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BS: Favorite Comedy Films

06 May 06 - 09:10 PM (#1734236)
Subject: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Little Hawk

Watching funny movies is good for your health. Here are some of my absolute favorites over the years...

Groundhog Day
Love at First Bite
A Fish Called Wanda
Ruthless People
Annie Hall
Play It Again, Sam
Roxanne
The original Pink Panther films with Peter Sellers
Any of Charlie Chaplin's great movies

Got any to add to the list?


06 May 06 - 09:31 PM (#1734252)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: The Fooles Troupe

The entire series of the 'Carry On' movies are now being released on DVD.

Be afraid!
Be VERY afraid!


06 May 06 - 09:34 PM (#1734256)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST,allan s.

All the Marx brothers films


06 May 06 - 09:50 PM (#1734262)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)

Oh Brother Where Art Thou
Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines
Carry On Up The Khyber
Life Of Brian
Monty Pythons Holy Grail
Caddyshack
Airplane
Blazing Saddles


06 May 06 - 10:00 PM (#1734265)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Pseudolus

Groundhog Day
Galaxy Quest


06 May 06 - 10:51 PM (#1734298)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: number 6

Ones not mentioned that come to mind ..

What's New Pussy Cat

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The Mouse that Roared

Dr. Strangelove

Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

sIx


06 May 06 - 10:53 PM (#1734300)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Cluin

The Legend of Boggy Creek


06 May 06 - 10:57 PM (#1734305)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: bobad

The Party with Peter Sellers

Movies with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau

John Candy in Trains, Planes and Automobiles and Uncle Buck


06 May 06 - 11:06 PM (#1734309)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: LadyJean

Like my father before me, I'm a Marxist. I mean of course a follower of Groucho, Harpo, and Chico. (That guy Carl wasn't as funny.) My favorites are Night at the Opera, Day at the Races, and the glorious Duck Soup!
Bringing Up Baby is another favorite. Then there's My Favorite Wife.
More recent films include: What's Up Dock, Any of Peter Sellers Pink Panther Movies, Peter Sellers The Party, Peter Sellers The World of Henry Orient.
The Full Monty was wonderful. I don't think I've seen a good comedy since then. Though Broken Flowers had it's moments.


06 May 06 - 11:08 PM (#1734310)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST

Dr Strangelove
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
This Is Spinal Tap
Best in Show
Waiting for Guffman
Muppets Take Manhattan
Princess Bride
Life of Brian & aforementioned Python
Ditto Marx Bros, especially Duck Soup
Philadelphia Story
Bringing Up Baby
Some Like it Hot
Ghostbusters (but only the original)
A Christmas Story
Catch 22
Harold and Maude
Tootsie
Love and Death
Annie Hall
Animal House
Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein
Fargo
Raising Arizona
Blues Brothers
Pee Wees Big Adventure
Cradle Will Rock
Airplane
The Big Bus
Stripes
Kentucky Fried Movie
Earth Girls Are Easy
MASH
Being There
Great Dictator
Moonstruck
Harold & Maude
My Little Chickadee
The Ritz
Manhattan
Cat Ballou
Beverly Hills Cop
Dinner at Eight
Beetlejuice & every damn thing Burton ever made
The Jerk
The Birdcage

Actually, I could on and on...the above are just my fave (mostly) American comedy film list...then there is

Waking Ned Devine
The Snapper
Brazil
Local Hero
Full Monty
The Commitments
Little Voice
Bend it Like Beckham
Billy Elliot
Love Actually
War of the Buttons
Agnes Brown
Amelie
Il Postino
Everybody's Famous

Like I said, I could on...


06 May 06 - 11:31 PM (#1734328)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Severn

Some oldies:


Buster Keaton in "The General" or most anything silent before he went to MGM.

