitive humor aims to make fun of those who are racist, making the villains those who make the racial comments, but could be misconstrued as outright insensitivity.  

Memorable quotes:

That's Hedley!! - Hedley Lamar

"What are your qualifications?" -Lamar

"Rape, arson, murder, rape." - criminal

"You said rape twice?" - Lamar

"I like rape." - criminal

I got it! I got it! - Taggart
You do? - Lamar

We'll work up a Number 6 on 'em. -Taggart
[frowns] "Number 6"? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that one. -Lamar
Well, that's where we go a-ridin' into town, a-whompin' and a-whumpin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except the women folks, of course. - Taggart
You spare the women? -Lamar
Naw, we rape the shit out of them at the Number Six Dance later on. -Taggart
Marvelous! - Lamar

The surveyors say they may have run into some quicksand up ahead. Better check it out.  -Taggart
Okay, I'll send down a team of horses to check out the ground. -Lyle
 Horses? We can't afford to lose any horses, you dummy! Send over a couple of niggers. - Taggart