Here is an unimpeachable, almost gospel truth: absolutely no one makes films like Mel Brooks. Somehow, this obscure television writer and comedian born and raised on the tail-end of the peak of vaudeville flourished into one of our greatest filmmakers, someone whose work reflects nothing short of pure, unhinged artistic brilliance. He is one of the few directors that can genuinely and without any hesitation be called a genius of historical importance. The 1970s were his greatest decade, since it was the era in which he directed the work that would go on to define him and take him to almost godlike status amongst those who appreciate his brand of off-kilter absurdism. One of his finest achievements came in the form of Blazing Saddles, his parody of western films (although homage is a much more appropriate term – even at his most surreal, Brooks has demonstrated nothing but the most steadfast respect for the works that inspired him as an artist), and which has remained one of the most cherished works of comedy from this period. Subversive in the way only someone who was genuinely willing to risk everything for the sake of a joke, the film is a striking and perpetually hilarious pastiche that is as deliriously deranged as it is masterfully crafted, which is amongst the many qualities that have allowed it to stand the test of time, each moment feeling absolutely essential – and with its tendency to perch itself right on the border between decency and debauchery, and execute its myriad of ideas with heart and humour, the film becomes absolutely unforgettable, an endlessly rewatchable and extraordinarily entertaining work that offers the viewer more mileage than nearly any other comedy that exists within its vicinity, which is precisely the kind of reasoning behind its status as a true classic.

Everything that we have grown to appreciate about Brooks as a filmmaker is condensed into Blazing Saddles – he was quite prolific during this period in his career (it is staggering to imagine that this film was made almost concurrently with Young Frankenstein and released in the same year, meaning that this was a particularly noteworthy year when it came to comedy, solely on the fact that both of these unimpeachable classics were released within it), and there is a lot of crossover with the work he did earlier, as well as that which he would go on to do in later years. We tend to look at Brooks’ films as just objectively funny works, but it’s difficult to effectively pull together a film that is both paying tribute to a genre, while being a terrific entry in itself – and while it’s easy to view a film like Blazing Saddles as one that is hopelessly weighed down by its forthright silliness, there’s an earnest sense of self-awareness that we can sense throughout it, with Brooks’ efforts as a writer and director going far beyond just making a mockery out of the genre. This is precisely what has made this such a cherished work, one that has inspired countless other filmmakers to explore the world of parody themselves – but absolutely none of them has ever shown the same remarkable aptitude in terms of making absolutely every moment count. At only 89 minutes, there isn’t much space for Blazing Saddles to explore absolutely every one of its off-the-wall ideas, but it does its very best to give us something compelling, which is all done through the director’s very distinct control of both narrative and tone, which has defined him as one of the great comedic minds of his generation.

Brooks may be a gifted writer and director, having done his best work behind the camera, but it’s almost undeniable that he is a performer at heart, having started his career as an actor and comedian. Blazing Saddles doesn’t serve as a showcase for him as an actor (although his appearances in supporting roles here are certainly hilarious), but it does demonstrate how much he is willing to prioritize his performers, knowing that without their commitment to the madness he is inciting, there would quite simply not be a film to be made here. Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder are the leads of the film, and there are moments where it seems inexplicable to find two funnier and more self-aware performances than this iconic pairing. Little plays the new sheriff of a small town that has to navigate prejudice with effortless charm, while Wilder weaponizes his droll, deadpan sensibilities in every moment he is on screen. The duo are absolutely stellar, and working closely with the screenplay written by Brooks and his small army of co-writers (among them Richard Pryor, whose sardonic sense of humour can be sensed throughout the film), they manage to turn in performances that are both hilarious and meaningful, which is not common for a film that is seemingly built on absurdist humour. The supporting roles are also well-occupied, with master comedian Harvey Korman playing the antagonistic Hedley Lamarr, delivering every line as if he was the most serious thespian appearing before an audience, which becomes irresistibly hilarious when placed in contrast with the rest of the film. Madeline Kahn is a late entry into the film, but she steals every scene she is in – her ability to command the screen is unprecedented, and while she had a range of incredible performances across her sadly short career, her ability to draw every bit of potential from an otherwise archetypal character is proof to her unequivocal brilliance. The cast of Blazing Saddles sets the tone and carries us through the film, and Brooks’ skillfulness in being able to capture every moment of madcap genius is one of the primary reasons behind his status as one of the great comedic filmmakers.

The question that we ultimately tend to ask ourselves when looking at a film like Blazing Saddles is around the specific qualities that have allowed it to age so well. There are some genuinely wonderful comedies produced in the 1970s that have almost entirely faded from our consciousness, despite being well-made and very funny, so it seems like a genuine challenge to pinpoint the specific elements that has allowed this film to stand the test of time. In comparison to the other films Brooks made around this time, it’s clear to see that the general consensus is that the balance of timeless humour and a strong execution lead to an almost undeniable combination. The comedy is very intentional, with Brooks seeming to hold very little reverance for logic. There are purposeful anachronisms scattered throughout the film that obviously makes very little sense in terms of the context in which the film was set, but which really do pander to the sensibilities of those who have the perverse and bizarre sense of humour to find those kinds of jokes hilarious, which seems to be almost a prerequisite when it comes to appreciating Brooks’ humour. Yet, what makes these jokes so fresh and invigorating is all around how he is a director who pushes the envelope in ways that are simply too complex to even comprehend – his entire career has been driven by shocking audiences in a way that is subversive but not immoral. He plumbs every moment of this film for opportunities to make a joke, and when confronted with the choice between ending the film on a more conventional note, or simply surrendering to the pure madness that inspired the entire story as a whole, the decision was clear – and it lends itself to some of the greatest meta-comedy in the history of the medium. By the time we reach the concluding scenes, we have been so riveted to the point where the most off-the-wall insanity seems entirely appropriate, and it just becomes an exercise in seeing exactly how far he can push the boundaries of good taste without losing the spirit of what makes his work so impressive.

The debate around whether Blazing Saddles is Brooks’ finest work continues to stir conversation, even over half a century since he made his directorial debut. Personally, I don’t have a definitive answer myself – and perhaps the best way to look at the director’s work is as a string of wildly imaginative and hilariously irreverent comedies, strung together over the course of a few decades, each one existing in perfect communion with the other. It isn’t uncommon to hear the sentiment “this film could never be made today” when someone is referencing Brooks’ work, and this is certainly very true – but rather than be the rousing call-to-arms to reject political correctness and decency that many seem to think it is, it instead refers to the fact that Brooks made comedies that were not restricted to a particular moment in time, but did contain material that was more aligned with the sensibilities of a particular moment – if we remove the issues of race and gender that are at the heart of a lot of criticism received by this film, we can still find a vivid comedy that carries with it a sense of provocative humour that modern audiences would still be able to handle, but not in the way we would watching something produced several decades ago, because the ability to look back and reflect on how pertinent many of the conversations had in this film were is a fascinating experience, and proves that Brooks was ahead of his time in several ways. Blazing Saddles is the kind of film that we don’t need to justify in terms of trying to understand why it is appealing – it’s a comedy film that takes a familiar genre and finds ways to extract humour, simply going for a blend of highbrow, satirical humour and slapstick jokes that intentionally aim for the low-hanging fruit. Whenever there is any doubt about the unrestrained genius that is contained within Mel Brooks’ mind, Blazing Saddles is the perfect opportunity to consolidate his status as a true renaissance man of the entertainment industry, which has only been more enriched since he decided to share his brilliance with the world.