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"Blazing Saddles" (1974) -- Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Mel Brooks; directed by Mel Brooks. After three decades, this explosively satirical, in your face, anything for a laugh western is still the funniest and, probably, most beloved spoof around. Tackling bigotry and beans, the cast and crew tear up the scenery and a studio to deliver the surreally silly tale of Black Bart, our new, um, sheriff. A comedy feast with Slim Pickens, "authentic American gibberish," and cattle roaming Grauman's Chinese Theatre, it's wild and whoopie, and heady.

Sorry. That's "Hedley!"

"Destry Rides Again" (1939) -- Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart, Charles Winninger, Brian Donlevy; directed by George Marshall. One of the best movie westerns is an engaging drama loaded with colorful characterizations and humorous flourishes. The film is obviously a major influence on "Blazing Saddles," too. With its grand saloon set, mysterious lawman of curious ways, and the mob of townsfolk to the rescue, there are strong parallels in Mel Brooks' farce. Most notably, Dietrich's undulating, sexy dancehall singer, Frenchy, is the bigger than life target of Madeline Kahn's blisteringly hilarious send-up as Lili Von Shtupp.