Rating Comedy Movies

[Ralph]

I've really enjoyed the "Don't watch alone" and "Hammer Horror" threads and have found lots of new movies that have been fun to watch as in the Hammers and others which have been downright scary!

At the moment I'm all horrored up and fancy a break for now with some light hearted viewing to balance things out

Perhaps the hardest type of movie to get a successful result with audiences is comedy? What d'you think? I reckon it might be fun to see what everyone makes of the films offered up in this category.

Humour is such a subjective thing of course but I'm curious to know if there's common ground here. If laughter's the best medicine then I think any movie that makes you smile or indeed gives you a good belly laugh should definitely be included!

[Dirk Gently]

I totally agree & would probably watch a comedy over any other movie. (Although I reserve the right to hate Ben Stiller & Adam Sandler).

I think if you're moving from horror to comedy then you should do so gradually...may be you should watch Scary Movie (+ the three follow ups)?
Followed up by Mel Brooks' hilarious Young Frankenstein.

[Wayne]

Can't see me contributing to this thread much.
Virtually all the comedy in my collection is tv stuff. The only comedy films in my collection are tv related spin-off films like 'Porridge', 'The Likely Lads', & 'On the Buses' etc...
I think the only standalone comedy film i've got is Monty Python's 'Life of Brian', & even that's kind of a tv spin-off. Great film though. My favourite bit is where the crowd gathers outside Brian's window, & he tries to convince them to think for themselves. 'You're all individuals!' - 'Yes! We're all individuals!' etc...

[Dirk Gently]

"He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"

[Wayne]

I think most Hollywood comedy movies are shit.

Right that's me all done here. Back the Horror threads.

[Ralph]

The Naked Gun (1988)

Lieutenant Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) is a police detective of Police Squad, a division of the Los Angeles Police Department. Frank returns home to L.A from a vacation in Beirut, when his partner and best friend, Detective Nordberg (OJ Simpson) is gunned down in a undercover operation. Frank's investigation into Nordberg's attempted murder leads Frank to become suspicious of well-respected businessman Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban)and discovers Vincent Ludwig plans to brainwash a baseball player with mind control device, and assassinate Queen Elizabeth who is visiting L.A. on her American tour.

I thought this was great when it first came out and having just watched it again for the first time in ages it still makes me laugh throughout the film. Along with Leslie Nielsen who I think has great comedy timing, he's supported by Priscilla Presley, George Kennedy and Ricardo Montalban.

The opening sequence in Beirut where Frank single handed takes on the world's notorious leaders wiping off Gorbachev's birthmark and exposing the Ayatollah's Mohiken.... Lots of visual gags throughout the movie keep coming at such a pace that if you didn't find the last one funny then the next will!

I watched some comedies and hardly laughed at all but for me this one guarantees lots of smiles and laughs on every viewing. I defy you not to laugh at this one...actually I recommended it to my folks when it first came out but they hated it so maybe it was just a generation thing!

So I put this one up as my first movie to make you laugh and prove Holywood does make funny movies!

8.5/10

[Ralph]

I think most Hollywood comedy movies are shit.

Right that's me all done here. Back the Horror threads.

I have to agree there's piles of Hollywood comedy movies that just seem pointless to me but credit it where it's due they have produced some good ones over the years. It's the kind of genre where if it doesn't make you laugh within the first 15 minutes I would say it's arguable if its worth watching at all. I think theres nothing worse than watching a supposedly funny movie that fails to make you even just smile.

I haven't given up posting on the Horror thread Wayne but I would like to post thoughts on the odd comedy interspersed in between.

[Ralph]

I think the only standalone comedy film i've got is Monty Python's 'Life of Brian', & even that's kind of a tv spin-off. Great film though. My favourite bit is where the crowd gathers outside Brian's window, & he tries to convince them to think for themselves. 'You're all individuals!' - 'Yes! We're all individuals!' etc...

I haven't watched that one all the way through but the bits I've seen look good. Is Monty Python's "Holy Grail" the one where John Cleese plays a knight in combat and refuses to give up even when his body is just a head and torso When he loses his first arm: "Just a flesh wound!"

