Maynard's Top 25 Comedies

Believe it or not, but I actually hate compiling best-of lists. It's exhausting. It's tedious. It's frustrating. The order never seems to be right. There's always a film you forgot to include. My picture/poster obsession wears me out in the process of editing and I constantly wish HTML to hell. Still, when the list is finally done, I'm happy and somehow satisfied - even though this list was even more difficult to compile than my yearly Year-End-Best-Of-lists, simply because I've never focused my geekness on Comedies before, even though I'm actually quite a fan of comedy flicks, especially of 60s/70s French comedy and 80s/90s US comedy.

Thanks to Eric Martin a.k.a Guts-and-Grog mastermind for inviting me to his Comedy-Week-blogfest. Actually, Eric just wanted me to create a Top 10 list of my favorite comedies, but during compiling, the whole thing became bigger and bigger. Sorry!

Maynard's Top 25 Favorite Comedies

1.

PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES

German Title: Ein Ticket für Zwei

USA, 1983 / Director: John Hughes

One of these movies that I've seen more than 30 times. A masterpiece. Best thing that John Hughes, Steve Martin and John Candy have ever done.




2.
JO

International Titles: The Gazebo / Camouflage

German Titles: Hasch mich, ich bin der Mörder / Louis mit dem Leichentick

France, 1971 / Director: Jean Girault

Hilarious adaptation of Alec & Mary Copper's stage play "The Gazebo". Seen it more than 30-40 times. I'm a huge fan of Louis de Funes and I've seen nearly all of his films. This is undoubtedly his funniest one.

3.
INDIEN

Alternate Title: Indien - Der Film

International Title: India

Austria 1993 / Director: Paul Harather

Another movie that I've seen at least 30 times. Starring Josef Hader and Alfred Dorfer, two of Austria's greatest comedian actors.


4.

THE 'BURBS

German Title: Meine teuflischen Nachbarn

USA 1989 / Director: Joe Dante

As much as I love Joe Dante's other movies, this is definitely the pinnacle in his career. Horror has never been funnier :-)




5.

Edgar Wright's CORNETTO Trilogy:

~ SHAUN OF THE DEAD -- UK / France / USA, 2004
~ HOT FUZZ -- UK / France / USA, 2007
~ THE WORLD'S END -- UK / USA / Japan, 2013

3 films. All perfect. Thanks to the incredible genius of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright.


6.
LES VISITEURS

International Title: The Visitors

German Title: Die Besucher

France, 1993 / Director: Jean-Marie Poiré

Forget about the American remake "Just Visiting" - THIS is the real deal. Here in Austria, there were 2 differently dubbed versions: one for the cinemas, one for TV. The TV version is basically a 1:1 dub of the French original, and it's rather meh. However, the cinema dubbing gave a crap about the original, and changed every line into a spectacularly funny punchline. Incredible!


7.
L'AILE OU LA CUISSE

International Title: The Wing and the Thigh

German Title: Brust oder Keule

France, 1976 / Director: Claude Zidi

Another masterpiece in both Louis de Funes' and director Claude Zidi's impressive careers.



8.

Vicco von Bülow a.k.a LORIOT's:

~ ÖDIPUSSI (English Title: Oedipussi) -- Germany 1988
~ PAPPA ANTE PORTAS -- Germany, 1991

The two only full features of Germany's finest comedian Loriot. Both are nothing but amazing.


9.
ALL OF ME

German Title: Solo für Zwei

USA, 1984 / Director: Carl Reiner

A bit underrated nowadays, but I always loved the hell out of it. IMO even better than Reiner's other masterstrokes "The Jerk" and "The Man With Two Brains".



10.

BRAINDEAD

Alternate Title: Dead Alive

New Zealand, 1992 / Director: Peter Jackson

Not only one of the goriest, but also one of the funniest zom-coms ever made. And obviously better than any of Jackson's Middle-Earth themed films ;-)




11.

OSCAR

German Titles: Oscar, der Korinthenkacker / Louis, der Traumtänzer

France, 1967 / Director: Édouard Molinaro

Another uber-awesome De Funes laughfest, based on Claude Magnier's stage play of the same name.