Harold Lloyd in "Safety Last"

W.C. Fields in "The Bank Dick, You Can't Cheat An Honest Man" or "It's A Gift"

"Arsenic And Old Lace"

"Harvey"

Laurel & Hardy-"Sons Of The Desert" "The Music Box" (a short)

Our Gang/Little Rascals-"Freewheeling", "The Kid From Borneo", "High Neighbor" (shorts)

Abbott & Costello-"Hold That Ghost"


06 May 06 - 11:34 PM (#1734332)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST

Yes, yes! The Bank Dick too!

And my fave Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein!


06 May 06 - 11:35 PM (#1734334)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST

Eat Drink Man Woman
Like Water for Chocolate


06 May 06 - 11:42 PM (#1734339)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Rapparee

Cat Ballou
McClintock
The Python movies
The Pink Panther series
MASH
No Time For Sergeants
Mr. Roberts

...actually, 'most all that have been listed above.

Why is it that the best comedies have within them the seeds of high tragedy? Or did Aristotle answer that in The Poetics?


06 May 06 - 11:52 PM (#1734344)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST

Oh! and Bob Roberts too.

Crooklyn
Bamboozled
Rocky Horror - how could I forget that one?
The Sting
High Fidelity
Wayne's World


07 May 06 - 12:01 AM (#1734350)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Elmer Fudd

The Frisco Kid
Garbo Talks
I'll Do Anything


07 May 06 - 12:02 AM (#1734352)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST

Cecil B Demented
Pecker
Network
Flesh Gordon

and all those other trash genre flicks

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
Surf Nazis Must Die
Reefer Madness
etc etc


07 May 06 - 01:15 AM (#1734374)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Bert

A load of stuff from England in the Fifties.

Happiest Days of our lives (Parts of which were filmed at the school I went to and one year Margaret Rutherford came and opened our sports day)
The Lavender Hill Mob
The Lady Killers (much funnier than the recent Tom Hanks Remake)
Happy Ever After
The Belles of St. Trinians
The Runaway Bus with Frankie Howerd and Petula Clark

Then there were those Danny Kaye Films.


07 May 06 - 03:22 AM (#1734410)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Alan Day

I agree with you on one Bert
The Ladykillers (with Mrs Lopsided)
Night Owls Laurel and Hardy (The Pianola switch on)

Al


07 May 06 - 03:30 AM (#1734413)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: mrdux

a few more:

My Man Godfrey (the one with carole lombard)
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
His Girl Friday
Kind Hearts and Coronets


07 May 06 - 06:35 AM (#1734456)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Alba

Modern Times
Good Morning Vietnam
Local Hero
Sons of the Desert
The Lady Killers (original not remake)
Fargo
A day at the Races/A night at the Opera
Withnail and I
The Philadelphia Story
Whisky Galore
The Big Lebowski
I married an Axe Murderer

Impossible to list all the Films that make me laugh. No doubt they will be and are on someone else's list

J


07 May 06 - 07:39 AM (#1734458)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: alanabit

School for Scoundrels
Support Your Local Sheriff
Spinal Tap
Too many others to recount...


07 May 06 - 12:59 PM (#1734564)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Ernest

Billy Wilders "one two three"

"Dead Men don`t wear plaid"

others have been mentioned before


07 May 06 - 01:35 PM (#1734590)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: heric

Waking Ned Devine
The Full Monty
Fargo


New to the List:
Raising Arizona
My Cousin Vinny (best law film ever)
Evolution (kids)
Bad Santa (sorry)
Bandits (the critics hated it)
Eddie Murphy Raw


07 May 06 - 01:44 PM (#1734596)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: heric

oh, and Lost in America ("Nice dam.")


07 May 06 - 02:04 PM (#1734611)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: autolycus

A few not mentioned so far.


   Hellzapoppin' with Olsen and Johnson, wsondefully zany

   Monsieur Hulot's Holiday(Jacques Tati)

   Mr.Mum (aka Mr.Mom)(John Hughes film with Michael Keaton.

