Movie Review: Blazing Saddles

I completed another homework assignment last night - the 1974 "classic" Blazing Saddles. It was entertaining at some parts; most of the jokes I can't repeat here without seeming like some kind of racist - which I'm not. I watched most of the movie, up through the last 20 minutes, on Wednesday before a storm came through and the lights went out. It seemed to move a little slow. After having lunch with the movie enthusiasts yesterday I had a better appreciation when watching the end last night. At least I tried.

This movie was one of those that probably gets funnier the second or third (or, according to Rob, the 2,000th) time you see it. I was disappointed not in the movie so much as in the hype that surrounded it. People spoke of this movie like it was a classic that would change the way I saw movies, so it was hard to live up to my admittedly high expectations. Its best virtue is a barrage of quotable one-liners, which seems to be a quality that my co-workers value in "good movies."

It was cute at parts, but the ending was so anti-climactic and I wondered why they bothered with anything that happened after the big group fight scene. I was almost insulted that the director ended the movie the way he did. Sure, making references to things that were supposed to be out of the time period was funny, but I don't like to be reminded when I'm watching a movie that it's just a bunch of people on a set. That part, and the movie theater scenes, did nothing for me at all.

I give this movie one thumb up, one down (because I get to play both Ebert and Roeper). At least, until I see it again.