Mel Brooks at 100: ‘Blazing Saddles’ named funniest film of all time

Legendary American comedian, actor and filmmaker Mel Brooks turned 100 over the weekend, and what better way to celebrate than with an accolade?

The American Film Institute (AFI) has officially changed the order of their famous 100 Best Comedies of All Time list and named Brooks’ 1974 Western spoof Blazing Saddles are “the funniest film of all time”.

The “honorary” recognition for the satirical and irreverent gem sees it move from the Number 6 spot to Number 1 in the AFI’s “100 Years...100 Laughs” list, replacing Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot.

The AFI notes in its release that Brooks “has long kvetched that his film is far funnier than Some Like It Hot.”

“He’s right!” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “We’re happy to right this wrong as Mel celebrates his centennial. It’s good to be the king, and may he live to be a 2,000 year old man. Happy birthday, Mel!”

Brooks, who turned 100 on Sunday 28 June, is the only filmmaker with three films in the Top 15: The Producers (1968) is Number 11 and Young Frankenstein (1974) is Number 13.

Blazing Saddles is widely regarded as one of the most influential comedies ever made. The absurd, fourth-wall-breaking and boundary-pushing film mocked American bigotry, satirised racist tropes and made fun of Hollywood.

It has faced controversy over the years for its use of racist language – with Brooks arguing in a BBC Radio 4 interview that “politically correct” culture was “the death of comedy” and that a film like Blazing Saddles “would never be greenlit in today’s current political climate.”

Blazing Saddles was previously selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2006 and was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the US Library of Congress.

As for Brooks, turning 100 has not meant slowing down. He is producing the belated sequel to his treasured 1987 Star Wars satire Spaceballs, which he wrote and directed.

Spaceballs: The New One is coming out next year.

Happy birthday, Mel Brooks, and we can’t wait.