Who doesn't love to laugh? I know I do. I grew up during in a great time, when the television was filled daily with Three Stooges and Laurel & Hardy shorts, and there was always a Marx Brothers or W.C. Fields film playing somewhere. And let's not forget Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis, Ma & Pa Kettle and, of course, Francis The Talking Mule. Comedy was king. As a youth, I started collecting silent comedies on Super 8mm and discovered the comic trinity of Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd.
The biggest problem with making a list of comedies is deciding what actually is a comedy. How many laughs are needed to turn a drama into a comedy? What about funny musicals? Or funny horror films? It calls for some very subjective judgments.
I am not going to handcuff myself with as many self-imposed restrictions as I did when I made my lists of horror films. My decision concerning what is a comedy will be decided on the basis of the individual film. However, I will try to restrain myself from flooding a decade with the work of a single comic visionary. For example, I am not going to put six Marx Brothers films on my Top 10 Comedies of the 1930s list. I will only pick one of their films as representative of their work during the period.
Also, I am going to try to rate the films in the context of their times. Therefore, expect to see some films on the lists which would be considered politically incorrect today. I will, however, discuss the controversy concerning some of those films when it seems appropriate.
Here's my list of the top comedies of the 1980s. It was a very good decade for comedy. I had a very difficult time narrowing the list down to ten films. I even hard time cutting back my honorable mentions.
Here's the list:
The Blues Brothers find themselves on a mission from God to raise money to save the orphanage where they were raised.
No film, with the possible exception of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and 1941, spent as much money trying to get people to laugh. The film was considered a bloated failure upon its initial release, but my friends and I always thought it was funny. Plus, with musical guests like John Lee Hooker, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown and Cab Calloway, what's not to love? We used to listen to the soundtrack quite a bit on the way to Amway functions.
Rodney Dangerfield plays a self-made, millionaire businessman who decides to join his son in college. Hijinks ensue.
This film was little more than an excuse for Rodney to deliver the kind of one liners that made him the most successful stand up comedian of his time. That was all I was asking for! Too bad Rodney was never able to duplicate the success of this film. He made other ones, but none of this quality and consistency.
A snotty golf course has to deal with a boorish would-be member and rivalries among the caddies.
The team that brought you Animal House hoped to catch lightening in a bottle again with this second slobs versus snobs comedy. The film underperformed both critically and financially. Former National Lampoon guru Doug Kenney was reportedly pushed over the deep end by the final film which he intended to be about the caddies -- not a mechanical gopher. The film is admittedly spotty but I personally like it better than Animal House. Rodney Dangerfield is fantastic.
Emilio Estevez plays a rebellious youth who gets drawn into the world of car repossessions and aliens in this punk rock comedy sci-fi film.
I really loved this film, if only because of the presence of the mighty Harry Dean Stanton. He always elevated every film he appeared in, regardless of the size of his role. (I think I first grooved to him as the guitar playing prisoner in Cool Hand Luke.) However, he achieved legendary status in this film as a Repo Man with a code. One of the disappointments of my film career is that I never got to make a film with him.
Alex Cox followed this film up with the equally brilliant biopic Sid and Nancy. Sadly, I haven't cared for his subsequent films.
BTW, this film was produced by former Monkee Mike Nesmith.
Unexpected complications ensue when a childless couple, consisting of an ex-con and ex-cop, decide to steal one of a furniture magnate's quintuplets.
I really enjoyed the Coen's first feature Blood Simple, a nifty neo-noir with a sly sense of humor. However, this film knocked really my socks off. It was fresh and original. And hilarious. It fully displayed the vivid and idiosyncratic writing style that would define the brothers. Nowadays, most people consider Nicolas Cage a joke because he takes any role attached to a large paycheck. If you want to see him in his prime, check out this movie.
A directionless cabbie, Bill Murray, convinces his best friend to join the Army with him.
The service comedy is one of the oldest story lines in cinema. Most classic comedians did their own take on it. Shoulder Arms, anyone? Reitman, Ramis and Murray, with a valuable assist from the decade's top second banana, John Candy, manage to freshen it up for a new generation. (Interestingly, Goldie Hawn provided a female service comedy only a year earlier with Private Benjamin. Also recommended.) This is a very funny film. I think I saw it in the theaters three times during its initial release.