   Little Murders, with Alan Arkin - brilliant black comedy

   a short made by Pierre Etaix bout a man trying to write a letter, can't recall the title. Hilarious.

   Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (W.C.Fiels)

   Top Secret ! (underrated follow-up to the one that made me laugh most - Airplane!, by the same team)

   Slacker (Richard Linklater)


   Otherwise, more votes here for the Marx Brothers, The Pink Panther,Blazing Saddles, Laurel and Hardy's Music Box, Fish Called Wanda, Dr.Strangelove ("You can't fight in here, this is the War Room"), Catch-22.


   Nearly forgot The Great Race, funny the first time, so-so the second, funny the third. Also What's Up,Doc? (Streisand's finest comic hour.)


   Ivor


07 May 06 - 02:08 PM (#1734614)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: autolycus

Knew I'd forget at least one - The Producers - no, the original whith Wilder and Mostel.


   Ivor


07 May 06 - 02:37 PM (#1734640)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Little Hawk

I forgot to mention Howard The Duck.


07 May 06 - 02:39 PM (#1734643)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: curmudgeon

All of John Waters' films.


07 May 06 - 04:02 PM (#1734712)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST,wordy

All jaques Tati films but particularly Mr Hulot's Holiday, and all laurel and hardy.


07 May 06 - 06:38 PM (#1734829)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Stilly River Sage

Apparently that was the plural form of "favorite." And there are a lot of seriously non-funny films in some of those lists.

I have a few films that are the favorites to pop in the player on a rainy day when I'm working around the house and treating it more like radio. Many have been listed, none are particularly new. One that I laugh at all the way through is You Can't Take it With You (George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart). The Barrymore version is very good, but there as a tv version on A&E years ago with Jason Robards that was also top notch.

SRS


07 May 06 - 06:39 PM (#1734833)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST

Groove Tube


07 May 06 - 08:01 PM (#1734890)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: RangerSteve

The TV version of "You Can't Take it With You" (the Jason Robards version mentioned above) is superior to the movie. THe movie dropped some characters and added a few serious scenes not in the original.

Also by the same authors is "The Man Who Came to Dinner", the movie is great but there's also a TV version on DVD with Nathan Lane that beats the movie version by a mile.

My all-time favorite comedy, if I had to choose one, would be "Harvey" with James Stewart. It's probably the gentlest, most satisfying movie I've ever seen.


07 May 06 - 10:42 PM (#1734998)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: John on the Sunset Coast

The Palm Beach Story - for me the exemplar of screwball comedy. I nearly wet my pants every time I see the scene in the private railroad car. Claudette Colbert is deliciously manipulative in a naive sort of way. The ending is a little lame, but it only keeps the movie from being perfect.

His Girl Friday
The Court Jester
Sitting Pretty (the original Mr. Belvedere film)
Teahouse of the August Moon
and a bunch other folks have already mentioned


07 May 06 - 11:02 PM (#1735009)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: catspaw49

Not a bad choice in the bunch. Guest mentioned the Groove Tube.....now often forgotten but hilarious and an early work for Richard Belzer and Chevy Chase.

The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd. You have to love Harold Lloyd, a true genius..........Cary Grant was a wonderful comedic performer and I think the first "leading man" type who realized his comic potential ala Leslie Nielson and others later. Danny Kaye, completely underrated......

The guys who came out of Sid Caesar's staff are some of my favorites.....Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen........Add in later days the beautiful stuff done by Guest and Levy and their gang of improv pros....................

Like I said, I haven't seen a bad choice here and yeah Hawk....I like Howard the Duck myself!

