This question is inspired by the Spinal Tap thread (best song? “Break Like The Wind”).
In my view, its “Life of Brian” and nothing anybody says is going to change my mind.
Blazing Saddles
I have to go for “A Fish Called Wanda”. There are some scenes in that one that always give me great fits of laugh-out-loudness.
Close second for “Army of Darkness”. Different rationale though.
Can it be? A real thread by xanakis? Crimeny!
I think Fletch was a great movie. So many great lines. If the book is even better, which I’ve heard, I’m definitely going to have to check it out.
Even just in the Mel Brooks genre, I think Spaceballs easily beats Blazing Saddles. BS may have been cutting edge comedy when it came out, but it does nothing for me today.
Well, the purpose of a comedy is to make you laugh and whilst it may not be sophisticated or witty or clever or any of the other things that make for ‘good’ comedies, the funniest thing I have ever seen on screen is the scene from Dumb and Dumber with the blind kid stroking the decapitited parakeet, trying to get it to sing. Man, I nearly threw up right there in the cinema I was laughing so damn hard 
I would say “real genius” is one of the greatest comedy movies ever.
Three candidates:
The In-Laws
“Serpentine, Shel! Serpentine!”
Raising Arizona
“Do they blow up into funny shapes at all?”
“Well, no. Not unless round is funny.”
Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
“I think his name was something like Ratzkywatzky.”
Ok…best comedies…for my money have to be:
Rushmore
“They gave each other hand jobs in the pool, while you were taking a nap”
“How you feeling?..A little bit Lonely”
Road to Wellville(although not strictly a comedy)
“If this is the healthiest place on earth…why is everybody dying?!”
“Chew Chew Chew…it is the thing to do…Chew Chew CHew it’s really good for you”
It’s a toss up – between Airplane and Animal House, and I’ll even throw in Caddychack for godd measure.
Caddychack, of course being the version of Caddyshack shown in East L.A.
For Raising Arizona.
“Son…you’ve got a panty on yer head.”
No matter where I am, or what I’m doing, all I have to think of is that “diaper chase scene” and I get the giggles.
A close second for “Some Like it Hot.” Marilyn Monroe and crossdressing. What else IS there in life?
-L
How 'bout top 5? I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one.
In no particular order:
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World: There has never been an assemblege of comics like this movie features. It was the “who’s who of Comics” for it’s day. The scene with Jonathon Winters and Phil Silvers in the Garage still cracks me up.
Blazing Saddles: Young Frankenstein was probably a better movie, but Blazing Saddles was far funnier. Harvey Korman made that movie. When Taggart reaches into the tub and grabs for “Ducky”, Korman’s expression is priceless. Plus Madyline Kahn is in it.
What’s Up, Doc?: Again, Madyline Kahn steals the show. The chase scene with the Chinese dragon is one of the funniest chases ever filmed.
The Court Jester: Danny Kaye. Angela Landsbury. The “Pellet With the Poison” scene. The “Pass the Basket” scene. 'nuff said?
Aargh…whichever Marx Brothers movie features the Ocean Liner cabin.
Fenris
Plus Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Plus Billy Wilder directing. Dammit! You’re right. Add this to my list and assume I wrote “Top Six”
Fenris
My vote is on SpaceBalls.
(Spinal Tap is a close runner up.)
This is a tough call. The films that spring to mind are:
Young Frankenstein - I can’t even begin how to describe what I love about this movie.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - I think Life of Brian may be the better overall film, with the message and that it has a real ending, but Holy Grail makes me howl every stinking time.
A Fish Called Wanda - Not as funny on repeated veiwings (for me anyway, as I know what jokes are coming) but I can never turn this off if I happen to catch it on TV.
Various Marx Brothers films - I can’t pick one single film from these guys.
Come on people, reach back. Have we lost our cultural memory?
[ul]
[li] It Happened One Night[/li][li] The Philadelphia Story[/li][li] His Girl Friday[/li][li] A Night at the Opera (with the stateroom scene) or Duck Soup[/li][/ul]
And for something more recent, Ruthless People.
“Yea, verily, yea!”
I almost forgot about that one. What a great flick!
the producers.
Yes, both The Producers and Some Like it Hot for sure.
But don’t forget Dr. Strangelove. Possibly my favourite movie, period.
Hmmmm… I don’t know what’s the funniest but I second the motion that we need to think back farther than 1997. And I’m only 24.
Anyway my list of contenders:
Producers - Until the broadway musical came out, this was Mel Brooks’ most underappreciated movie. And to all the people who said Spaceballs BAH! What no Dracula, dead and loving it?
Airplane - Changed comedy as we know it.
Ghostbuster - Bill Murray wll be known as an underapreciated legend when he is 75. This is probably his best movie.
Holy Grail - nuff said.
Planes Trains and Automobiles - The best line is not the line most people think of with this movie, although the “fuck” scene is great.
The best scene in the movie is after John Candy’s character has burnt the car completely to smithereens. The next day they are pulled over by a cop played by Michael McKean who asks them if the car is driveable. Candy’s attempt to claim it is is priceless. While Steve Martin hides. It’s just great. Then John Hughes completely lost it and inflicted Home Alone on us.
Other contenders, cause they made me laugh but I don’t think these are of the same quality as the others above:
The In-laws (might be worthy of being listed above, but its been a long time)
Animal House
Little Shop of Horrors
MST3K the movie (but then again, some episodes were funnier)
South Park: The Movie
Mel Brooks up until History of the World
Naked Gun - but not the sequels
dang, I’ll think of a ton more right after I type this.