Thanks, everyone who posted on the “best SF movie” thread - there were many I’ll need to look up.
Many months ago, I heard a reviewer on NPR mention the funniest movie he’d ever seen, and of course I immediately forgot the name. It’s probably gone beyond recall, but what are your nominations for “funniest movie”? For me:
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL - far and away the funniest
DARK STAR - brilliant
WOODY ALLEN - any of the “early, funny ones”
“Oh, Roooob” [Laura Petrie voice] . . . You’re never gonna get people to narrow it down to the TEN funniest movies, let alone ONE. Here’s some of the flicks that make ME do Danny Thomas spit-takes:
• Just about any Max Linder or Buster Keaton short
• Fave screwball comedies: “Midnight” (1939), “Three-Cornered Moon” (1933), “Million Dollar Legs” (1932), “The Palm Beach Story” (1942)
• “Airplane!”
• Unintentionally funny movies: “Plan Nine from Outer Space” (1959), “The Best of Everything” (1959), “Queen of Outer Space” (1958). The late '50s were good vintage years for bad films!
To me, the real test of a truly funny movie is that you can watch it 10, 15, 20, or 50 times and still “lung-laugh” out loud. The only two movies that fit this description for me are “Airplane!” and “This is Spinal Tap.” There are (as Eve said) too many funny movies to name, but as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t get any funnier than “Airplane!” so I suppose it’d be my number one pick.
If I recall correctly, one of the major magazines did a poll of some sort a few years back (this info may be outdated, though)to determine the funniest movies ever. “Airplane!” was number one, with “Spinal Tap” at number three. Number two was “Some Like it Hot,” which I can’t comment on, since I’ve yet to see it.
Marx Brothers fans definitely have to check out Brain Surgeons, which is essentially a modernized retelling of A Night At the Opera. Absolutely manic, spit-take hilarious all around, and brilliantly Marxist. 
Too bad it tanked at the box office…
And if there’s more room on the ballot, I’ll cast votes for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Airplane!, The Naked Gun series, The Princess Bride, and Ghostbusters.
I remember seeing the first Naked Gun when it was in the theater and I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so long or hard at anything since. That baseball montage in the last 3rd to the song “I Love LA” made my sides ache from laughing. I was even lightheaded in a few parts. Whenever I stumble across it on TV I have to stop everything to watch. Often imitated, never duplicated.
(Anyone else think Spinal Tap and Holy Grail don’t hold up?)
In no particular order:
Tommy Boy
King Pin
Airplane
Waiting for Guffman
Galaxy Quest
Just about any Woody Allen movie
City Slickers
What About Bob?
I’m sure there are more…
My number one vote: Real Genius
In no particular runner up order:
Airplane
My Little Chickadee
Buck Privates
A Day at the Races
Spinal Tap
Princess Bride
When Harry Met Sally
Nothing ever under any circumstances by Woody Allen (except maybe a couple of scenes from What’s Up, Tiger Lilly)
Hands down, its gotta’ be ORGAZMO.
Then again, I’m an idiot.
In no particular order:
Airplane
The Party
Blazing Saddles
What’s Up Tigerlily
forgot to throw in:
Uncle Buck (hmmm…unbreakable)
Better Off Dead (I’m going to activate your dental plan!)
History of the world part I (The jig is up…and gone!)
The Jerk (Put a rubber on it"
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (I could sit for days at insurance seminars…)
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (You’re Abe Froman? The sausage king of Chicago?)
My god no man!
I don’t know what it is but mormans in porn movies always gets me rolling. Other than Orgazmo I would have to go with the Princess Bride
Raising Arizona
Being John Malkovich
The Jerk
Lord, how do I choose?
Arthur. My all time favorite comedy. I’ve seen it nearly as many times as I have RHPS.
The Money Pit. The bathtub falling through the floor and Tom Hanks having a hysterical laughing fit? I’m sorry…I always have to pause it after that so I can stop horselaughing, myself.
** Pulp Fiction**. I know it’s not meant to be a comedy, but there are hundreds of riotous moments in the film. The first time I saw it at the theatre, with friends, we all guffawed during the opening scene, then looked furtively around, because NOBODY else was laughing. We ended up not giving a crap. Parts of that movie are a scream.
Night at the Roxbury. Lord, I am gonna get flamed for that one, I am sure. But the scene where Doug is slamming those silk flowers into the van because he’s so damn mad at his dad is priceless. I really loved the whole movie. I used to have a friend who looked like and had almost identical mannerisms as Doug. Watching that movie really reminds me of David alot, and since David’s no longer alive, it’s fun to see a character that is so much like him.
I probably can think of a dozen more, but those are my top four.
Oh, and heembo, you’re exactly right about Uncle Buck. It’s in my collection as well. I have always been a major fan of John Candy’s.
Hands down: “Dr. Strangelove”
Off the top of my head:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The General
Modern Times
Duck Soup
The Bank Dick
Love and Death
Airplane!
Men in Black
Playtime (must be seen in theaters in 70 mm, though)
Chicken Run
In the “funniest scene from a movie” thread, I was surprised how far we got before I mentioned “Springtime for Hitler”.
I am now surprised we have gotten this far without mentioning “The Producers” (which is on its way to Broadway with Nathan Lane and Mathew Broderick!).
Grok does it again! Oh yeah!
Oh, and look at my sig for my other vote…
Office Space is a damn hilarious movie
Of course, anything by Kevin Smith, and I love The Producers.
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
For me, the all-time funniest movie is CLUE! I can watch it over and over, recite the lines, and STILL crack up.
The rest, in no order whatsoever~
Tommy Boy
The Princess Bride
The Whole Nine Yards (I think Matthew Perry is hillarious)You guys got this far without bringing up Young Frankenstein?!?!
That, and of course, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, This is Spinal Tap, and Airplane!
Of more recent flicks, I’d have to go with There’s Something About Mary, Raising Arizona, and Dogma.