Spaw


07 May 06 - 11:14 PM (#1735016)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Ron Davies

In addition to lots of the above

It Happened One Night
Clueless

and some others, often about music--especially with audition sequences, as in

The Commitments
The Fabulous Baker Boys


07 May 06 - 11:24 PM (#1735024)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: chazkratz

I'll admit I skimmed the list quickly, but I'm still amazed not to have seen "Young Frankenstein" here. Another I think nobody mentioned (perhaps nobody saw) was "The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob." Danny Kaye, of course: "The Inspector General," "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," jeez, what were all the rest? I'm glad someone mentioned "My Cousin Vinnie," and recognized it as a great legal thriller as well as a fantastic comedy. Joe Peschi is absolutely outrageous as the night-school lawyer, and Marissa Tomei wonderful as his fiancee. I wish Peschi would do more comedy and fewer Mafia flicks--and the world can do well without any more "Lethal Weapon" schlock.

I liked someone's choice of "Love, Actually." Did anyone say "Sean of the Dead"?

--seed


07 May 06 - 11:33 PM (#1735035)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Little Hawk

In the 60's Sean Connery did an obscure one called "A Fine Madness". It's quite funny, but was not appreciated by a public who thought of him only as James Bond at the time, and did not relate to the idea of him doing a comedy at all.

I was delighted to be reminded of "Raising Arizona"...one of the greatest comedies ever, and it had slipped my mind entirely.


07 May 06 - 11:43 PM (#1735041)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Bobert

Alll but one of the greats have been snapped up...

Hey, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World" has to rank up there with the best...


08 May 06 - 01:44 AM (#1735094)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Elmer Fudd

mrdux, thanks for listing "Kind Hearts and Coronets." There's one that shouldn't be forgotten. Too brilliant!

Did anyone mention Danny Kaye's "The Inspector General?"

If so, sorry. My eyes are filming over with the cavalcade of misty-moisty memories from the plethora of posts.

If not: Danny Kaye's "The Inspector General."

Elmer


08 May 06 - 02:12 AM (#1735101)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: chazkratz

Oh, here's another, although it may qualify more as a tragicomedy: "King of Hearts," another of the great antiwar films. And one more I just thought of--painfully funny: "Where's Poppa?"

Charles


08 May 06 - 02:24 AM (#1735105)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: alanabit

I'm with Ranger Steve on "Harvey". I forget the name of the wonderful actress, who played the sister, but she was brilliant too. It may well have been James Stewart's best film. My children played the DVD over and over again, proving that it is timeless.


08 May 06 - 03:02 AM (#1735120)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Little Robyn

There are several Peter Sellers movies mentioned above.
My alltime favourite is there already - The Party.
I still roll on the floor when he starts on the 'birdy num nums'.
Robyn


08 May 06 - 08:36 AM (#1735261)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Essex Girl

Apart from my favourites - Harvey, Bringing up Baby & The Party -, there are two more great Ealing comedies, The Titfield Thunderbolt and Passport to Pimlico.


08 May 06 - 11:41 AM (#1735377)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: clueless don

Has anyone mentioned "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" yet? Was 1 a good year?

And Danny Kaye in "The Court Jester", if only for the scene involving the vessel with the pestle, the chalise from the palace, and the flagon with the dragon (which one has the brew that is true?).

Don


08 May 06 - 12:28 PM (#1735400)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Little Hawk

The one I don't find all that funny is "Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". Too noisy, frantic, and relentless for my taste, but it does have a few inspired moments here and there.

"The Gods Must Be Crazy" is a good one.


08 May 06 - 01:08 PM (#1735423)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Rapparee

I also kind of like "Crocodile Dundee" (the first one).

I find it interesting that such "classics" as the "Francis the Talking Mule" and "Ma and Pa Kettle" series aren't mentioned, and I don't think anything by Martin & Lewis has been either.


08 May 06 - 01:19 PM (#1735430)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST, heric

Oh my we have neglected to mention The Castle - Australia's own Braveheart - a man of principal who will stand up to government oppression at all costs. Too damned funny.


