# Funniest comedys of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951 "2002-12-11T04:51:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/1 "2002-12-11T04:51:38Z")
Having just watched Planes Trains & Automobiles for probably the 20th time, it occurred to me that the 1980s were the years when the best comedys were made. By “best comedys” I mean movies that consistently make you laugh out loud, no matter how many times you watch them. To me, this is what makes a great comedy; it lets you forget about whatever problems you might have, and lifts your spirits, at least temporarily. Most of the great comedys I can think of come from this era. Its probably just nostalgia, but to me it seems the art of making a comedy “classic” isn’t what it used to be. My top five great comedys, for me, would be: 1. **Stir Crazy** (1980) - The best of the Wilder / Pryor movies. 2. **Trading Places** (1983) - Eddie Murphy at his sharpest and funniest, with a great cast. 3. **Airplane!** (1980) - Stuffed full of gags - fortunately most are hits rather than misses. 4. **Planes, Trains & Automobiles** (1987) - Steve Martin’s funniest film (The Jerk is the second). 5. **Beverly Hills Cop** (1984) - Same reason as number 2. The sequels of BHC got progressively worse IMO. So, were the 1980s _really_ that great for comedys? I have a feeling I may be in the minority in thinking this! What would your top 5 comedys be, and your reasons for picking them? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/2 "2002-12-11T05:08:57Z")
No particular order: \*\*Blazing Saddles Young Frankenstein My Man Godfrey Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Real Genius\*\* Reasons? Mostly, these had obvious, almost slapstick humor mixed with deep, subtle comedy genius. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/3 "2002-12-11T05:09:09Z")
Trading Places (1983) Stripes (1981) Blazing Saddles (1974) Spaceballs (1987) Caddy Shack (1980) Animal House (1987) The Blues Brothers (1980) The Toy (1982) Basically, if you have a cast member from the orginal SNL, Richard Pryor, or Mel Brooks you’re all good in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/4 "2002-12-11T05:17:51Z")
I don’t know if I can pick a top 5 off the top of my head, but for comedies, these have to be on my list: **Better Off Dead** **Monty Python and the Holy Grail** Perhaps I can organize my thoughts better at a later time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/5 "2002-12-11T05:25:58Z")
My top 5: 1. Raising Arizona 2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail 3. The Party 4. Young Frankenstein 5. Ghostbusters ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/6 "2002-12-11T05:32:45Z")
_Dr. Strangelove_ _Blazing Saddles_ _Duck Soup_ _The Life of Brian_ _Caddyshack_ You may want to look at this [page](http://us.imdb.com/Charts/Votes/comedy) for a fuller list. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/7 "2002-12-11T05:34:28Z")
I third the **Holy Grail.** ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/8 "2002-12-11T05:34:47Z")
1. **For Y’ur Height Only** is the funniest thing ever filmed. The line “That little Wang’s gonna put us out of business” is a classic. 2. **Young Frankenstein** for having some of the funniest running gags in history. 3. **A Shot in the Dark** because Peter sellers is hilarious, and the nudist camp sequence is the funniest thing he ever did. 4. **Blazing Saddles** for Mongo alone needs to be on the list. 5. **The Gruesome Twosome** features big haired southern gals doing the frug while eating fried chicken, a crazy old lady who talks to a stuffed bobcat, a parody of _Tom Jones_, and some really fake gore. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/9 "2002-12-11T05:40:53Z")
**Spaceballs** - I’ve seen it over 100 times and still laugh **The Ref** - How can a movie with Dennis Leary and Kevin Spacey NOT be good? **Office Space** - I don’t expect I need to comment on this one. **Mallrats** - although I the entire movie was only moderately funny (which isn’t bad), the game show scene, in my opinion, is one of the funniest scenes in any movie - all thanks to Jason Lee. **Dogma** - hillarious top to bottom **Ghostbusters** - again, I don’t expect much needs to be said about this one. **Yellowbeard** - Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Tommy Chong AND Cheech Marin? Come on!!! And I know I’m gonna get torched for this one… **Bio-Dome** - I can’t help that I find Pauly Shore funny By the way…if anyone knows how I can get a copy of **Yellowbeard** , I will be owe you big. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/10 "2002-12-11T05:44:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grendel72 \* > **4. Blazing Saddles for Mongo alone needs to be on the list.** Agreed. 😃 Similar character to Grossburger in **Stir Crazy** (starts off really mean, but is really a pussycat!). “Mongo only pawn in game of Life.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/11 "2002-12-11T05:46:30Z")
_What’s Up, Doc?_ (1972). Director Peter Bogdonavich knew and loved the screwball comedy genre, and made a movie that is good as any in it. _Young Frankenstein_ (1975), ditto Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder and the 1930s horror genre. The production design, photograhy, and music are the real thing, while the comedy is pure Brooks-Wilder. _Animal House_ (1978), the first major bawdy, gross-out comedy aimed at the 18-25 market. Then came _Porky’s_ and the Farrelly Bros. _I Wanna Hold Your Hand_ (1978). The funniest thing about this comedy about a group of teenagers trying to see the Beatles on their first visit to the U.S. is that it’s not much of an exaggeration of how insane it really was at the time. _Airplane![_ (1980). _Top Secret!_ (1984). “How silly can you get?” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/12 "2002-12-11T06:20:44Z")
