The BBC's Top 100 Comedies list?

[Mr Trick]

The 100 greatest comedies of all time

What do you think?

Which films might you have included that didn't make the cut?

I think its a good list and I like how diverse it is. Can't have too many arguments with the number one choice. I don't understand how Pulp Fiction is a comedy though?😕

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

It should be called 'The 100 Most Well Known Comedies According to Your Dad and Your Aunts' There is a lot of good stuff there, but the list is not very interesting. I'd vaguer the list on IMDB is almost identical.

Pulp Fiction is hilarious 😀 The funniest movies aren't strictly comedies, or they are only comedies in part.

 

[Priceless]

I haven't seen them all, so it's difficult to fully judge, but my first thought is that there are a couple of silent films in the list. Do people in the 21st century find these funny? I like Some Like It Hot, but I wouldn't put it at number 1

 

[Mr Trick]

It should be called 'The 100 Most Well Known Comedies According to Your Dad and Your Aunts' There is a lot of good stuff there, but the list is not very interesting. I'd vaguer the list on IMDB is almost identical.

Pulp Fiction is hilarious 😀 The funniest movies aren't strictly comedies, or they are only comedies in part.

I think that's not fair. There's a few obscure ones on there like the Bunuel ones. Maybe the lack of modern films just reflects badly on the state of modern screen comedy.
 

I haven't seen them all, so it's difficult to fully judge, but my first thought is that there are a couple of silent films in the list. Do people in the 21st century find these funny? I like Some Like It Hot, but I wouldn't put it at number 1

But who cares? If I asked you to put together such a list, wouldn't you just list the films you honestly thought the best personally? I don't know why such a list has to pander to a modern audience.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

I think that's not fair. There's a few obscure ones on there like the Bunuel ones. Maybe the lack of modern films just reflects badly on the state of modern screen comedy.

I'm never fair, except in hair and complexion. The problem with a list made by the BBC or voted on by the viewers, is that they lack personality. I would much rather read your list or Pricey's list.

I enjoy Groundhog Day and Airplane, but they are not the 4th and 7th funniest films ever made.

 

[Priceless]

But who cares? If I asked you to put together such a list, wouldn't you just list the films you honestly thought the best personally? I don't know why such a list has to pander to a modern audience.

Well it seems a bit silly to put a list on the Top 100 films together and include films that no-one alive finds funny. Or you might as well make is a list of the top grossing silent comedy films of all time - because someone somewhere found them funny once

 

[Mr Trick]

I'm never fair, except in hair and complexion. The problem with a list made by the BBC or voted on by the viewers, is that they lack personality. I would much rather read your list or Pricey's list.

I enjoy Groundhog Day and Airplane, but they are not the 4th and 7th funniest films ever made.

Well, maybe but chances are my list would be pretty similar. I still don't see what you are picking at? To me Groundhog Day is a very funny film. Sure it is a romance too, but there's a lot of comedy along the way. Its one of Bill Murray's best performances.
 

Well it seems a bit silly to put a list on the Top 100 films together and include films that no-one alive finds funny. Or you might as well make is a list of the top grossing silent comedy films of all time - because someone somewhere found them funny once

Why? I don't understand the thinking? Besides you admitted that you find the a lot of films funny. Are you saying your opinion is of any less value than some spotty nosed teenager?😉

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Well, maybe but chances are my list would be pretty similar. I still don't see what you are picking at? To me Groundhog Day is a very funny film. Sure it is a romance too, but there's a lot of comedy along the way. Its one of Bill Murray's best performances.

In that case, I applaud your eclecticism. My problem with this list is that it is not very interesting. It is obviously made by committee. All the usual suspects are here. There are a few fun surprises. Harold and Maude is brilliant, so I am happy to see that.

I actually often refer to Groundhog Day as a great type of movie that is not being made anymore. Every movie these days has to be so bloody damn special. Nobody makes simple, charming movies anymore. I love Groundhog Day, but it is not the most ambitious movie ever. I like it, but it is neither as funny nor as quirky as Harold and Maude. God, I love Harold and Maude.

 

[Puppet]

I, for one, am just happy that Life of Brian made it into the top ten, one of the absolute funniest films of all time, imo.

 

[Mr Trick]

In that case, I applaud your eclecticism. My problem with this list is that it is not very interesting. It is obviously made by committee. All the usual suspects are here. There are a few fun surprises. Harold and Maude is brilliant, so I am happy to see that.

I actually often refer to Groundhog Day as a great type of movie that is not being made anymore. Every movie these days has to be so bloody damn special. Nobody makes simple, charming movies anymore. I love Groundhog Day, but it is not the most ambitious movie ever. I like it, but it is neither as funny nor as quirky as Harold and Maude. God, I love Harold and Maude.

I guess you have a point, but then maybe not everyone looking at that list will be as up on those films as us. To me its a good list is all I can say.

But Groundhog Day is a different sort of comedy than Harold and Maude. That's why I like the list because it has different sorts of comedy on it. Like most genres comedy has a lot of different sub-genres. I agree with you that GD is a charming old fashioned film, but I still think it puts a clever twist on a old sort of film.