12.











~ Dennis Dugan's PROBLEM CHILD / USA 1990
   German Title: So ein Satansbraten
~ Brian Levant's PROBLEM CHILD 2 / USA, 1991
   German Title: Ein Satansbraten kommt selten allein

Negative critics? Low ratings on Imdb? Fuck that. Junior and Trixie always make me laugh my butt off! :-)


13.

IMMER NIE AM MEER

English Title: Forever Never by The Sea

International Title: Forever Never Anywhere

Austria, 2007 / Director: Antonin Svoboda

Stunningly underrated Austrian comedy-masterpiece, way, way better than the slightly similar De Funes flick "Sur un arbre perché", starring Stermann & Grissemann, Austria's finest comedy duo.

14.
THE MONEY PIT

German Title: Geschenkt ist noch zu teuer

USA, 1986 / Director: Richard Benjamin

Oh, how I miss those days when Tom Hanks was funny. 80s Hanks, come back! ;-)





15.
LE GENDARME EN BALADE

International Title: The Gendarme Takes Off

German Titles: Balduin, der Schrecken von St. Tropez / Louis in geheimer Mission / Louis, der Schrecken von St. Tropez

France / Italy, 1970 / Director: Jean Girault

The fourth of Louis De Funes' six "Gendarme"-films, and undoubtedly the funniest of them all.

16.

MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL

German Title: Die Ritter der Kokosnuss

UK, 1975 / Directors: Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones

Not the best thing Terry Gilliam has ever done (that would be "Brazil"), but of course the absolute best thing the Pythons ever done.




17.
SHE-DEVIL

German Title: Die Teufelin

USA, 1989 / Director: Susan Seidelman

It's a mystery to me why this film is still so underrated. Better and funnier than every single episode of "Roseanne".




18.

GROUNDHOG DAY

German Title: ...und täglich grüßt das Murmeltier

USA, 1993 / Director: Harold Ramis

Bill Murray's greatest, gunniest and most entertaining movie. Nuff said.





19.

LA ZIZANIE

International Title: The Spat

German Title: Der Querkopf

France, 1978 / Director: Claude Zidi

Slightly underrated, but actually super-hilarious laughfest. One of De Funès' very last films.



20.

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM

USA, 1987 / Director: Barry Levinson

Although I acually prefer Robin Williams in his serious roles, this is of course the absolute highlight in his unbelievable career. Although he was considered as un-dub-able, even the german dubbing is awesome, though obviously not nearly as great as the original.




21.
THE COURT JESTER

German Title: Der Hofnarr

USA, 1955 / Directors: Melvin Frank & Norman Panama

Unfortunately I haven't seen many Danny Kaye films in my life, but at least I've seen this one countless times. Unbelievably awesome German dubbing that is surprisingly even funnier than the original.


22.
BANANA JOE

Italy / West Germany, 1982 / Director: Steno

One of the few Bud Spencer films without his usual side-kick Terence Hill, but IMO the silliest, and most entertaining films in his career. A guilty pleasure, but one that I truly love.





23.
HIBERNATUS

German Titles: Onkel Paul, die große Pflaume / Louis taut auf / Louis, der Giftzwerg / Der Winterschläfer / Die Giftnudel

France / Italy, 1969 / Director: Édouard Molinaro

One of only two Molinaro/De Funès films (the other one is "Oscar"). Both are absolutely amazing.



24.
HOME ALONE

German Title: Kevin - Allein zu Haus

USA, 1990 / Director: Chris Columbus

What would Xmas be without Kevin?






25.
L'ANIMAL

International Titles: The Animal / Stuntwoman

German Title: Ein irrer Typ

France, 1977 / Director: Claude Zidi

Another guilty pleasure, though not as silly as "Banana Joe".
When it comes to half-serious Jean-Paul Belmondo, I tend to masterstrokes like "Le Professionel".When it comes to over-the-top uber-funny Belmondo,
I definitely tend to stuff like "L'animal".

Make sure to check out more of Maynard over at Horror Movie Diary. 

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