[Pip Madeley]

The Naked Gun is alright - as a big fan of 'Police Squad', it's fun to see what is basically an extended episode of the show, but sadly with fewer jokes (the laughs-per-minute ratio isn't anywhere as high, but that's to be expect with an 80min film I guess). Leslie Nielsen gives a brilliant performance as Frank, though I prefered his characterisation in the TV show because he played it totally straight (funnier for me). It always bugged me a little bit that they largely replaced the TV cast for the movies - Nordberg was originally a tall, thin white man played by Peter Lupus (hilarious), and his boss Ed Hocken was originally played by Alan North... but at least they brought back Ed Williams for the last two films.

Definitely the best of the three films, but as you can probably tell, I much prefer the TV series.

[Ralph]

Well I've got a copy of Police Squad which in true "Milky" style I haven't watched yet (but it is out the wrapper). My first experience of Police Squad was with the movie. I think this was one of those rare situations where the tv show failed to make an impression and went straight to a movie. I don't thnk that was the fault of the tv show though as I understand it was handicapped by the tv execs who hated it and put on a graveyard shift slot.

[Pip Madeley]

'Police Squad' was just way before its time, you need to watch it a few times to notice all the jokes, and you appreciate it more and more with every viewing - you should watch it Ralph, you'll enjoy it, Shatner's even in one episode.

[Wayne]

but I would like to post thoughts on the odd comedy interspersed in between.

I appreciate the thought Ralph, but i can't see that i'd have much to add. Basically, if it's not in my collection, then it's because i don't think it's worth it, which kinda says it all, really.
Obviously to make that judgement, you have to have actually seen stuff in the first place, & i have seen quite a lot over years on tv, & partly thanks to living in shared houses where people would rent the latest Hollywood comedy etc... But aside from my personal favourites, i'm very blas with a lot of comedy in general, Especially films. Most things that you're likely to mention on this thread will vary from "Totally unfunny Rubbish" ('Mars Attacks') to "the occasional mildy amusing bit" ('The Naked Gun'). So i would only feel like a right miserable old git coming with comments like that everytime you reviewed a film.
I have a fondness for the Carry On films & such like, but even then, only up to a point. They're great to watch in the right company, & if i stumble onto one on the tv, then i'm happy to have it on & will chuckle away, but i don't own any on dvd, & i'm not really likely to.
As i've said, My comedy tastes are mostly tv shows, usually with a strong nostalgic fondness for the stuff i watched when i was younger; Hence: 'Rising Damp', 'Porridge', 'Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads', 'On the Buses', etc...
Slightly later, i also loved 'The Young Ones', the 'Blackadder' sequels, the early Eddie Murphy stand up shows: 'Delerious' & 'Raw', selected 'Comic Strip' episodes, & even the first series of 'Auf Wiedersehen Pet'. Whilst in the last few years, my big favourites are 'The League of Gentlemen', 'The Fast Show', & 'The Royle Family'. Oh, & 'Shooting Stars', which came somewhere in between it all.
The other thing is the animated stuff; From cartoons like 'Tom & Jerry' & 'The Pink Panther Show' as a kid, to mega current favourite 'grown up' cartoons like 'Family Guy', & to a slightly lesser extent: 'South Park' & 'King of the Hill'.
So not many movies, & really no Hollywood ones at all.

[Ralph]

I think it's fair to say that movies aren't always the best medium for comedy because of their length but nevertheless I think there are some that do hit it off and it's those I wanted to share. Maybe it'll be a short lived thread!

Mars Attacks! is one I loved on first viewing - it makes me smile more than laugh I'd say. Growing up with Hollywood Sci-fi B movies on the telly made it work for me - I'd describe it as a really enjoyable spoof sci-fi and I'd give it a 6.5/10

[Wayne]

Maybe it'll be a short lived thread!

Not neccesarily! Pip & Tim are Comedy Gurus! I'm sure they & others will enjoy this thread.

[Dirk Gently]

Naked Gun is a work of greatness from a good series. The sequels never quite beat the original (but they're for another post?).

Gets a 8.5 /10 from me.


Mars Attacks is funny in places but over all disappoints. It fails as an out and out comedy & fails as a B-movie, but the combination just fails to make it average.

Gets a 4/10.

[Ralph]

you should watch it Ralph, you'll enjoy it, Shatner's even in one episode.

Will do Pip - I'll let you know my thoughts on it plus I'll look out for the Shat

[Ralph]

The sequels never quite beat the original (but they're for another post?).

Well I plan to check them out again shortly - from memory I thought the first sequel was very good if not better

[Pip Madeley]

Tim and I will be there with you.

