Alongside the sexual revolution and flower power of the sixties and seventies, strode the fast-growing power of the black civil-rights movement in America. Hollywood rushed to create new black super-hero roles, and 'Blaxploitation' movies were born in which the super-stud black hero- Shaft, Superfly-always comes out on top-but is also suitably street-wise and controversial.

For "Blazing Saddles", Mel Brooks-prince of atrocious taste- chose a breathtakingly incorrect formula: he would show up Hollywood's new black moral consciousness for what it was while simultaneously spoofing the western. Black Bart, therefore, quickly revveals that he is as incompetent as a sheriff as at everything else, while the thing that'real' cowboys do best is fart.

Gloriously over-the-top moments include the great bean fart campfire, honky-tonk singer Lili Von Shtupp's rendition of a Destry-type Dietrich torch-song, complete with the (Mae)Western aside: "Is that a ten-gallon hat or are you just enjoying the show?", and Count Basie and his jazz band playing the film's score in the middle of a desert.

The release of "Blazing Saddles" was greeted with a lot of critical farts that had petered out by the time (1983) the movie became the world's biggest box-office western.

Rescued from a railroad gang, Black Bart (Little) is appointed by a corrupt speculator and a crooked Governor(both played by Brooks) to be the sheriff of Rock Ridge. Their hope is that it will be easy to overcome their resistance to selling up and leaving, so that a profitable railroad can be built through their land. Black Bart finds an unexpected ally in the drunken - but one-time gunslinger legend - Waco Kid (Wilder), and the two come up with a plan to fool the would-be land-stealers and their henchmen by creating a replica cardboard town. After many wild adventures, they ride off into the sunset - in a limousine.

Alongside the sexual revolution and flower power of the sixties and seventies, strode the fast-growing power of the black civil-rights movement in America. Hollywood rushed to create new black super-hero roles, and 'Blaxploitation' movies were born in which the super-stud black hero - Shaft, Superfly - always comes out on top - but is also suitably street-wise and controversial.

For Blazing Saddles, Mel Brooks - prince of atrocious taste - chose a breathtakingly incorrect formula: he would show up Hollywood's new black moral consciousness for what it was while simultaneously spoofing the Western. Black Bart, therefore, quickly reveals that he is as incompetent as a sheriff as at everything else, while the thing that 'real' cowboys do best is fart.

Gloriously over-the-top moments include the great bean-fart campfire, honky-tonk singer Lili Von Shtupp's (Kahn) rendition of a Destry-type Dietrich torch-song, complete with the (Mae) Western aside: 'Is that a ten-gallon hat or are you just enjoying the show?', and Count Basie and his jazz band playing the film's score in the middle of a desert.

The release of Blazing Saddles was greeted with a lot of critical farts that had ptered out by the time (1983) the movie became the world's biggest box-office Western.