# What is the single funniest movie you've ever seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877 "2013-06-13T04:08:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/161 "2013-06-16T06:26:24Z")
Dragon Wars. Me and my brother were laughing literally to tears. It was more MST3K funny than intentionally funny though. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/162 "2013-06-16T12:40:34Z")
If this is to be measured by how hard I laughed, then _Borat_ is the funniest movie I’ve seen. However there are much more clever comedies out there that I’d say I like better. It’s just that none of them made me laugh so viscerally and uncontrollably as (among other things) the naked wrestling scene. ---
**Author:** ![Dalai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@Dalai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dalai)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/163 "2013-06-16T14:56:05Z")
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Nearly every line is quotable, and the acting is phenomenal. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/164 "2013-06-16T15:20:35Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > The one movie that I can remember laughing until it hurt the first time I saw it was _A Fish Called Wanda_. It’s still one of my favorites, maybe even my most favorite, but like most comedies I don’t laugh quite so hard during subsequent viewings. > > For me it struck the perfect balance - Monty Python-esque absurdity and silliness tempered with a bit of restraint and actual well-constructed story. The acting is all excellent, but Kevin Kline is just so gloriously, ridiculously dumb that he just leapt off the screen. > > I was so excited to see that team reunite for _Fierce Creatures_ but, alas, it seems that _Wanda_ was one of those unreproducible happy accidents. This. But for weeks after first seeing _Animal House_ I could spontaneously break into uncontrollable laughter by the mere thought of the dead horse in the Dean’s office. (OMG–it still works! I’m chuckling as I write this!) ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/165 "2013-06-16T16:53:35Z")
_Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ didn’t strike me as all that funny, but then I’d been hearing people quote it for almost twenty years before I finally watched in (1993). I think _Noises Off_ had me laughing the most through my initial viewing - my wife and I kept missing stuff and having to rewind because we were laughing so hard. (I picked it up at a movie-rental place when I went to get a comedy; I’d never heard of it before, but I figured a mivie that starred Michael Caine, Carol Burnett, Christopher Reeve and John Ritter couldn’t possibly be bad.) _Oscar_, _The Gods Must Be Crazy_ and _The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming_ are also high on my list of Funniest Movies I’ve Ever Seen. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/166 "2013-06-16T19:11:16Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > I think _Noises Off_ had me laughing the most through my initial viewing - my wife and I kept missing stuff and having to rewind because we were laughing so hard. (I picked it up at a movie-rental place when I went to get a comedy; I’d never heard of it before, but I figured a mivie that starred Michael Caine, Carol Burnett, Christopher Reeve and John Ritter couldn’t possibly be bad.) Just for the record: [ul] [li]Christopher Reeve also stared in _Monsignor_.[/li][li]John Ritter also starred in _Hero At Large_ and _Americathon_.[/li][li]Michael Caine also starred in _Jaws: The Revenge_.[/li][/ul] … so “couldn’t possibly” might be a wee bit too strong here. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/167 "2013-06-16T19:13:49Z")
Young Frankenstein. ---
**Author:** ![Jarvis\_3713](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Jarvis\_3713](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jarvis_3713)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/168 "2013-06-16T19:14:43Z")
Hands down Spaceballs. Every single person should have this movie in their collection, unless they don’t enjoy laughing. ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/169 "2013-06-18T17:17:59Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > The OP specifically requested ONE movie. Otherwise you’re not really answering the question. Why are people just blowing this off? Why not just start another thread if you’re incapable of choosing just one? Jesus, what’s the big deal if they mention more than one? As far as the main thread question: I thought Airplane right away. But Borat and Holy Grail, and original Naked Gun are right up there. If I had to pick one scene (sorry again Hazle to go "off-topic), the baseball scene in Naked Gun was hands down the most hilarious scene in movie history. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/170 "2013-06-18T18:40:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That’s funny. If I had been asked what your favorite Cary Grant comedy was, I would have guessed _Arsenic and Old Lace_. I absolutely love Arsenic and Old Lace. Hm, hard to pick only one, Noises Off, A Funny Thing Happened, History of the World, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and many others I am simply forgetting … On the foreign film side, I found [7 Zwerge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_Dwarves_%E2%80%93_Men_Alone_in_the_Wood) to be absolutely hysterical. Currently on netflix streaming subtitled. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/171 "2013-06-18T20:18:34Z")