08 May 06 - 01:21 PM (#1735431)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: catspaw49

HEY ALANABIT

..........Alan, the actress in question who played Veta Louise was Josephine Hull and I agree on her brilliance. Like many others who have enjoyed acting on the amateur college and community theater level where "Harvey" is a staple, I too have done the play and the performances of almost all the actors in the movie are almost always attempted to be mirrored by us amateurs. BTW, the only actor I ever saw do a great job on the Elwood P. Dowd character besides Jimmy Stewart was Art Carney and his was a different and equally compelling performance. It was a wonderful and wonderfully funny play and movie which gives us a great piece of hard earned life philosophy:

"In this world you have to be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. For years I was smart......I recommend pleasant."

Perhaps you have also seen Ms. Hull in the movie of "Arsenic and Old Lace" where she palys one of the two Brewster sisters who poison the poor and lonely men who apply to rent a room with their spiked Elderberry wine and bury them in the basement. I mentioned Cary Grant as a fine comedic actor and he shows it in "A&OL."

Spaw


08 May 06 - 01:21 PM (#1735432)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Stilly River Sage

RangerSteve, I had the same thought in rapid succession after listing You Can't Take it With You" (and I agree--the Robards version is better, but anything with Jean Arthur is always good!). I love The Man Who Came to Dinner. They weren't confident enough that Monty Woolley could pull it off by himself so they had Bette Davis join the cast, but he was magnificent in the role. I'll have to look for the Nathan Lane version. And I watched Harvey many times as a child, but haven't seen it in a long time. I'll have to pick it up at the library.

My son is a fan of the James Garner western farces Support Your Local Sheriff and Support Your Local Gunfighter. A lot of subtle stuff buried in the slapstick, particularly in the first one.

SRS


08 May 06 - 01:47 PM (#1735454)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: TheBigPinkLad

How to get Ahead in Advertising
A Clockwork Orange


08 May 06 - 02:05 PM (#1735462)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko

Some of my favorite comedy "comfort" films -

Animal House
The Blues Brothers (the orignal, not the drek sequel that came out in 2000)
Airplane
Naked Gun
M*A*S*H*

The classics -
Abbott & Costello - The Time of their Lives
Laurel & Hardy - Bonnie Scotland
Marx Brothers - Horse Feathers (the first Marx Brothers film I recall watching)


08 May 06 - 09:40 PM (#1735768)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST,Murray on Saltspring

Yes, L&H in "Bonnie Scotland" is a favourite, though I haven't seen it for years. My choice scene is where they are in India in a Scottish regiment and the band strikes up a jolly Scots tune. Stan and Ollie are doing their fatigue duty, picking up bits of paper & rubbish, and the scene is wonderfully choreographed, with them dancing with each other, etc. etc. Does anyone remember this? - If they do, maybe they can identify the tune (a jig, I think).


08 May 06 - 09:47 PM (#1735776)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Little Hawk

Love and Death - Woody Allen & Diane Keaton once again...


08 May 06 - 11:27 PM (#1735876)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: The Fooles Troupe

Danny Kaye has always been one of my favourites - his 'patter routines' are very similar to the 'patter songs' of G&S - and were specially written for him too.


09 May 06 - 12:20 AM (#1735928)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Stilly River Sage

He and Gertrude Lawrence started racing and emoting through their songs in the Broadway Play Lady in the Dark and it became famous for their friendly rivalry. He was noted for "Tschaikowsky" and she for "The Saga of Jenny."

    Gertrude Lawrence dazzled in the Broadway version as Liza Elliott, but was nearly upstaged by Danny Kaye as gay fashion photographer Russell Paxton, played (somewhat) straighter in the film by Misha Auer. In the circus dream, Kaye sang a patter song which became one of his trademarks, "Tschaikowsky and Other Russians" in which he speedily recites the names of 49 Russian composers. At the preview, thunderous applause greeted the conclusion of the song, and the authors worried that their star, about to sing "The Saga of Jenny" couldn't top him. But, Lawrence rose to the challenge, bumping and grinding it to the complete devastation of the audience. In the film, "Jenny" is the only song to survive translation to the screen. link



