# What are the best black comedies ever made? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 24, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677 "2006-03-24T03:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/61 "2006-03-24T18:50:23Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Another vote for **War of the Roses** , especially since it refused to soften even when it had the chance (i.e., when Michael Douglas puts his hand on Kathleen Turner in the very last scene, and she removes it). Danny DeVito also directed _Death to Smoochy_ and _Throw Momma From the Train_, which I guess firmly establishes him as a black-comedy director, though the spectacular box-office failure of _Smoochy_ likely hurt him a lot. His upcoming _I Married a Witch_ (a remake of the 1942 film starring Fredric March and Veronica Lake) might be worth checking out. And _Network_ is one of my favourite black comedies. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/62 "2006-03-24T19:00:09Z")
_Deathrace 2000_ is also a fave of mine, I hasten to add. ---
**Author:** ![Logan\_5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/fbc32d/32.png) [@Logan\_5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Logan_5)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/63 "2006-03-24T19:06:16Z")
The Trouble with Harry Arsenic and Old Lace Serial Mom Little Shop of Horrors American Werewolf in London Killing Zoe Four Rooms Man Bites Dog Would True Romance work as a black comedy, maybe unintentionally? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/64 "2006-03-24T23:55:22Z")
I just picked up a copy of _One Night at McCool’s_ which is a damn funny movie considering how many people get killed in it. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/65 "2006-03-25T00:20:34Z")
> [@Sublight](#): > > Spike Jonze has made some good dark comedies. > > **Being John Malkovich** > **Human Nature** > **Adaptation** Human Nature was a Michel Gondry film written by Charlie Kaufman. Don’t worry, it was the film’s stupid ad campaign that got you thinking it was a Spike Jonez film. And I would like to nominate the other Gondry/Kaufman team up \*\*Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind \*\* as another great dark comedy (though I opened the thread to say **Kind Hearts and Coronette’s** thinking it was obscure enough not to have been mentioned yet.) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/66 "2006-03-25T00:58:17Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > 1. Dancer in the Dark Dude, if you laughed enough times during that movie to consider it a comedy of _any_ sort, you’re a deeply disturbed individual. I hope this diagram helps: ```auto COMEDY -------------------------------------------------------- TRAGEDY ^ ^ Bananas The Sweet Hereafter ^ Dancer in the Dark ``` 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/67 "2006-03-25T01:22:19Z")
I was the first one to cite _True Romance_. In my mind, _Barton Fink_ has just edged out _Harold and Maude_ for the second-place accolade. _Barton Fink_ combined some of the blackest of black moments with comedy on a conceptual level that was insanely funny in the sense of “I can’t believe they just did that.” ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/68 "2006-03-25T01:48:10Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Dude, if you laughed enough times during that movie to consider it a comedy of _any_ sort, you’re a deeply disturbed individual. I was gonna suggest “Happiness.” Same thing? ---
**Author:** ![hop\_along](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f08c70/32.png) [@hop\_along](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hop_along)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/69 "2006-03-25T02:02:06Z")
Sleepy Hollow has to be up there, laughed my head off… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/70 "2006-03-25T02:17:21Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > I was gonna suggest “Happiness.” > > Same thing? Hell no! _Happiness_ is definitely black comedy – yeah, there are (extremely) disturbing situations, but there’s plenty of deliberately absurd humour in there. “If _only_ I was abused as a child, _then_ I could write authentically.” Hell, the movie even has a punchline.[spoiler]“I came!” – Ha! …and before that, the dog lapping up the kid’s first ejaculation and then running and licking his mother’s face.[/spoiler]Very dark, but there are many scenes that are clearly played for laughs. I’m trying to think of something that resembles a joke in _Dancer in the Dark_… ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/71 "2006-03-25T02:52:08Z")
> [@jali](#): > > American Psycho Dammit, you took the one I was going to mention! That movie is absolutely hilarious. Now, I have to return some videotapes… ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/72 "2006-03-25T06:06:20Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Dude, if you laughed enough times during that movie to consider it a comedy of _any_ sort, you’re a deeply disturbed individual. > > I hope this diagram helps: > > ```auto > > COMEDY -------------------------------------------------------- TRAGEDY > ^ ^ > Bananas The Sweet Hereafter > ^ > Dancer in the Dark > > ``` > > 😛 It’s a comedy for the director; the audience is part of the show. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/73 "2006-03-25T09:08:25Z")
How about “Wag the Dog”? I remember it as being pretty funny and also fairly bleak–I mean, they made up a war to take attention off a possible presidential scandal. People believed it. And then it really happened! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/74 "2006-03-25T12:03:47Z")
I was going to say Wag the Dog. But ah well. And perhaps, The 'Burbs? Beetlejuice? Not sure if those are dark or just normal funny films which involve death. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/75 "2006-03-25T20:19:12Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > And perhaps, The 'Burbs? Beetlejuice? Not sure if those are dark or just normal funny films which involve death. I haven’t seen The 'Burbs, but Beetlejuice has to count. It’s not satirical like many of the movies mentioned in this list, but it does treat death as a subject for comedy. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/76 "2006-03-25T22:23:57Z")
I nominate _All That Jazz_. The dance numbers Joe hallucinates while in the hospital for a major heart attack are beyond funny. And the punch line at the very end of the movie is the blackest of black comedy:Joe has died and is zipped up in a body bag. Soundtrack: Ethel Merman singing _There’s No Business Like Show Business_. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/77 "2006-03-25T23:53:04Z")
A couple that haven’t been mentioned: [Lord Love a Duck](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060636/) [Pretty Maids All in a Row](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067610/) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/78 "2006-03-25T23:54:58Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > A couple that haven’t been mentioned: > [Lord Love a Duck](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060636/) > [Pretty Maids All in a Row](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067610/) I LOVE _Lord Love a Duck._ I finally tracked down a copy of it. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/79 "2006-03-26T02:38:31Z")
Brazil Bliss (80’s Aussie version) Highway 61 Eat The Rich Delicatessen Fargo Kind Hearts and Coronets The Trouble With Harry The Opposite of Sex MASH ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677/80 "2006-03-27T00:57:05Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > _All That Jazz_. The dance numbers Joe hallucinates while in the hospital Oh yeah, the surgery dance, heart and liver pirouetting with the spleen and lungs. Quite the production number. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-black-comedies-ever-made/349677.md?page=5)