Big Lebowski. I’ve seen in about a dozen times over the years and still laughs every time; sometimes I’m about to fall out of my chair laughing when checking out a clip on YouTube – hell, even thinking about this or that scen makes me laugh after all these years. Sent from my GT-I8350 using Board Express ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/172 "2013-06-18T20:26:27Z")
Ghostbusters. It’s not a film that will reduce you to tears, but it is constantly, cleverly funny, and odd, and inventive, and wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/173 "2013-06-19T00:40:21Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Buggs Bunny isn’t as funny as Yo Sammity Sam. > [@terentii](#): > > Huh?!? :dubious:😕 I’m guessing that **hogarth** is making a sly reference to [this recent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=685952) in which [there was surprise that somebody had never heard of “Buggs Bunny” _(sic)_ or “Yo Sammity Sam” _(sic)_](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16123524&postcount=20). ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/174 "2013-06-19T01:33:37Z")
Fish Called Wanda and Naked Gun both had me on the theatre floor. A recent film is Tropic Thunder. That had me in tears more than once. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/175 "2013-06-19T01:56:34Z")
Two of my top picks have been mentioned: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Caddyshack I’ll add Clerks since I don’t think it has appeared in the thread yet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/176 "2013-06-19T04:18:57Z")
> [@fjs1fs](#): > > If I had to pick one scene (sorry again Hazle to go "off-topic), the baseball scene in Naked Gun was hands down the most hilarious scene in movie history. Hey, it’s Enrico Pallazzo! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/177 "2013-06-19T04:39:09Z")
> [@Antonius\_Block](#): > > I’m guessing that **hogarth** is making a sly reference to [this recent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=685952) in which [there was surprise that somebody had never heard of “Buggs Bunny” _(sic)_ or “Yo Sammity Sam” _(sic)_](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16123524&postcount=20). I remember that. I just didn’t expect to see it again. :eek: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/178 "2013-06-19T06:08:06Z")
> [@fjs1fs](#): > > Jesus, what’s the big deal if they mention more than one? > > As far as the main thread question: I thought Airplane right away. > > But Borat and Holy Grail, and original Naked Gun are right up there. If I had to pick one scene (sorry again Hazle to go "off-topic), the baseball scene in Naked Gun was hands down the most hilarious scene in movie history. No big deal. Just sort of defeats the purpose of the OP, as stated by his own self. It’s more interesting to see what people choose as their one favorite movie than to just have them list several. Why not stick with the original question? ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/179 "2013-06-19T06:36:48Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > Since **Airplane!** has been mentioned many times, I’ll go with the lesser-known **Living in Oblivion**. I rented this with my then-roommate many years ago because it was one of the few films still available. We didn’t know what to expect but ended up having to pause the film several times because we were laughing so hard we were missing parts of it. This is a great call. You kinda need some interest or background with filmmaking to totally get all of the references, but still. Mine probably would deserve to get beat out by **Caddyshack** and **Animal House** , but I think the funniest movie for me, personally, would be **Swingers**. ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877/180 "2013-06-19T06:53:29Z")
Okay, there’s this one movie that I saw at the Slamdance Film Festival that is so far off the umm, _beaten_ path, and only a, umm, _handful_, have ever seen it. It’s called [**The Trouble with Lou**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSXVkBZmZsE). Never made it to theatres outside of the film festival circuit and it admittedly _goes flaccid_ in the third act, but is an absolute gem of a comedy. If you ever spot it on Netflix or similar, it’s a must see. Another one far from the multiplex that I think would be a hit with this crowd is called [**…And God Spoke**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ2RL517dC0). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-single-funniest-movie-youve-ever-seen/660877.md?page=10)