Posted on 10/10/2008 7:07:10 AM PDT by Toadman
Hi fellow Freepers. I did a search and did not find this topic. If you know of a previous post, please redirect.
I've been hogging our Netflix (history, documentary, military genres) and realize the wife and kids need some levity.
Would you all take the time and give me an opinion of what you consider to be the best funny movies you've seen. I'm talking from the silent era of Charlie Chaplin up to the most present ala American Carol.
It doesn't matter if it's dark humor to vulgar humor to Walt Disney. Thanks for your input!
Better you should try to find the BBC TV version of this, which is MUCH funnier than the movie. Probably because it was done by the Brits in the 80s when special effects (and political correctness) was a lot less "sophisticated".
With older movies and TV, I often ask myself how well the humor survives the ages. Most of Mel Brooks' early stuff (Blazing Saddles, The Producers, Young Frankenstein, even Spaceballs) seem to have aged well.
Alas, one of my very favorites from the 70s, "Animal House", seems dated now. Maybe my sense of humor has changed, or my sense of perspective, but a lot of the stuff in this movie just doesn't make it for me anymore.
Fight Club did have some funny moments. The girlfriend’s comment after sex, well, I can’t post it on FR, but you remember.
That was a good one.
since you’re using Netflix, I’d recommend a TV series from BBC - Coupling (definitely not the American version). Not for family viewing but very clever and full of laughs.
along the same lines, other great BBC series:
Good Neighbors
Jeeves and Wooster
Bless Me Father
Rising Damp
and of course,
Fawlty Towers
I have flames on my car! I have flames on my car!
BBC Top Gear. It’s a car show, but it’s still funny. Called a Renault just like the French, a bunch of surrender monkeys, because the car would suddenly break loose in a curve. And of course all the humor surrounding the Stig and their various little projects like building amphibious craft and a Reliant Robin space shuttle.
haven’t seen it mentioned, but Secondhand Lions is quite funny and poignant, great family fare.
(in no particular order)
Airplane!
Animal House
Life of Brian (the Bigus Dickus scene is funniest ever)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Spaceballs
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein
Christmas Vacation
M.A.S.H.
Honorable mention: Get Smart (the funniest movie I’ve seen in many years).
“Mel Brook’s Silent Movie”
Although it’s not completely family friendly, it’s tame by todays’s standards. Great sight gags, an excelent cast (Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, cameos by many famous actors), and the only word actually spoken in the whole film...is by the late Marcel Marceau.
Mike
Need to add Raising Arizona too.
My 2 cents:
Night at the Opera - Marx Brothers
It’s a Gift - W.C. Fields
Arsenic and Old Lace - Cary Grant
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Young Frankenstein
Airplane
Honorable Mention:
Wise Guys - Danny DeVito, Joe Piscapo
The Gods Must be Crazy (Part 1). Your kids will love it. Part 2 not nearly as good.
“What’s Up Doc?” With... Barbra Strisand, yes I know I can’t stand her now either but this film is very funny.
One that deserves mention is the parody "The Rutles: All You Need is Cash", a "...musical legend which will last a lunchtime." The cast reads like a who's who of comedy back in 1978, including some of the Monty Python (Idle, Palin, etc.) & SNL crew (Belushi, Akroyd, Murray, Radnor). Well worth viewing. Mick Jagger and George Harrison appear briefly, among others.
"Serpentine, serpentine!!!"
Funniest movie I ever watched! Of course, the bottle of wine my friend and I shared may have had something to do with that.
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