Music: Kurt Weill
Lyrics: Ira Gershwin
Book: Moss Hart
Premiere: Thursday, January 23, 1941
link

Jenny made her mind up when she was three
She herself was going to trim the Christmas tree
Christmas Eve she lit the candles, tossed the tapers away
Little Jenny was an orphan on Christmas day

Poor Jenny, bright as a penny
Her equal would be hard to find
She lost one dad and mother, a sister and a brother,
But she would make up her mind

Jenny made her mind up when she was twelve
That into foreign languages she would delve
But at seventeen to Vassar, it was quite a blow
That in twenty-seven languages she couldn't say no
Poor Jenny, bright as a penny
Her equal would be hard to find
To Jenny I'm beholden, her heart was big and golden
But she would make up her mind

Jenny made her mind up at twenty-two
To get herself a husband was the thing to do
She got herself all dolled up in her satins and furs
And she got herself a husband--but he wasn't hers

Poor Jenny, bright as a penny
Her equal would be hard to find
Deserved a bed of roses, but history discloses
That she would make up her mind

Jenny made her mind up at fifty-one
She would write her memoirs before she was done
The very day her book was published, history relates,
There were wives who shot their husbands in some thirty-three states

Jenny made her mind up at seventy-five
She would live to be the oldest woman alive
But gin and rum and destiny play funny tricks,
And poor Jenny kicked the bucket at seventy-six
Jenny points a moral with which you cannot quarrel,
Makes a lot of common sense--
Jenny and her saga prove that you're gaga
If you don't keep sitting on the fence

Jenny and her story point the way to glory
To all man and womankind
Anyone with vision comes to this decision--
Don't make up your mind


09 May 06 - 12:31 AM (#1735939)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Little Hawk

Wow. We had that record with Danny Kaye when I was a kid. I have not seen those lyrics in maybe 45 years!


09 May 06 - 01:15 AM (#1735955)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Bert

Saving Grace


09 May 06 - 11:37 AM (#1736206)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST,leeneia

Fever Pitch. Can a beautiful, successful, competitive woman find happiness with a Red Sox fan?

One reason I liked it was that it didn't just tell the story, it took pictures. Especially in the early stages of the film,the camera would capture an image and I would say to myself, "I would have photographed that."

And the guys dancing: Whooeee!


09 May 06 - 02:01 PM (#1736272)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Bill D

Brewster McCloud!

The Wrong Box ....one of the most complex plots to explain I ever saw.

and 2nd "Being There" and "The Gods Must be Crazy"

and couple of OLD ones..I Married a Witch

and The Court Jester with Danny Kaye....a classic!


09 May 06 - 02:30 PM (#1736297)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Bill D

(clueless Don did already mention "The Court Jester", I see...but it deserves 2nd-ing also.)


09 May 06 - 02:35 PM (#1736304)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Big Al Whittle

singin' in the rain


09 May 06 - 07:18 PM (#1736591)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Stilly River Sage

The Wrong Box was wonderful. I haven't seen it in many years. I don't think The World of Henry Orient has been mentioned here yet, but it was also a rather poignant comedy.

One of my favorites--[slaps forehead]--how could I forget Sellers in Being There. That is simply marvelous.

SRS


09 May 06 - 08:06 PM (#1736659)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: The Fooles Troupe

Have been unable to stop thinking about "The Wrong Box" ever since The Aussie Defence Dept brought home the wrong coffin from Iraq, according it all the military niceties on the way...

At least in this country, the widow was able to drag the PM out of bed at 11pm and give him a big earful of abuse, and have him just sit there and take it, which he later publicly said on TV that she had every right to do. Could that happen in your country? Or has Johnny just got us conned in other ways? :-)

Yerggh!

Which sorta reminds of "Tank Girl", which was pretty funny too...


09 May 06 - 08:19 PM (#1736667)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: The Fooles Troupe

Oh, yes, now it clarifies -
"The Wrong Box" - The Doctor and the cats!


