The Funniest Movie Of All Time, According To The American Film Institute

In today's world of cinema discourse, the concept of a canon has become more mercurial. Although institutions such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences certainly still matter, the general public have come to understand that veneration from such institutions is not the be-all, end-all measure of movie quality. But it does help to have guidelines and milestones, if for no better reason than it encourages us all to search for our own thoughts, opinions, and point of view. We must retain some respect for these institutions and the films they choose to acclaim.

With that in mind, I'm proud to announce that the American Film Institute has officially declared "Blazing Saddles," the 1974 Western spoof by Mel Brooks, to be the funniest film of all time. 

You read that right: the AFI has made an "honorary reorganization" (as the official press release calls it) of the "100 Years...100 Laughs" list of the best comedy movies of all time. The list was first compiled and unveiled back in June of 2000, when Billy Wilder's 1959 "Some Like It Hot" took first place, leaving "Blazing Saddles" back at No. 6. It might've stayed there indefinitely, were it not for the fact that Brooks is celebrating his 100th birthday today, June 28th, 2026. His centennial is what inspired the AFI to make this change. As the press release playfully explains, Brooks "has long kvetched that his film is far funnier" than the Wilder movie, to which AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale has now replied, "He's right!" Whether or not you agree, there's no doubt that Brooks' long career is more than worthy of celebration.

Mel Brooks is absolutely right to be proud of his work, especially "Blazing Saddles," which does feel like a choice for the funniest film of all time that most people can agree with. Yet while Brooks' grousing regarding the former placement of the film on the AFI list is all in good fun, in reality he's got very little to complain about. That's because "Blazing Saddles" isn't his only movie on the "100 Years...100 Laughs" list. Brooks' "The Producers" from 1967 is at No. 11, and "Young Frankenstein" is at No. 13. Although there are other repeat directors on the list, Brooks is the only one with all of his films in the top 15, which is no mean feat. Perhaps that's why it feels appropriate for "Blazing Saddles" to take the top spot, as the list was already favorable toward Brooks anyhow.

That said, there's no question that "Blazing Saddles" represents a great smorgasbord of what cinematic comedy has to offer. It's a spoof movie with a heaping helping of social commentary. It has some great sketch moments, some vaudevillian spark in its character interplay and musical sequences, and it even adopts some New Hollywood subversion, as seen in its fourth-wall-breaking finale. To create a comedy that delights past its own era is impressive enough, but "Blazing Saddles" continues to impress over a half-century later. As does Brooks, who shows no sign of stopping despite his old age — "Spaceballs: The New One" is landing in theaters next April. Happy birthday, Mel. Here's to 1,900 more years!