The Five Funniest Movies Ever Made

People love countdown lists....
It doesn't matter what the subject is, either. If Cracked.com posted a countdown of the six greatest 19th century Hungarian basket weavers, 300,000 people would still read it and post comments. In fact, I personally have plans to utilize this concept for the power of good by launching my own cable network, The Countdown Channel. All countdowns, ALL the time. We'd produce a variety of original countdowns on subjects ranging from pop culture to science, and perhaps we could also reach agreements with such outfits as VH1, The Travel Channel and Bravo to use some of their countdown specials from the past (you know, to fill out our lineup). Top 100 Horror Movies...Top 50 Actors...Top 99 Hit of the 80s...Top Five Hawaiian Getaways....The possibilities are endless, really.


Anyway, today I have the second original countdown list to be featured in this blog. It deals with something dear to me: Comedy. Let's take a look at what I think are the five funniest movies ever made.

--NUMBER FIVE: Dr. Strangelove_or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/


Netflix description:
When a fanatical U.S. general (Sterling Hayden) launches an air strike against the Soviets, they raise the stakes by threatening to unleash a "doomsday device," setting the stage for Armageddon in this classic black comedy that brilliantly skewers the nuclear age. The film's star-studded cast includes George C. Scott, Slim Pickens, James Earl Jones and Peter Sellers (who steals the show and copped an Oscar nod playing three roles).

It can be a bad idea to put a classic like this on a top five list because doing so inevitably leads to questions about why OTHER classics weren't also included. See, I originally planned to leave anything made prior to 1975 off of the list, as the nostalgia factor can cloud peoples' judgment, making a reasonable discussion about the top five anything nearly impossible. "You think Major League is funnier than Some Like It Hot?!?!?" a classic film buff might say. "HOW COULD YOU???"

Listen, the fact that a movie was made in the 50s or 60s doesn't automatically make it better than everything that came later. It's the same with sports arguments. "Today's ball players could never compete with Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle!" some old timer insists. Sorry gramps, but yes they could.

Anyway, there is still no getting around the fact that Doctor Strangelove (I hate it when people abbreviate "Doctor") is simply too good to be left off this list. Kubrick's best film is a masterful balance of absurdist comedy and political commentary. You won't find a better showcase for Peter Sellers's broad range of talents, and even George C. Scott shows off his goofy side here. Plus, Doctor Strangelove features who I consider one of the sexiest women ever to appear in a single film: Tracy Reed. Va-va-VOOM! She's the only female in the entire picture, and MY GOD, does she make her presence count.

Tracy or not, there's no denying that Doctor Strangelove is brilliant and certainly worth not only a rental, but a straight-up purchase. Now here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9ihKq34Ozc


--NUMBER FOUR: Spaceballs (1987)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/



Netflix description:
Comic genius Mel Brooks strikes back in this spoof of the Star Wars trilogy. When the nefarious Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) hatches a plan to snatch Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) and steal her planet's air, space-bum-for-hire Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his clueless sidekick (John Candy) fly to the rescue. Along the way, they meet Yogurt (Brooks), who puts Lone Starr wise to the power of "The Schwartz." Can he master it in time to save the day?

You don't have to be a Star Wars fan to appreciate this send-up from Mel Brooks. Definitely his funniest work (yeah, yeah -- Young Frankenstein, whatever), Spaceballs is a gem that never gets old. Rick Moranis is brilliant in yet another role as a complete A-hole, and who doesn't like John Candy as a half man-half dog ("I'm a mog!")? Blast off to adventure, and may the Schwartz be with you!

Here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aElFcPMZHVo


--NUMBER THREE: Dumb and Dumber (1994)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109686/


Netflix description:
Full of scatological humor, this comic romp stars Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels as the dim-bulb title characters who get more than they bargained for when they try to return a briefcase left at the airport by socialite Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly). Unaware that the case is crammed with cash intended for the baddies who abducted Mary's husband, the two cretins set out on a cross-country trip to find her -- with the kidnappers not far behind.

The film that put the Farrelly Brothers on the map, Dumb and Dumber was really the first major motion picture of the new "scatologial comedy" order. At the time, I had never seen any movie go so far with the nasty bathroom humor, and the clever writing which underlies its cheaper gross-out gags makes this film hold up through multiple viewings (in my case, something like 40,000 of them). It just edges out There's Something About Mary as the F-Bros best picture.

The backstabbing antics of our heroes Harry and Lloyd remind me of many of the things my own friends and I would do when we were young, and I remember watching this one for the first time around the age of 14, thinking, "What genius WROTE this stuff?" And how about that Jim Carey? This film established him as a major, multi-hit Hollywood talent after the success of Ace Ventura, and now he's like the modern Peter Sellers (yeah, I said it).

Dumb and Dumber is a movie with some VERY big laughs, and it's a must-see for anyone with a sense of humor. Just tune into TBS (The SUPERstation!!!) on just about any Saturday to check it out.

Here's yet another clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA


--NUMBER TWO: UHF (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098546/



Netflix Description:
Television executive R.J. Fletcher (Kevin McCarthy) tries to sabotage the wild success of a rival low-rent, wacky station run by slovenly dreamer George Newman (Weird Al Yankovic) and Bob (David Bowe) -- leading to a telethon showdown. Only George's on-air local misfits can help save the day. Jay Levey directs and Victoria Jackson, Stanley Brock and Michael Richards co-star in this daring, out-there, over-the-top comedy.

I truly pity anyone who finds nothing to laugh at in this gem. I already gave UHF a more in-depth review here.

Basically, this is the great Weird Al Yankovic's lone foray into the world of major motion pictures. Hilarious and quotable from start to finish, those who understand UHF are a special breed. We should probably organize our own conventions in the tradition of Lebowski Fest (ah, The Big Lebowski -- another film that ALMOST made today's list), and petition various studios to finance a sequel. Would Weird Al be up to it? OF COURSE he would!

There's no better showcase for Al's talents than in this film's premise (he gets a TV station), and UHF has a fantastic soundtrack. Here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SnXqegZeFE


--NUMBER ONE: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071853/


Netflix desciption:
The Monty Python comedy clan skewers King Arthur and his knights of the round table as they quest far and wide for the Holy Grail in this inspired piece of lunacy that's utterly quotable -- particularly the bit involving knights who say "Ni." John Cleese stands out as the Black Knight, who suffers gory, slow dismemberment at the hands of the mighty king himself yet maintains that "It's just a scratch" after every whack.

I'm willing to compromise on other films to appear on today's countdown, but I must insist that Monty Python and the Holy Grail be ranked as the funniest movie ever made. I remember when I first rented this one several years ago, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The stupidity was incessant, yet the film was obviously written by very intelligent people. It looked like it had been shot for next to nothing, but that didn't matter since the performances were brilliant. Laughs simply do not stop coming in this film.

One day when I was about 19, I put a boom box up to my TV, and recorded a crappy audio track of this film just so that I could listen to it in the car. THAT'S how good Monty Python and the Holy Grail is.

The strange thing is that I could never really seem to get into other projects from Monty Python. Life of Brian and The Flying Circus TV stuff are OK, but they don't touch The Holy Grail. It's an untoppable movie, and no self-respecting comedy fan should go another day without having seen it. Buy this film now!

And watch this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g

Well, thus concludes my list of the funniest movies EVAR. Have a disagreement? Let me know.

Oh, and some worthy mentions that didn't quite make it:
-The Big Lebowski
-The Naked Gun
-Ghostbusters
-Airplane!
-South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
-Clerks

b.