A dismal North American tour exasperates the personal difficulties in a clueless British heavy metal band.
This film essentially invents the mockumentary. (Though we might have to give The Rutles the nod for that.) The film is hilarious. The songs are great. They work equally well as heavy metal songs and spoofs of heavy metal songs. More importantly, it is a true credit to the talented cast that, despite the broad humor, you actually begin to care about the characters by the end. Bravo.
Three professors of the paranormal set up their own business after being booted from a university.
I absolutely loved this movie when it first came out. It was one of the first great "special effects" comedies. Sadly, while the comedy still holds up, the special effects now look very dated. They pull me out of the film every time I watch it. Originally, Aykroyd was writing this film as a vehicle for John Belushi and himself. After Belushi's untimely death, Bill Murrary got the lead. Personally, I don't think Belushi would have done anywhere near as well with the role as Murray. He was perfect. (Still, it sucked that Belushi died....)
I couldn't even sit through the whole 2016 reboot with the female cast, but its not misogyny. I didn't care for the sequel either. That was a disappointment, too!
A high school principal tries to crack down on a popular senior who skips school with two of his friends for a day on the town.
No one quite captured the zeitgeist of the 1980s like John Hughes. It was a bit of a struggle to decide what film to put in the Top 10. Well, not really. Ferris rules, as always. Who never dreamed of being him in high school? I know I did, and the movie wasn't even made until long after I graduated. Still, I love a lot of the other John Hughes films. I was really tempted to put Planes, Trains & Automobiles on the list. It is peak Steve Martin and John Candy. It is very sweet and touching. Fortunately, I wasn't tempted as much by his teen comedies. Those films, particularly Sixteen Candles, have raised the ire of the Politically Correct Mind Police who consider them cornerstones of the "rape culture."
I can't believe that a writer/director who rose to fame at National Lampoon could ever be accused of being politically incorrect.
Ferris Bueller is a better film narratively than the next one, but it didn't make me laugh as much.
The jokes fly fast and furious in this spoof of airplane disaster movies.
Definitely, in my humble opinion, the funniest film of the decade. Most of the jokes have an easier time landing than the titular plane. It is filled with classic bits. Also, in a remarkable turn of events, the film gave the formerly stalwart Leslie Nielsen a second career late in life as a comic. It's rare for a leading man to get a second bite at the apple. The writing team also hit gold with The Naked Gun: From the Files of the Police Squad! in 1988.
BTW, I think this trailer is funnier than most films today....
Honorable Mention:
MY FAVORITE YEAR, 1982. A funny homage to the golden age of live television. ARTHUR, 1981. My favorite late Dudley Moore film. Check out my 1960s list to see my favorite film of his overall. A CHRISTMAS CAROL, 1983. This flick will make my inevitable list of Top 10 Christmas films. However, it's kinda weird watching it now after seeing the mom's breasts in Slap Shot. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION, 1983. When I first conceived of this list, I was certain Vacation would make it. It didn't. Oh, well. UHF, 1989. We just watched this Weird Al movie on the Yippee Ki Yay Mother Podcast. I forgot that it featured Victoria Jackson, who also appeared in two of my films Marriage Retreat and Brother White. It's still funny, but I think millennials will miss some of the references. PORKY'S, 1981. Every generation has a raunchy sex comedy. This was mine. My friend Jim and I saw a sneak preview of the film with our dates. Our dates were appalled (mine mainly) and demanded that we leave halfway through. We did, but Jim and I snuck back and saw it later. BETTER OFF DEAD, 1985. Always enjoyed this film from Savage Steve Holland starring the young John Cusack. Speaking of John Cusack, I can't forget Rob Reiner's 1985 film THE SURE THING. I know Rob Reiner's 1989 film WHEN HARRY MET SALLY.... is one of the textbook romantic comedies, and the deli scene is a classic, but overall I didn't find the film as funny as those on my Top 10. I know TOOTSIE, 1982, was a big box office and critical hit, and I loved it at the time, but a recent viewing left me uninvolved. Probably not because of the #MeToo complaints against Dustin Hoffman, but.... Pee-Wee Herman hasn't made a #MeToo complaint against himself yet, which keeps PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE, 1985, in the mix. BIG, 1988, is more sweet than funny. USED CARS, 1980. This is a funny Robert Zemeckis film that doesn't get the love it deserves anymore. A FISH CALLED WANDA, 1988, is an under-appreciated crime caper comedy with a touch of Monty Python thrown in. MYSTERY TRAIN, 1989. Technically speaking, I don't know if this Jim Jarmusch film is a comedy, but it was my favorite film on the year of its release. Albert Brooks' best film LOST IN AMERICA, 1985, gets extra points from me for having a hero from the realm of advertising. This is another film I thought for sure would make my Top 10 but it didn't. Call it number 11.
