(M)

4 stars

(Blu-ray)

Mel Brooks' hit 1974 spoof turns 40 and while elements of it are dated, it's still a lot of fun if you like his wild style of comedy. And unlike Seth MacFarlane's recent attempt at a Western genre send-up, it has a point behind all the anachronisms and crudity.

Corrupt attorney-general Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman) wants to drive away the citizens of Rock Ridge so a railway can go through it. He appoints Bart (Cleavon Little), an African-American, sheriff of the deeply racist town to wreak havoc. But he doesn't count on the townsfolk getting behind Bart and a gunslinger (Gene Wilder) to stick up for themselves.

With plenty of gags both verbal and visual, there's lots of amusement to be had despite occasional bouts of self-indulgence, and an anti-racism message if you want to look for it. The campfire flatulence scene isn't as audacious as it once was – vulgarity has since risen to new heights, or plumbed new depths – but the film is still fun and sports an enthusiastic cast, including Madeleine Kahn as a Marlene Dietrich-like singer.

There's a new, rather self-congratulatory featurette focusing on Brooks and some cards with scenes and quoted from the film. The rest of the extras are from earlier editions, including additional scenes and an unfunny TV pilot for a spin-off series, Black Bart, that (deservedly) did not eventuate.