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50
Greatest Comedy Films |
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1. Monty Python's Life Of
Brian, 1979
The Life of Brian is perhaps the most frequently
misinterpreted of Cleese et al's work. Despite
the numerous Biblical references, the film is
not about Christ, but a nearly-messiah named
Brian whose misfortune sees him worshipped by
three wise but lost men, accrue disciples, and
ultimately crucified for his efforts at pursuing
a simple life. Funded by ex-Beatle George
Harrison, and fiercely lobbied against on its
release, this film has secured a place in
cinematic history.
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2. Airplane!, 1980
The Zucker brothers' riotous send-up of 50s
B-movies and 70s disaster flicks not only
spawned a whole legion of sight-gag-laden spoofs
but also introduced the world to the concept of
Leslie Nielsen as a comic actor, delighting with
a volley of comic potshots at everything from
Saturday Night Fever to From Here To Eternity.
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3. Shaun Of The Dead, 2004
Simon Pegg, of Spaced fame, boldly makes the
transition from sitcom genius to accomplished
filmmaker alongside director pal Edgar Wright,
in their first feature film (also purporting to
be the world's first zom-rom-com). Riddled with
film and video game geekery, it takes a feat of
strength to pick up on every reference, though
this is not its only source of humour. Pegg and
co find refuge from flesh-eating zombies in
their local, and batter the mutants to death
with pool cues whilst listening to Queen. |
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4. Austin Powers:
International Man Of Mystery, 1997
Suspended in a state of cryostasis since the
60s, special agent Austin Powers is defrosted in
the 90s to do battle with his nemesis, Dr. Evil,
and counter his plans to take over the world. A
shagadelic spy spoof starring Mike Myers and
Elizabeth Hurley, this is just fab, baby. |
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5. South Park: Bigger, Longer
& Uncut, 1999
Deeply un-PC, crude, rude, and crushingly funny,
Parker and Stone's extrapolation of the
similarly filthy TV show South Park manages to
avoid the typical pitfalls of the small to big
screen graduation process, and even gets Saddam
Hussein into a homosexual relationship with
Satan. Prudes beware, this is not for those of a
sensitive disposition. |
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6. Monty Python And The Holy
Grail 1975
The Holy Grail sees the team donning their suits
of armour and clippety-clopping their coconuts
across the country in search of Christ's Goblet.
As well as being near to saturation point with
absurd jokes and themes, the film also makes way
for Terry Gilliam's fantastic animations, making
this very nearly un-made shoestring feature a
pure piece of Python history, in every sense of
the word. |
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7. American Pie, 1999
Sticky, messy and downright dirty, this is a
teen comedy that actually reflects the lives of
teenagers. The first high school movie to
feature a teenager getting intimate with
apple-filled pastry, this beltingly vulgar movie
amply demonstrates how to be crude, lewd and
very funny.
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8. Blazing Saddles, 1974
Mel Brooks' raucous spoof of the western summons
up just about every one of its stock clichés for
a merciless parodying in this classic film.
Blazing Saddles balances an irreverent backslap
at Hollywood prejudice with a tireless,
irresistible vulgarity, and the humour zips from
harrumphing slapstick to highbrow satire.
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9. There's Something About
Mary, 1998
Men having trouble with their zips, unusual hair
gel – the Farrelly Brothers are at it again in
this anarchic, bad-taste comedy that has the
dazzling Cameron Diaz as the object of geeky Ben
Stiller's affections. Unable to forget his
teenage object of lust, Stiller hires a private
detective to track her down – who promptly falls
for her too. Gross-out shenanigans ensue, most
notoriously in a scene where Mary mistakes semen
for hair gel. Like the rest of the film, the
scene is puerile, politically incorrect,
rib-achingly funny and strangely insightful.
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10. This Is Spinal Tap, 1984
The second drummer drowned, their album sleeve
could be none more black, they're big in Japan.
Spinal Tap: the funniest, non-existent rock band
- ever. It's difficult to imagine now that when
This Is Spinal Tap arrived in Britain, there was
only a nagging suspicion that the band whose
rockumentary this was couldn't quite be for
real. However, since then, This Is Spinal Tap
has become legendary. Hilarious, bitingly
perceptive and cinematically assured. |
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11. Annie Hall, 1977
A bittersweet, autobiographical romantic comedy,
Annie Hall is the quintessential Woody Allen
movie, featuring all of his favourite themes –
love, relationships, neuroses, fame, guilt,
pessimism and his love of New York. With
one-liners like 'Don't knock masturbation, it's
sex with someone I love", it's little wonder
that this has remained Allen's best loved work. |
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12. Blues Brothers, 1980
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd play it once more,
with feeling as the Blues Brothers, determined
to raise the $5000 needed to keep the orphanage
that raised them from closing. With a cast
including James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Ray
Charles, and an hilarious performance from
Belushi, this film deserves its cult status. |
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13. Groundhog Day, 1993
Bill Murray excels in a part tailored for his
ultra-cynical persona, as a jaded weatherman
forced to relive the worst day of his life over
and over again. As well as a perfect star
vehicle, the film is a brilliant analysis of the
implications of the film's simple conceit, and
is ultimately a classic tale of redemption,
reminiscent of Capra's It's A Wonderful Life.