Other Lists:
The biggest problem with making a list of comedies is deciding what actually is a comedy. How many laughs are needed to turn a drama into a comedy? What about funny musicals? Or funny horror films? It calls for some very subjective judgments.
I am not going to handcuff myself with as many self-imposed restrictions as I did when I made my lists of horror films. My decision concerning what is a comedy will be decided on the basis of the individual film. However, I will try to restrain myself from flooding a decade with the work of a single comic visionary. For example, I am not going to put six Marx Brothers films on my Top 10 Comedies of the 1930s list. I will only pick one of their films as representative of their work during the period.
Also, I am going to try to rate the films in the context of their times. Therefore, expect to see some films on the lists which would be considered politically incorrect today. I will, however, discuss the controversy concerning some of those films when it seems appropriate.
Here's my list of the top comedies of the 1980s. It was a very good decade for comedy. I had a very difficult time narrowing the list down to ten films. I even hard time cutting back my honorable mentions.
Here's the list:
(10). THE BLUES BROTHERS, 1980
Directed by John Landis
Screenplay by Dan Aykroyd & John Landis
The Blues Brothers find themselves on a mission from God to raise money to save the orphanage where they were raised.
No film, with the possible exception of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and 1941, spent as much money trying to get people to laugh. The film was considered a bloated failure upon its initial release, but my friends and I always thought it was funny. Plus, with musical guests like John Lee Hooker, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown and Cab Calloway, what's not to love? We used to listen to the soundtrack quite a bit on the way to Amway functions.
(9). BACK TO SCHOOL, 1986
Directed by Alan Metter
Screenplay by Steven Kampmann & William Porter
and PJ Torokvei & Harold Ramis
Rodney Dangerfield plays a self-made, millionaire businessman who decides to join his son in college. Hijinks ensue.
This film was little more than an excuse for Rodney to deliver the kind of one liners that made him the most successful stand up comedian of his time. That was all I was asking for! Too bad Rodney was never able to duplicate the success of this film. He made other ones, but none of this quality and consistency.
(8). CADDYSHACK, 1980
Directed by Harold Ramis
A snotty golf course has to deal with a boorish would-be member and rivalries among the caddies.
The team that brought you Animal House hoped to catch lightening in a bottle again with this second slobs versus snobs comedy. The film underperformed both critically and financially. Former National Lampoon guru Doug Kenney was reportedly pushed over the deep end by the final film which he intended to be about the caddies -- not a mechanical gopher. The film is admittedly spotty but I personally like it better than Animal House. Rodney Dangerfield is fantastic.
(7). REPO MAN, 1984
Written and Directed by Alex Cox
Emilio Estevez plays a rebellious youth who gets drawn into the world of car repossessions and aliens in this punk rock comedy sci-fi film.
I really loved this film, if only because of the presence of the mighty Harry Dean Stanton. He always elevated every film he appeared in, regardless of the size of his role. (I think I first grooved to him as the guitar playing prisoner in Cool Hand Luke.) However, he achieved legendary status in this film as a Repo Man with a code. One of the disappointments of my film career is that I never got to make a film with him.
Alex Cox followed this film up with the equally brilliant biopic Sid and Nancy. Sadly, I haven't cared for his subsequent films.
