‘Blazing Saddles’ Returns For 50th Anniversary

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Mel Brooks’ classic 1974 film Blazing Saddles is riding back into theaters nationwide for its 50th Anniversary on September 15 and 18, 2024, as part of Fathom Events’ Big Screen Classics series. The movie will be screened at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time. Tickets can be purchased at Fathom Events or at participating theater box offices.

From the announcement: Ribald, tasteless, and hilarious… Brooks’ spoof of the Western genre pokes fun at everyone and everything. Together with his nefarious railroad baron-backer Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman), a corrupt governor (Brooks) cooks up a scheme to grant a reprieve to an African American convict (Cleavon Little), on the condition that the condemned man agrees to serve as sheriff of a small Western town—with the intent that the newly minted lawman will only live long enough to serve the needs of the governor and his seedy benefactor.

Blazing Saddles was originally released on February 7, 1974. It has earned a reported $119.6 million at the box-office, with a budget of $2.6 million. The acclaimed comedy, with a 89% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes, also stars Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise, Alex Karras, Count Basie, and David Huddleston, and earned three Academy Award® nominations including Best Supporting Actress for Kahn, and Best Original Song for the titular theme.

Every Big Screen Classic presentation features an exclusive introduction by cinema historian Leonard Maltin, discussing the landmark film’s timeless humor and enduring legacy as one of the greatest comedies of all time.