I’ve heard of it. I own it on VHS–has it come out on DVD? I still have the underwear I nearly peed in when I went to see it in the theater. Damn, what a funny movie.
Since we’re extending this beyond just best comedy I would mention any Laurel and Hardy movie and any Marx Bros. movie (especially that one in the cabin on the liner that Fenris mentioned).
Someone should start a “Best Groucho Marx Quote” thread. In fact, I might as well do it since Ive thought of it.
Ghostbusters- I quote this movie at least once a day. Harold Ramis is just as funny as Murray and Aykroyd in it.
Blues Brothers- Funny as heck.
MST3K: The Movie- I can quote the entire first segment into the theater. Gets quoted almost as often as Ghostbusters.
Below those are about 25 movies that I won’t list here for brevity’s sake.
-Brianjedi
Amazon Women on the Moon – one of those “skit” movies (not unlike Kentucky Fried Movie).
Most of mine have already been mentioned. I’ll just add
Men in Black - “Have you ever flashy-thinged me?”
Sleepers, Take the Money and Run - Haven’t seen these is a while. Saw Annie Hall again recently and it seemed dated and not as funny as it was the first time. Still, some classic scenes. Most people don’t like Stardust Memories, but I thought it was great. “We liked all your movies, especially the early, funny ones.”
Never Cry Wolf - hilarious, but has a serious side too. “He says, ‘Good idea.’”
Forget Paris - For my money, better than When Harry met Sally.
**Harold & Maude, Harold & Maude, Harold & Maude. **
There is no doubt that laughs are the number one priority in rating comedies, and when you see the ways Harold tries to shock his mother, or the things he does to scare off the girls she chooses for him from the dating service, you will laugh plenty.
But when a comedy tugs at your heart and makes you look at the world a little differently, (as only a comedy can do) it enters another realm.
This film quite literally changed my life.
And for those who say only laughs count. The OP asked for best comedy movie, not funniest movie.
There’s a difference.
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South Park BLU - How did I forget that? Canada: “We’ve already apologised for Brian Adams.”
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Being There - I know Chance the Gardner must be a fan.
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The Odd Couple - Watched it recently for the first time in 20 years and marveled at it’s genius.
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The Jerk - “I was born a poor white child…”, “He hates cans!”, “All I need is this lamp and this chair and this remote and this paddle and my little dog. Grrrr. Okay, I don’t need my dog but…”
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Fargo - “Other than not being circumcised how was he funny looking?”
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MAS*H
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Austin Powers - It’s a machine for travelling through time. I like to call it my “Time Machine”.
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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - well, at least the first half.
Wouldn’t that be, “I was born a poor black child” ?
Both of my favorites that spring to mind are already posted. I’ll just show my allegiance:
Trains, Planes, and Automobiles
Amazon Women on the Moon
A coworkers’ fave: Arthur!
Blazing Saddles - “Where all 'da white women at?”
Monty Python’s The Life of Brian - “You lucky bastard!”
Office Space - “PC Load Letter? What the fuck does that mean?”
Ask me tomorrow, I’ll probably have some differnt ones.
Mr. Hulot’s holiday (directed by Jacques Tati)
Putney Swope
By Robert Downey (a prince)
Check it out.
“Where you at, man?”
“Stratosphere, baby, stratosphere. I’m stacked up over La Guardia and I ain’t comin’ down for nobody, not even you.”
The mad adventures of Rabbi Jacob has somehow missed this list and I can’t fathom why.
The tall blonde man with one black shoe also does quite well. The original, not that drek remake with Tom Hanks.
Finally, somebody else who loves “Defending Your Life”! I guess it takes a certain sensibility to love it, but I do. Rip Torn is one of the funniest guys on the planet IMO and I love his role in this film.
“Still don’t get the big brain bit, do ya?” is one of my stock smartass answers ever since I saw that film, and it’s been what, ten years now? And I can’t help but think of Buck Henry as the almost-catatonic fill-in lawyer whenever I’m in court and turn down a cross-examination. “Nope, I’m fine with that!”
Most of my other faves have already been mentioned, but I’ll mention them again:
“It’s a Mad, Mad World”: Sid Caesar in the hardware store basement always cracks me up.
“The Blues Brothers”: “Not right now, but we’ll be knockin’ back a few later. You see, we’re the band!”
“The Hudsucker Proxy”: “You know, for kids!” (A strange film, but I love it).
“Used Cars”: “I’m tellin’ you, my boss sees these numbers, he’s gonna have a heart attack!” (Jack Warden, in the throes of an MI, bursts into the office.)
. . .and the list goes on and on.
Zappo
These have some of the funniest scenes I’ve ever seen:
Clerks
Raising Arizona
Being There
UHF (Weird Al Yankovic)
Heaven Help Us
I’ll second Ruthless People, but the funniest movie of all time would have to be “Serial Mom.” There’s a scene where Kathleen Turner kills a woman by beating her over the head with a leg of lamb (I think it was lamb) to the tune of the song “Tomorrow” from the movie “Annie.” John Waters is a comic genius!!!
good morning friends,
coming in a little late, but i would like to agree:
young frankenstein: cloris leachman “he…vas…my…boyfriend!”
its a mad, mad, mad world: buddy hackett flying the airplane through the bill board
blazing saddles: “the little bastard shot me in the ass”
I just love comedies so much. There are just so many to choose from…
-to shorten my list - anything by Mel Brooks,
Spaceballs does deserve to be seperated.
-Ghostbusters
-The Princess Bride
-O Brother Where Art thou
These are all movies I can watch over and over and over again.
I’d have to say The Big Lebowski, followed closely by Dumb and Dumber. Other contenders:
The Road to Wellville
Billy Madison
Waiting for Guffman
Ace Ventura - Pet Detective
Stripes
What About Bob?
Strange Brew
Rushmore
Meet the Parents
Kingpin
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
Tommy Boy
Top Secret
Mallrats
South Park - Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
The Jerk
I could probably go on forever, but I’ll stop now.
Most of mine have been named already (especially the Brooks films and the Monty Python films), but I’ll add…
City Slickers
and at the risk of getting stoned, Pulp Fiction. [sub]I have a very, very warped sense of humor.[/sub]