Posted on 08/31/2017 11:11:11 AM PDT by Phlap
this year BBC Culture decided to get serious about comedy. We asked 253 film critics – 118 women and 135 men – from 52 countries and six continents a simple: “What do you think are the 10 best comedies of all time?” Films from any country made since cinema was invented were eligible, and BBC Culture did nothing to define in advance what a comedy is; we left that to each of the critics to decide. As always, we urged the experts to go with their heart and pick personal favourites, films that are part of their lives, not just the ones that meet some ideal of greatness.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Have you ever seen “Whats up Tiger Lily?”
Woody Allen movie where he took a Japanese spy movie and changed it to English dialog where the characters were all after the TOP SECRET EGG SALAD RECIPE.
I also think Bananas and Sleeper were better than Annie Hall.
oh yes, and definitely “My Cousin Vinny” very high up there, top 10 please.
Yeah, Pink Panther (the REAL one, not remakes by Steve Martin).
It’s hard to come up with a list, even; really so many good ones.
And I love “The Out-of-Towners” (again, not Steve Martin, which isn’t even like the old one). Murphy’s Law gone wild! “Oh...my..God!”
“Wake up, bitch, you’re my new best friend.”
“Wha wha what, are we going to the zoo?”
I once heard about a list of top ten movie comedy lines. IIRC, four were from Blues Brothers.
Did I miss “Bruno” and “Soul Plane” on that list. At least “Borat...” made #41.
Same with "The King of Comedy". It was a drama about a guy (DiNiro) who wanted to be a comedian, so he kidnapped a talk show host.
Yeah, everybody else there is going “WTH?”
Kind of like when Clark Griswold went exploring at the Hoover Dam.
What a bullshit list!
“Used Cars” should be in the top ten.
“The most blatant example of false advertising I’ve ever seen.”
Another good comedy is the Peter Sellers anti-union “I’m Alright Jack.”
Ghostbusters is #95.
Some people have a visceral dislike for NYC-themed films as Allen embodies (ditto for “Seinfeld”). I happen to like them, even if Woody is a schmuck.
Second your affection for Court Jester and To Be or Not to Be. Both well written, great acting, with clever plot twists.
Two on the list deserve higher ranking: the British dark comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets and My Man Godfrey. Both of these are worth watching again and again just for their superb acting and clever plots. In Kind Hearts, Alec Guinness convincingly plays the role of 6 different heirs to a dukedom.
I would add to the list the TV sanitized version of Idiocracy, along with A New Leaf, a small but very engaging film where Walter Matthau sets about to murder his wife for her money, as well as a number of others mentioned in this thread.
Not a big fan of Chase but Funny Farm and Chritmas Vacation.
For dumb funny Dumb and Dumber.
Ace Vantura Pet Detective When Nature calls.
If you laugh it is funny.
Principal’s Office scene in “Porky’s”: single funniest scene in cinematic history, hands down.
All “Some Like It Hot” was was a long set-up to the line at the end of the movie.
Number 30 is a film by Jacques Tati, who plays in the title role. He speaks not a word from beginning to end. It is about the funniest movie I have ever seen. It's in French, but that's irrelevant, since there are almost no words spoken, and those are just background noise. It is screaming, hooting, almost-peeing funny. You can get it on DVD or probably full-length on youtube.
Sheer absurd, outlandish, funny--with not an ounce of nasty. And no limits on the appropriate age for viewing--anywhere from prenatal through 114 or beyond. My kids start laughing spontaneously when someone mentions this movie. (As do I.)
Interesting list. Most of it probably couldn’t be made today, because the film would be so incredibly politically incorrect. (Blazing Saddles, I’m talking about you). One not on the list that I’d definitely put in the top 100 funniest films I’ve ever seen is “My Fellow Americans” with Garner and Lemmon. Fell out of my chair several times. It’s also remarkably clean.
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