10 May 06 - 12:22 AM (#1736855)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: mrdux

The Loved One

BTW, I remember seeing the Court Jester at a movie theater with my parents when i was a little kid, and it's always been a favorite -- "The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true." Thanks for the reminder.


10 May 06 - 01:06 AM (#1736867)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Stilly River Sage

The Love One--is that the Evelyn Waugh story in the pet cemetery? I liked that one so well I even found the book and read it, but it was so many years ago I barely remember either now.

In The Wrong Box I loved the scene when Sellers signs a document then picks up a kitten to blot the page. :)

SRS


10 May 06 - 08:11 AM (#1737064)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: The Fooles Troupe

My (other) favourite scenes from the Court Jester:

The knighting scene - "Run him through" said the King!

and the fight scene where he was flippping in and out of being hypnotised (actually that goes on for large parts of the movie!) that he was "the greatest swordsman on earth - no blade can touch you!" - Poor opponent - wasn't it Basil Rathbone - an Olympic level fencer in real life?

:-)

And the Inspector General - 'Play gypsy, sing gypsy, dance gypsy - and now....... we drink' with the crooked councillors waiting for him to drink the poisoned glass...


That's The Wrong Box scene I remember from almost childhood, SRS!


10 May 06 - 11:31 AM (#1737235)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: clueless don

Another good Peter Sellers movie - if it may indeed be called a comedy - was "Only Two Can Play". And then there's "I'm All Right Jack". Both, as I recall, were serious movies with funny moments.

Don


10 May 06 - 04:31 PM (#1737431)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Becca72

Most have been mentioned already, but some of my favorites are:

The Jerk
Anything Python (particularly The Meaning of Life)
Two Weeks Notice
The Wedding Singer
Wedding Crashers
The Man with Two Brains
The Breakfast Club
Slap Shot


10 May 06 - 04:41 PM (#1737440)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: kendall

Absolute funniest: The Producers
"We're not aloooo-oooone"
"He's wearing a dreeeee-esssss."

"Springtime for Hitler and Germany.
Goosesteps the new step of dance.
We're marching to a different pace
Look out here comes the Master race."

SINS on Kendall's PC


11 May 06 - 01:41 PM (#1738173)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: closet-folkie

Bedazzled(1967)--Peter Cook was the man!
Life Of Brian
I'm amazed that people consider "Love, Actually" to be a comedy; It depressed the hell out of me. "Crud, Actually" might have been a better title.


11 May 06 - 05:49 PM (#1738399)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Helen

The Marx Brothers films
Eddie Cantor films
Danny Kaye films
The Flying High series of films
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Drop Dead Fred (this is my favourite favourite - whether I'm feeling depressed or feeling happy)

I'm sure there's more but they are the top ones on my list.

Helen


11 May 06 - 07:15 PM (#1738460)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: kendall

Monty Python and the holy grail


12 May 06 - 12:10 AM (#1738655)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: HuwG

Perhaps not to everyone's taste - Drowning by Numbers


12 May 06 - 10:05 PM (#1739524)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Midchuck

I don't say all those mentioned are not funny.

But to me, there's The Great Race, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Animal House. Then there's all the others.

Pure personal prejudice.

Peter.


13 May 06 - 12:09 AM (#1739577)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Peter Kasin

My all time favorite is Buster Keaton's "Steamboat Bill, Jr."

Chanteyranger


13 May 06 - 08:06 AM (#1739726)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Cluin

Greenaway is definitely not to everyone's taste, HuwG. I've liked some of his films (including the one you've quoted), but not all. "Prospero's Books" was a real labour to watch.

"So I Married an Axe Murderer" was lastingly funny and much better than those Austin Powers flix Myers did later.


13 May 06 - 08:27 AM (#1739735)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: The Fooles Troupe

TV here just ran "Maverick" again tonight - I've still got tears in my eyes. Looks like it is no my current 'favourite'...