Can we do a run-through of Mel Brooks films too? I've been watching them all recently

[Alex]

I will too! Infact I was going to start a thread identical to this one, but I was waiting till I'd seen a good comedy film till I did, and at the moment I've just been watching a lot of tv comedy.

It's one of those things that really frustrates me at the Oscars, because they pretty much never give the Best Film Oscar to one (Annie Hall's the only one I can think of), which to me is madness as comedy is one of the hardest things to get right, and to appeal to a mass audience too.

I've not that much time for romantic comedy's these days, mainly as they tend to be pretty formulaic crap, but I'm quite fond of certain Hollywood comedys. I used to really dislike Ben Stiller, for instance, but then I saw Zoolander which is one of the silliest films ever made, but incredibly enjoyable. His role in the brilliant Dodgeball is great as well, I wish he'd play OTT more often rather than 'dull bloke who gets in to lots of embarrassing situations'.

I've a soft spot for Will Ferrell too. Don't get me wrong, loads of stuff that he does is absolutely terrible, but Anchorman and The Ballad of Tallegeda Nights are both really fun films that are unpredictable, mad and just great to watch!

Other than that, I like quite a few cult comedys, like Napoleon Dynamite, Rushmore, and most of the things that Kevin Smith has done like Clerks, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (though that's a bit rubbish in places), and some 80's films as well, I love (and have rambled on here in the past about) John Cusack's Better Off Dead, but I'm really fond of Ferris Bueller and Weekend at Bernies as well. There's quite a few Brit coms I like a lot too, the most recent being Pegg and Frost's Hot Fuzz, which I thought was brilliant.

Anyhoo, this is a bit of a ramble, but as soon as I've watched some more comedy films again, I'll definitely contribute to the thread.

[Ralph]

Should be a fairly lively thread

I plan to do the rest of the Naked Guns, The Panthers, some of the Carry Ons, some Steve Martin and various one offs like Dark Star and other classics too numerous to mention

[Paul Monk]

The Airplane! movies are great if you like Police Squad. And the Shat is in Airplane 2!

And speaking of Mel Brooks I adore Young Frankenstein (That's Fronken Steen). Funny whilst being very true to the original films (based largely on Son of Frankenstein with Basil Rathbone fact fans)

[Ralph]

Carry On Screaming (1966)



"Young ladies are being spirited away in the woods by Oddbod, creation of fiendish Dr Watt. Henpecked Sergeant Bung is on the case, but an early lead comes to nothing with the ghastly drowning while at work of lavatory attendant Dan Dann. Bung does seem to be having success with Valeria and her very obvious charms, but completely fails to realise her sinister country house holds the key to the unimaginable horrors going on"

For me this is arguably the best of the Carry Ons and a really genuinely funny film.

I think it's also got the best atmosphere of all the films and the sets look great, straight from Hammer's best. The casting of Harry H Corbett is inspired and as a one off in the series he replaces Sid James so well you forget Sid is actually missing. In fact I really don't think Sid could have played the part as well as HHC. Poor old Sergeant Bung, never have I felt more sympathy for a married man Joan Sims scores full marks!

This has got to be one of the sharpest and wittiest scripts of the Carry ons with gags a plenty and I think it milks the horror genre for all it's worth with great gusto I just love that bit where Bung asks Jim Dale's character if the hairy finger discovered in the woods is one of Doris' There's so many memorable moments...Bernard Bresslaw is genuinely creepy! "My master is dead.... but I will check if he can see you" (or something to that effect)

Kenneth Williams is fantastic and the make up as with everyone on this Carry On is so well done and spot on.

Oh and we get Pertwee thrown in to for good measure

I'd score this one 9/10 - it's worth it!

[Wayne]

Carry On Screaming (1966)

For me this is arguably the best of the Carry Ons and a really genuinely funny film.





Oh and we get Pertwee thrown in to for good measure

Co-incidence?


I must admit i haven't seen this one for years, but i remember it as a good one. It reminds me of those old Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein etc... movies.
Hard to say which Carry On film would be my favourite, But 'At Your Convenience' would certainly be a contender.

[Pip Madeley]

Is it wrong of me to admit I have a crush on Fenella Fielding in that film?

[Ralph]

Nice to see you taking an interest in the thread Wayne! Carry On Screaming is tailor made for a Hammer afficenado (spelling?) such as yourself I first saw this in the late 70s, loved it then and still do... Yeah it's co-incidental Pertwee's in this one He's also in the rather more lacklustre "Cowboy" which I think preceeded this little gem.