 

[Priceless]

Why? I don't understand the thinking? Besides you admitted that you find the a lot of films funny. Are you saying your opinion is of any less value than some spotty nosed teenager?😉

My thinking is that the majority of these films are no longer funny. Times change, people change, funny changes. Some of these films are clever and nostalgic and classic . . . but no longer funny.

 

[Mr Trick]

My thinking is that the majority of these films are no longer funny. Times change, people change, funny changes. Some of these films are clever and nostalgic and classic . . . but no longer funny.

I can see that. But then your going to limit yourself to just films from the last 20 years. And lets face it that would be a pretty shitty list😛

 

[DeadlyDuo]

I wouldn't have put South Park or Team America on that list. There's a lot better films out there than them.

Well it seems a bit silly to put a list on the Top 100 films together and include films that no-one alive finds funny. Or you might as well make is a list of the top grossing silent comedy films of all time - because someone somewhere found them funny once

Agreed.

I, for one, am just happy that Life of Brian made it into the top ten, one of the absolute funniest films of all time, imo.

Same here. That's a good example of a film that's "old" but still remains funny to this day.

 

[Puppet]

Also, truthfully a bit disappointed that The Jerk was so far up, should have gotten a much better spot. Another example of a movie that is still hilarious to this day, again, imo 🙂

 

[Mr Trick]

Also, truthfully a bit disappointed that The Jerk was so far up, should have gotten a much better spot. Another example of a movie that is still hilarious to this day, again, imo 🙂

Its a shame the nose dive Steve Martin's career has taken the last twenty years. At one point he was one of hottest talents in comedy. Roxanne is a personal favourite of mine.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

A Fish Called Wanda, Blazing Saddles, The Princess Bride...yes. 😀

Aiplane! was pretty good too. "Looks like I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue..." Hahaha.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

Overall a good list. The only one that really stood out to me was Zoolander. Really?😵 maybe it's just me. I would have replaced it with Meet The Parents. That movie was funny. But nice to see There's Something About Mary on the list. Also nice to see The Hangover, Mean Girls and Clueless. I love The Hangover! That movie is hilarious every time I watch it.

Some of my faves are She's Out of my League, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I love You Man and How to Lose A guy in 10 Days.

I haven't seen them all, so it's difficult to fully judge

Yea I haven't seen like 2/3 of these movies. I haven't even heard of a lot of these.

Maybe the lack of modern films just reflects badly on the state of modern screen comedy

True. In the past few years there haven't been any really solid good comedies.

I enjoy Groundhog Day and Airplane, but they are not the 4th and 7th funniest films ever made.

I could see a case for Airplane! That's a funny spoof movie. Groundhogs Day might be more of a comedy but I Tim nm Ghostbusters is the better movie.

I wouldn't have put South Park or Team America on that list. There's a lot better films out there than them.

Yea, I'm not a big fan of those but I know a lot of people (mostly guys) that like those.

 

[GwenRaiden]

I hate lists like these in general (even more so that the films were chosen by film critics) but I'm happy (surprised?) to see Rushmore and Waiting for Guffman on there.

 

[TriBel]

Nice to see Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - I love Pedro Almodóvar's films. I've probably seen about 75-80% on the list but so long ago I've forgotten them! Actually, I probably own about 70% - maybe I should revisit*. Dogma and Four Lions made me laugh out loud. I also like Loach's Looking for Eric - some lovely lines in that (and King Eric - so bonus!) but perhaps the label "comedy" is relative to Loach's other work.

Do people in the 21st century find these funny?

Chaplin's very clever but my students didn't like - or understand - Modern Times. They'd laugh if I told them it was a comedy - but not at the film. I've stopped saying "such and such a thing is funny" - it affects my credibility! Mind you - Moodysson's We are the Best was supposed to be "brilliantly funny" and I never found the punch line.

That's a good example of a film that's "old" but still remains funny to this day.

Old!? LOL! I saw it at the cinema! The word you're looking for is "classic"! 🙂

*I've just looked at my shelves - I have the most depressing films - ever! 🙁

Adaptations - I liked that!
 

Rushmore

I just don't get Anderson (shakes head sadly). I feel...inadequate.🙁

Some of the old Ealing comedies were good - Kind Hearts and Coronets with Guinness far surpassed the Coen remake. Problem is - they're very "British" - (God! I suppose they were sandwiched between Humphrey Jennings and Free Cinema? The 50s were a WEIRD time!).😕 The thing with Chaplin's films is they're so visual - in a sense, they're what cinema should be. But - while I can marvel at them - I laugh at Kevin Smith. Sigh...as I said...I'm such a Philistine.🙁

Sob...today is not ending well. 🙁 On the plus side - shout out to Manchester for organising an excellent Pride! 🙂

 

[Bluebird]

Lists of lists, yeah I hate these top 100 lists. There was like a resurgence of list shows about 10 years ago. Cheap way to make tv I guess.


In general I don't rate it. It's a list by committee, so the most typical BBC choices you'd expect and some others to make up the numbers. If you've seen one list by critics you've seen them all because they're all the same. The prescribed opinion for all, or else.

I also detest the BBC so I have no respect for the usual worship it receives.