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Clearly the top-5 comedies of all-time are as follows:
Blues Brothers, Animal House, Princess Bride, Caddyshack, and Major League - with Wedding Crashers getting an honorable mention. Is this even debatable?
Princess Bride? Really? Don’t get me wrong, I love that movie, but I don’t think it’s even Rob Reiner’s best, let alone an all-time top 5. I would put Spinal Tap ahead of Princess Bride.
And no Mel Brooks? Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, History of the World? And may I just say that The Producers is probably the best movie based on a musical based on a movie of all time.
And Major League ahead of Airplane? Again, I loved Major League, but I think Airplane is unquestionably a canonical work, while Major League is debatable.
I realize the John Landis ouvre is already well represented in your list but I think Trading Places must also be among the final candidates for any top-five list.
Herewith, my top five:
1) Blues Brothers
2) Animal House
3) Airplane
4) Trading Places
5) Caddyshack
I wholeheartedly agree that “Airplane” is a terrific comedy - but perhaps I’m just more a fan of nuance than slapstick, cuz I’ve got “Princess Bride” ahead. And excellent point on “Spinal Tap” - but again, I go PB of ST… though you can’t go wrong with either.
“Trading Places” is oustanding as well, no doubt - but again, there can only be five, and I’ve got to cut it somewhere. I like “Major League” (and the other four) better.
I will concede that “Wedding Crashers” as the sole honorable mention may be a stretch - perhaps I’m focusing too much on the “extra” showing them doing “99 Red Balloons” at one of the weddings. Just a classic, classic piece of cinematography - to the point that I make sure my bladder is empty before watching that scene, as I laugh to the point of losing complete control of all bodily functions. And the rest of the movie follows in tow: Stage 5 Clinger? Just classic.
But this is like arguing who are the top five guys in Cooperstown. There are more than five guys worthy of discussion, I suppose - and it comes down to personal preference in most cases… although we can all agree on the obvious ones: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Walter Johnson are your Blues Brothers, Animal House and Caddyshack. Then you have Henry Aaron, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio,et al, along with Airplane, Princess Bride, Trading Places, Major League, et al, to spur debate.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Greatest comedy ever? Certainly top 5. Maybe Top 2 at worst?
April 1st, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Greatest ever?! Surely you can’t be serious!
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:09 am
Nobody? Really? Come on, I was sure someone would answer “I’m dead serious. And don’t call me Shirley.”
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:28 pm
http://www.rinkworks.com/dialect/
April 16th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Clearly the top-5 comedies of all-time are as follows:
Blues Brothers, Animal House, Princess Bride, Caddyshack, and Major League - with Wedding Crashers getting an honorable mention. Is this even debatable?
April 16th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Princess Bride? Really? Don’t get me wrong, I love that movie, but I don’t think it’s even Rob Reiner’s best, let alone an all-time top 5. I would put Spinal Tap ahead of Princess Bride.
And no Mel Brooks? Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, History of the World? And may I just say that The Producers is probably the best movie based on a musical based on a movie of all time.
And Major League ahead of Airplane? Again, I loved Major League, but I think Airplane is unquestionably a canonical work, while Major League is debatable.
I realize the John Landis ouvre is already well represented in your list but I think Trading Places must also be among the final candidates for any top-five list.
Herewith, my top five:
1) Blues Brothers
2) Animal House
3) Airplane
4) Trading Places
5) Caddyshack
April 18th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I wholeheartedly agree that “Airplane” is a terrific comedy - but perhaps I’m just more a fan of nuance than slapstick, cuz I’ve got “Princess Bride” ahead. And excellent point on “Spinal Tap” - but again, I go PB of ST… though you can’t go wrong with either.
“Trading Places” is oustanding as well, no doubt - but again, there can only be five, and I’ve got to cut it somewhere. I like “Major League” (and the other four) better.
I will concede that “Wedding Crashers” as the sole honorable mention may be a stretch - perhaps I’m focusing too much on the “extra” showing them doing “99 Red Balloons” at one of the weddings. Just a classic, classic piece of cinematography - to the point that I make sure my bladder is empty before watching that scene, as I laugh to the point of losing complete control of all bodily functions. And the rest of the movie follows in tow: Stage 5 Clinger? Just classic.
But this is like arguing who are the top five guys in Cooperstown. There are more than five guys worthy of discussion, I suppose - and it comes down to personal preference in most cases… although we can all agree on the obvious ones: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Walter Johnson are your Blues Brothers, Animal House and Caddyshack. Then you have Henry Aaron, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio,et al, along with Airplane, Princess Bride, Trading Places, Major League, et al, to spur debate.
I stick by my choices though.
April 18th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Well, there really are no *wrong* answers - you can’t go wrong squandering part of an afternoon on any of the above.