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14. The Naked Gun, 1988
Relentless punnery and incessant slapstick are
what make this small-to-big screen graduation
the treat that it is. Naked Gun: From the Files
Of Police Squad serves as an effective foil for
Zucker's double entendre and visual absurdity,
impeccably distilled by Nielsen's flawless comic
timing and obliviousness, which will ensure the
rewind button on your remote is worn out by the
end of your viewing.
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15. Wayne's World, 1992
The first big-screen outing for comedian Mike
Myers and his sidekick Dana Carvey, following on
from their regular Saturday Night Live slots,
was eagerly anticipated and surprisingly good.
They are the perpetually adolescent (virginal)
metal fans whose inane public access show
becomes a big hit. It's snickering, silly and,
at times, downright demented, but that's why it
works. |
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16. Some Like It Hot, 1959
Men in drag is a delicate comedic area, quite
simply because it's so easy to deflate a film's
allure by running over-used gags. Some Like It
Hot, however, manages to explore this arena
intelligently and, above all, hilariously,
without resorting to baser levels. Tony Curtis
and Jack Lemmon are two fledgling musicians, on
the run - in dresses. Shacking up with a
travelling all-girl band, headed by Marilyn
Monroe, they certainly get a run for their money
as their alternative attire attracts all manner
of calamity. Finely crafted and flawlessly
executed. |
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17. Dumb And Dumber, 1994
Jim Carrey has become synonymous with unbridled
craziness and rubber faced screams since his
bombastic hit, The Mask. However, Dumb And
Dumber sees him in an altogether gentler role.
Travelling cross country in a vehicle resembling
a shaggy dog, chauffeur Lloyd and pooch groomer
Harry engage deeply with their inner infants.
Quite simply, this is a brilliant piece of
comedy from a formidable team of talents. |
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18. Meet The Parents, 2000
One of the funniest films of 2000, in which Ben
Stiller spends a nightmarish weekend when he
meets his girlfriend's parents – Robert De Niro
tapping into a richly comic sensibility. We've
all been through it, and that's what makes Meet
The Parents so successful. Packed with
cringe-worthy moments from beginning to end, Jay
Roach's sharp comedy is for anyone who has ever
endured a weekend in the company of potential
in-laws. |
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19. Clerks, 1994
Kevin Smith's directorial debut is as hilarious
as it is filthy, cutting to the bone of gritty
American service subculture like a chainsaw. The
script buzzes with intelligence mired in
laziness, and observations born of the meniality
of working in a grocer's. With icons for those
whose aspirations stretch to a day on the couch
drinking beer, Smith has clearly defined a
branch of cinema which he can confidently call
his own.
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20. Young Frankenstein, 1974
Gloriously silly spoof of the Universal
Frankenstein horror films of the 1930s,
co-written by director Mel Brooks and star Gene
Wilder. Taking elements from Shelley's novel and
the three films that typify the genre (1931's
Frankenstein, 1935's The Bride Of Frankenstein
and 1939's Son of Frankenstein), Brooks delivers
the comic goods in abundance with numerous gags
and one-liners. |
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21. Withnail & I, 1987
Richard E Grant's finest hour comes in the
cultiest of cult British comedies. You know the
plot: two unemployed actors, the posturing,
faux-Wildean Withnail (Grant) and his more
sensible flatmate (McGann) flee London for a
country cottage owned by Withnail's Uncle Monty
(a lascivious comic grotesque played by
Griffiths). It's a nostalgic farce, in which
every element functions perfectly – fully
deserving of its enduring status.
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22. M*A*S*H, 1970
Director Robert Altman is at his irreverent,
hilarious best with this anti-establishment
comedy set during the Korean War but satirising
the US Vietnam war effort. Following the
fortunes of a group of rebellious surgeons
stationed in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
(MASH), the largely improvised script drips with
sarcasm, and Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould
spark off each other with rapier wit and
devastating put-downs. |
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23. A Fish Called Wanda, 1988
Veteran high comedian and ex-Python John Cleese
has never performed by halves, and this
fast-paced all-star hoot combines bullseye comic
timing with high-energy farce. Jamie Curtis,
Cleese and Kevin Kline pull off a jewel heist
which results in a flattened psychotic, and a
number of ex-dogs, while Michael Palin delivers
a stunning, Oscar-winning performance as a
clumsy, stuttering sniper.This is British comedy
at its pinnacle. |
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24. Ghostbusters, 1984
"Who you gonna call?" Bill Murray wisecracks,
puns and deadpans his way through this cracker
of a movie, ably helped by Dan Aykroyd and
Harold Ramis. Together, the trio form a team of
paranormal investigators, ridding New Yorkers
suffering from pest infestations of the
supernatural kind. A great idea, top notch cast
and lively script gelled to create an 80s
blockbusters.
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25. Gregory's Girl, 1980
An essential, British 80s teen movie, starring
John Gordon Sinclair as the goofy schoolboy
infatuated with a fantastic female footballer in
his class. The film has fresh, no-nonsense
performances and a script so rooted in truth
that it seems to have materialized not been
written. Utterly charming.
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