BTW, this film was produced by former Monkee Mike Nesmith.
(6). RAISING ARIZONA, 1987
Directed by Joel Coen
Written by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Unexpected complications ensue when a childless couple, consisting of an ex-con and ex-cop, decide to steal one of a furniture magnate's quintuplets.
I really enjoyed the Coen's first feature Blood Simple, a nifty neo-noir with a sly sense of humor. However, this film knocked really my socks off. It was fresh and original. And hilarious. It fully displayed the vivid and idiosyncratic writing style that would define the brothers. Nowadays, most people consider Nicolas Cage a joke because he takes any role attached to a large paycheck. If you want to see him in his prime, check out this movie.
(5). STRIPES, 1981
Directed by Ivan Reitman
A directionless cabbie, Bill Murray, convinces his best friend to join the Army with him.
The service comedy is one of the oldest story lines in cinema. Most classic comedians did their own take on it. Shoulder Arms, anyone? Reitman, Ramis and Murray, with a valuable assist from the decade's top second banana, John Candy, manage to freshen it up for a new generation. (Interestingly, Goldie Hawn provided a female service comedy only a year earlier with Private Benjamin. Also recommended.) This is a very funny film. I think I saw it in the theaters three times during its initial release.
(4). THIS IS SPINAL TAP, 1984
Directed by Rob Reiner
Written by Christopher Guest & Michael McKean &
A dismal North American tour exasperates the personal difficulties in a clueless British heavy metal band.
This film essentially invents the mockumentary. (Though we might have to give The Rutles the nod for that.) The film is hilarious. The songs are great. They work equally well as heavy metal songs and spoofs of heavy metal songs. More importantly, it is a true credit to the talented cast that, despite the broad humor, you actually begin to care about the characters by the end. Bravo.
(3). GHOSTBUSTERS, 1984
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Written by Dan Aykroyd & Harold Ramis
Three professors of the paranormal set up their own business after being booted from a university.
I absolutely loved this movie when it first came out. It was one of the first great "special effects" comedies. Sadly, while the comedy still holds up, the special effects now look very dated. They pull me out of the film every time I watch it. Originally, Aykroyd was writing this film as a vehicle for John Belushi and himself. After Belushi's untimely death, Bill Murrary got the lead. Personally, I don't think Belushi would have done anywhere near as well with the role as Murray. He was perfect. (Still, it sucked that Belushi died....)
I couldn't even sit through the whole 2016 reboot with the female cast, but its not misogyny. I didn't care for the sequel either. That was a disappointment, too!
(2). FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, 1986
Written and Directed by John Hughes
A high school principal tries to crack down on a popular senior who skips school with two of his friends for a day on the town.
No one quite captured the zeitgeist of the 1980s like John Hughes. It was a bit of a struggle to decide what film to put in the Top 10. Well, not really. Ferris rules, as always. Who never dreamed of being him in high school? I know I did, and the movie wasn't even made until long after I graduated. Still, I love a lot of the other John Hughes films. I was really tempted to put Planes, Trains & Automobiles on the list. It is peak Steve Martin and John Candy. It is very sweet and touching. Fortunately, I wasn't tempted as much by his teen comedies. Those films, particularly Sixteen Candles, have raised the ire of the Politically Correct Mind Police who consider them cornerstones of the "rape culture."
I can't believe that a writer/director who rose to fame at National Lampoon could ever be accused of being politically incorrect.
Ferris Bueller is a better film narratively than the next one, but it didn't make me laugh as much.
(1). AIRPLANE! 1980
The jokes fly fast and furious in this spoof of airplane disaster movies.
Definitely, in my humble opinion, the funniest film of the decade. Most of the jokes have an easier time landing than the titular plane. It is filled with classic bits. Also, in a remarkable turn of events, the film gave the formerly stalwart Leslie Nielsen a second career late in life as a comic. It's rare for a leading man to get a second bite at the apple. The writing team also hit gold with The Naked Gun: From the Files of the Police Squad! in 1988.
BTW, I think this trailer is funnier than most films today....
