# AIRPLANE! vs. BLAZING SADDLES - Which is the funnier movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032 "2020-02-16T17:53:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/1 "2020-02-16T17:53:27Z")
Sorry Mods - I needed a poll so I placed if here instead of CS. Pretty much what the thread title asks. Between these two movies, and _only_ these two, which is the funnier movie? Yes, I know,other funny movies exist. You might even say that one or more of them are funnier if you want to …be…wrong? Those other movies are completely outside the scope of this thread though. Just my opinion, BLAZING SADDLES is the funnier movie because [Madeline Kahn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeline_Kahn) was three days dead and still funnier than [Julie Hagerty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Hagerty) was on her best day. Poll coming ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/2 "2020-02-16T18:01:24Z")
Equally but _differently_ funny. _Blazing Saddles_ was more brilliant. More levels and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/3 "2020-02-16T18:11:07Z")
Blazing Saddles is a series of jokes that make 12 year olds giggle. There’s no question that Airplane is funnier. Many things in Blazing Saddles aren’t even jokes. Like the farting scene. It’s just a bunch of guys farting. He never bothered to write an actual joke for that scene. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/4 "2020-02-16T18:32:47Z")
I watched a chunk of Blazing Saddles recently. It really has not aged well, IMHO. Airplane still cracks me up. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/5 "2020-02-16T18:34:28Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Equally but _differently_ funny. > > _Blazing Saddles_ was more brilliant. More levels and all that. Agreed. Blazing Saddles had a point to make in addition to the general satire and silliness. Namely - racism is bad, and racists are stupid buffoons. And it does a great job of pointing and laughing at bigots. Airplane was, like the later Naked Gun, an exercise in how many jokes can you cram into one movie. But the critical difference between Airplane and a run-of-the-mill comedy was the great percentage of the jokes were GOOD. It was relentless, but also maintained a high quality. Very rare. Both are must-see movies, but I definitely consider BZ the better film overall. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/6 "2020-02-16T19:04:58Z")
Airplane. Blazing Saddles was a product of its time, not even copious amounts of good weed make it funny today. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/7 "2020-02-16T19:11:22Z")
_Blazing Saddles_ makes me laugh like an idiot. \*Airplane \*just makes me groan. Put me in the BS camp. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/8 "2020-02-16T19:22:37Z")
“Airplane!” Both are great, but “Airplane!” has more jokes packed into it: even jokes you don’t pick up on after viewing it two or three times. Hell, I watched some YouTube scenes a few months back and only then realized that when they were dragging Roger Murdock out of the cockpit he was wearing basketball shorts! I’ve seen the movie maybe a dozen times and just noticed that! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/9 "2020-02-16T19:35:04Z")
**Blazing Saddles.** It’s like comparing guavas and rutabagas, but Mel Brooks beats the Zuckers any day of the week. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/10 "2020-02-16T19:52:05Z")
Airplane. I like both, neither is my favorite, but Airplane just makes me laugh more. I like Blazing Saddles but it seems more like a product of its time. I mean They’re not wrong, Racism is bad, but I don’t need a movie to point that out. I can appreciate it was a good message when the movie came out, though. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/11 "2020-02-16T19:55:23Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Blazing Saddles is a series of jokes that make 12 year olds giggle. There’s no question that Airplane is funnier. Right. “Don’t call me Shirley” will stand the test of time. Unrestricted farting, however… ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/12 "2020-02-16T19:59:56Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Sorry Mods - I needed a poll so I placed if here instead of CS. You can create polls in CS. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/13 "2020-02-16T20:02:28Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > You can create polls in CS. Just sayin’. Is that new or was it always thus? Am I just a low grade simpleton who would fall for Bart’s Candygram? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/14 "2020-02-16T20:04:08Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Is that new or was it always thus? Am I just a low grade simpleton who would fall for Bart’s Candygram? I don’t know if it’s new, but there are currently two polls on the front page of CS. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/15 "2020-02-16T20:05:42Z")
Part of what makes _Airplane!_ funny is that so many serious actors act like goofballs. As Robert Stack put it: “Lloyd, we’re the joke.” ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/16 "2020-02-16T20:22:43Z")
Blazing Saddles is a groundbreaking and very well done satire. That bigger intent in Blazing Saddles makes it a better movie IMO. Airplane is a firehouse of well crafted jokes. That focus on just being funny shows. Airplane. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/17 "2020-02-16T20:29:12Z")
Interestingly, it looks like they both have the exact same score on IMDB. (Which is to say, _“below Young Frankenstein”_.) ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/18 "2020-02-16T20:32:32Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Is that new or was it always thus? Am I just a low grade simpleton who would fall for Bart’s Candygram? Mongo like CS polls! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/19 "2020-02-16T20:43:14Z")
_Blazing Saddles_, if only for Madeleine Kahn singing [“I’m Tired”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uai7M4RpoLU). A side-splitting send-up of [Marlene Dietrich](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANqGm-MiqQs) in Blue Angel. When she has to take a breath in that long note, I lose it every time. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032/20 "2020-02-16T22:08:19Z")
Blazing Saddles has some intensely funny scenes and some scenes that just fell flat even when it was new. Some of the bits (Harvey Korman banging his head on the window frame, e.g.) are just groan-inducing instead of funny. The whole ending is just a hot mess, as far as I’m concerned. Once the fake town is built (sorry, spoilers) I just zone out. The plot doesn’t really hold together and the whole movie seems to me scattered and unfocused. Airplane, on the other hand. has a (borrowed) plot that holds together all the way to the end of the movie, which makes it seem more polished and more a finished product. Not all the jokes are funny but most are. My vote therefore goes to Airplane. You didn’t ask, but compare both to Young Frankenstein, which outscores both movies on every level except for acting - writing, jokes, bits, and integration of the jokes and bits into the plot, right to the last frame (Ah, sweet mystery of life indeed). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airplane-vs-blazing-saddles-which-is-the-funnier-movie/848032.md?page=2)