Spaceballs, Airplane, Holy Grail, Office Space, Life of Brian, Young Frankenstein, Top Secret…etc all earned their way onto this list but one film that can stand toe to toe with any of these yet consistently gets left off of this list is **Sout Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut**. Do people think it’s not old enough to be “classic” yet? Do they think it’s immature? Unoriginal? I assure you it’s none of these. It’s probably the most solid and rewatchable laugh-fest I’ve ever seen in my life. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/13 "2002-12-11T06:31:09Z")
Annie Hall Kind Hearts and Coronets A Night at the Opera Dr Strangelove Blazing Saddles/Young Frankenstein/High Anxiety Holy Grail/Life of Brian ---
**Author:** ![kspharm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@kspharm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kspharm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/14 "2002-12-11T06:41:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Spaceballs, Airplane, Holy Grail, Office Space, Life of Brian, Young Frankenstein, Top Secret…etc all earned their way onto this list but one film that can stand toe to toe with any of these yet consistently gets left off of this list is Sout Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut. I must agree with you. I am a marginal South Park fan and didn’t really think this was going to be a good movie, but MY GAWD!!! This was one f-ing funny movie. It now stands alongside Taxi Driver, Godfather part II, Fight Club, The Matrix, as well as the Stanley Kubrick collection as one of my favorite movies of all time. As far as comedies go, the first three “Vacation” movies (especially Christmas Vacation) and the Fletch series were just masterpieces. I guess I have a thing for Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid. Also, Peter Sellers is a bar-none genius. If you have never seen it, **The Party** is so awkwardly funny it will leave you thinking about this movie for years to come. Not to mention his **Pink Panther** movies and **Dr. Strangelove** ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/15 "2002-12-11T08:01:29Z")
His Girl Friday Bringing Up Baby Palm Beach Story Kind Hearts and Coronets Annie Hall I admit I haven’t seen that many comedies of the last 20 years. I thought There’s Something About Mary was mostly terrific and reminiscent of the great screwball comedies of the 30’s and 40’s **except** for those two famously tasteless jokes which nearly spoiled the movie for me. That’s probably the reason I prefer older comedies; less crudity, more sophistication. Plus the quality of comic acting seemed to be higher; who is the Cary Grant or Katherine Hepburn of today? ---
**Author:** ![rampisad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/858c86/32.png) [@rampisad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rampisad)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/16 "2002-12-11T10:18:11Z")
It’s a bit surprising that there’s nothing from Charles Chaplin yet. My choice of his work is **The Great Dictator** , but anything he did (besides Modern Times) also ranks as sheer genius. Otherwise, Mel Brooks is The Master - especially **The Producers** , **History of the World - Part 1** And my choice for Best Comedy of All Times - **Blazing Saddles** ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/17 "2002-12-11T12:12:02Z")
What, nobody’s mentioned the funnier-the-more-you-watch-it This Is Spinal Tap? Or, you know, The General (Which I admit, I have not seen in entirety… still hunting it), or Duck Soup, Monkey Business, or A Night At The Opera? It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World? Heck, Ghostbusters? ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/18 "2002-12-11T12:32:03Z")
The Big Lebowski - I even prefer it to Fargo - John Goodman and John Turturro’s cameo were hilarious. The Life of Brian - I still love it and way better that the Holy Grail IMO. Some Like it Hot - You just can’t beat class. Clerks - My favourite of the series - the wank mag scene is a classic. Blazing Saddles - Enough has been said already. There’s Something About Mary - It’s very silly but very funny. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut - Again, I’m not a regular viewer of the show but when I woke up hungover in a friend’s house and watched it, I laughed my tits off. Uncle fucker, heh, heh. \*\*Magnolia[/b - Although this is not strictly a comedy, parts of it were laugh out loud funny (Tom Cruise’s motivational speeches, the kid’s quiz show etc.). The over the top characters were sensitively portrayed but still hilarious. **The Snapper** (to keep the Irish flag flying, although there were plenty of laugh out loud moments in all the Barrytown trilogy films) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/19 "2002-12-11T12:33:58Z")
**The Producers** except I can’t watch it with anyone any more because I start laughing at the set-up of the joke, and they can’t hear the joke when it gets there because I’m laughing so hard. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951/20 "2002-12-11T12:36:54Z")
I never try to narrow any list down to “top 5,” since with the number of great movies out there I always feel like I’m doing an injustice to the other ones by only choosing. Additionally, the top 5 I choose today would no doubt change if I answered this question tomorrow. But a few great comedies that haven’t been mentioned yet: Princess Bride Groundhog’s Day (funnier every time you watch it, there’s a lot of subtlety in that film missed the first time around) M_A_S_H_ To Be Or Not To Be (vastly underrated Mel Brooks flick) The Sting Spinal Tap Tootsie There’s no doubt a few more, but these are just what popped in. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-comedys-of-all-time/141951.md?page=2)