Honorable Mention:
MY FAVORITE YEAR, 1982. A funny homage to the golden age of live television. ARTHUR, 1981. My favorite late Dudley Moore film. Check out my 1960s list to see my favorite film of his overall. A CHRISTMAS CAROL, 1983. This flick will make my inevitable list of Top 10 Christmas films. However, it's kinda weird watching it now after seeing the mom's breasts in Slap Shot. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION, 1983. When I first conceived of this list, I was certain Vacation would make it. It didn't. Oh, well. UHF, 1989. We just watched this Weird Al movie on the Yippee Ki Yay Mother Podcast. I forgot that it featured Victoria Jackson, who also appeared in two of my films Marriage Retreat and Brother White. It's still funny, but I think millennials will miss some of the references. PORKY'S, 1981. Every generation has a raunchy sex comedy. This was mine. My friend Jim and I saw a sneak preview of the film with our dates. Our dates were appalled (mine mainly) and demanded that we leave halfway through. We did, but Jim and I snuck back and saw it later. BETTER OFF DEAD, 1985. Always enjoyed this film from Savage Steve Holland starring the young John Cusack. Speaking of John Cusack, I can't forget Rob Reiner's 1985 film THE SURE THING. I know Rob Reiner's 1989 film WHEN HARRY MET SALLY.... is one of the textbook romantic comedies, and the deli scene is a classic, but overall I didn't find the film as funny as those on my Top 10. I know TOOTSIE, 1982, was a big box office and critical hit, and I loved it at the time, but a recent viewing left me uninvolved. Probably not because of the #MeToo complaints against Dustin Hoffman, but.... Pee-Wee Herman hasn't made a #MeToo complaint against himself yet, which keeps PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE, 1985, in the mix. BIG, 1988, is more sweet than funny. USED CARS, 1980. This is a funny Robert Zemeckis film that doesn't get the love it deserves anymore. A FISH CALLED WANDA, 1988, is an under-appreciated crime caper comedy with a touch of Monty Python thrown in. MYSTERY TRAIN, 1989. Technically speaking, I don't know if this Jim Jarmusch film is a comedy, but it was my favorite film on the year of its release. Albert Brooks' best film LOST IN AMERICA, 1985, gets extra points from me for having a hero from the realm of advertising. This is another film I thought for sure would make my Top 10 but it didn't. Call it number 11.
Other Lists:
Top 10 Comedies of the 2000s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1990s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1980s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1970s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1960s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1950s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1940s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1930s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 2010s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 2000s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1990s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1980s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1970s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1960s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1950s
Top 15 Horror Films of the 1930s and 1940s
My 10 Favorite James Bonds Films
My 10 Favorite Faith Based Films
My 10 Favorite Laurel & Hardy Shorts
Top 10 Comedies of the 1990s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1980s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1970s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1960s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1950s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1940s
Top 10 Comedies of the 1930s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 2010s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 2000s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1990s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1980s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1970s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1960s
Top 10 Horror Films of the 1950s
Top 15 Horror Films of the 1930s and 1940s
My 10 Favorite James Bonds Films
My 10 Favorite Faith Based Films
My 10 Favorite Laurel & Hardy Shorts
The 10 Worst Films I Paid To See!
My 5 Favorite Westerns
7 Guy Films
20 Films, or Confessions of a Misspent Youth
The Marx Brothers Films Ranked
The Chaplin Mutual Shorts Ranked
Beatles Albums Ranked
My 20 Favorite Beatles Songs
My 5 Least Favorite Beatles Songs
My 5 Favorite Rolling Stones Albums
My 5 Favorite Dylan Albums
My 5 Favorite Westerns
7 Guy Films
20 Films, or Confessions of a Misspent Youth
The Marx Brothers Films Ranked
The Chaplin Mutual Shorts Ranked
Beatles Albums Ranked
My 20 Favorite Beatles Songs
My 5 Least Favorite Beatles Songs
My 5 Favorite Rolling Stones Albums
My 5 Favorite Dylan Albums
My novel Chapel Street is now available! You can currently buy the Kindle and paperback at Amazon and the Nook, paperback and hardcover at Barnes & Noble.
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