Near the beginning, during the 'holdup', Gibson pulls the kerchief off the face of the negro (Danny Glover). They look at each other, as if they sorta recognise each other (they had done lethal weapon!), and as Glover is making his getaway, he stumbles and curses "I'm getting too old for this shit!".

Then there is the scene where he is dragged under the stage coach (Indiana Jones style)... and so on... the more movies you know, the funnier it is...


13 May 06 - 08:58 AM (#1739753)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: kendall

The Meaning of life.

No Time for Sargents


13 May 06 - 05:19 PM (#1740132)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Stringsinger

Anyting by Laurel and Hardy.

"The Road to Wellville"

"Saved"

Frank Hamilton


13 May 06 - 09:05 PM (#1740261)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: The Fooles Troupe

Ok thread drift alert!

"Maverick" had lots of interesting music. But there were clear pictures of pretty guitars. Did guitars exist in this speriod?


14 May 06 - 01:04 AM (#1740352)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST,Coyote Breath

Putney Swope
The Woman in Red (the 'Blind Man' bit, especially)
Tank Girl
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein
How the West Was Won
Time Bandits
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Life of Brian
The Meaning of Life
Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein (when I was ten)
Raising Arizona
Fargo
The Big Leibowski
Cecil B. Demented
Matinee (starring John Goodman)
Tremors (the first one)
anything with Cantinflas
anything with Marty Feldman
A Boy and His Dog
The Saragossa Manuscript
The Fabulous Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen

And many of those others mentioned above.

I'm going to put Barcelona in the VCR right now and then to bed.

CB


14 May 06 - 03:36 PM (#1740680)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Peter T.

Movies unmentioned so far (I think):

The Moon's Our Home -- a lovely film with Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan, a screwball comedy which has been completely overlooked, but which is deeply charming and very funny.

"Manhattan" - Woody Allen's masterpiece, and very funny. My all time favourite Woody Allen scene however is his indoctrination-into-the-Russian-army scene in "Love and Death" ("You Love Mother Russia, don't you!")

yours,

Peter T.


14 May 06 - 03:44 PM (#1740688)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Peter T.

And practically no foreign films appear here. Almodovar's early films are wildly funny.

The funniest film I have ever seen is the original "Cage Aux Folles" (not the crappy American remake, why they do these things, I will never know).   



yours,

Peter T.


14 May 06 - 03:50 PM (#1740690)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Peter T.

I am not sure a list without "Sleeper" is a good list.

More missing:

All kinds of screwball comedies, including 5 masterpieces: "All About Eve", "The Awful Truth", "The Front Page", "Holiday", and the greatest of them all, "Twentieth Century".

yours,

Peter T.


14 May 06 - 05:04 PM (#1740737)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Stilly River Sage

Are you sure you mean All About Eve? Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda in The Lady Eve is a better example of a comedy.

SRS


14 May 06 - 09:46 PM (#1740833)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: HuwG

Another one which I found hilariously funny, but which seemed to go down like a lead balloon on release Rebecca's Daughters


15 May 06 - 10:40 AM (#1740930)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Dave the Gnome

Too many to list but recently I laughed a lot at Kung Pow - Enter the fist.

Copletely barking...

:D (tG)


15 May 06 - 11:13 AM (#1740953)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: Becca72

Two more I thought of that I could watch over and over:
Office Space
Dogma


15 May 06 - 02:05 PM (#1741077)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST,Peter T.

Duh. The Lady Eve.

yours,

Peter T.


15 May 06 - 03:15 PM (#1741141)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST

Brother where art thou, anything film which includes Peter Sellers.
I can`t recall the name of a film which starred Leonard Rossitter as a French wind-passer, truly hilarious.


15 May 06 - 04:32 PM (#1741231)
Subject: RE: BS: Favorite Comedy Films
From: GUEST,Peter T.

Is there a joke in "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Is there a scintilla of humour in it? Where?

yours,

Peter T.