The Top 100 Funniest American Films Posted Sat Aug 11 19:05:39 BST 2001 by 'the wasp factory'

According to the American Film Institute they are:

1. Some Like It Hot (1959)
2. Tootsie (1982)
3. Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Stopped Worrying And Learned To Love The Bomb (1964)
4. Annie Hall (1977)
5. Duck Soup (1933)
6. Blazing Saddles (1974)
7. M*A*S*H (1970)
8. It Happened One Night (1934)
9. The Graduate (1967)
10. Airplane! (1980)
11. The Producers (1968)
12. A Night At The Opera (1935)
13. Young Frankenstein (1974)
14. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
15. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
16. Singin' In The Rain (1952)
17. The Odd Couple (1968)
18. The General (1927)
19. His Girl Friday (1940)
20. The Apartment (1960)
21. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
22. Adam's Rib (1949)
23. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
24. Born Yesterday (1950)
25. The Gold Rush (1925)
26. Being There (1979)
27. There's Something About Mary (1998)
28. Ghostbusters (1984)
29. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
30. Arsenic And Old Lace (1944)
31. Raising Arizona (1987)
32. The Thin Man (1934)
33. Modern Times (1936)
34. Groundhog Day (1993)
35. Harvey (1950)
36. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
37. The Great Dictator (1940)
38. City Lights (1931)
39. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
40. It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
41. Moonstruck (1987)
42. Big (1988)
43. American Graffiti (1973)
44. My Man Godfrey (1936)
45. Harold And Maude (1972)
46. Manhattan (1979)
47. Shampoo (1975)
48. A Shot In The Dark (1964)
49. To Be Or Not To Be (1942)
50. Cat Ballou (1965)
51. The Seven Year Itch (1955)
52. Ninotchka (1939)
53. Arthur (1981)
54. The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek (1944)
55. The Lady Eve (1941)
56. Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
57. Diner (1982)
58. It's A Gift (1934)
59. A Day At The Races (1937)
60. Topper (1937)
61. What's Up, Doc? (1972)
62. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
63. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
64. Broadcast News (1987)
65. Horse Feathers (1932)
66. Take The Money And Run (1969)
67. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
68. The Awful Truth (1937)
69. Bananas (1971)
70. Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (1936)
71. Caddyshack (1980)
72. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
73. Monkey Business (1931)
74. 9 To 5 (1980)
75. She Done Him Wrong (1933)
76. Victor/Victoria (1982)
77. The Palm Beach Story (1942)
78. Road To Morocco (1942)
79. The Freshman (1925)
80. Sleeper (1973)
81. The Navigator (1924)
82. Private Benjamin (1980)
83. Father Of The Bride (1950)
84. Lost In America (1985)
85. Dinner At Eight (1933)
86. City Slickers (1991)
87. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
88. Beetlejuice (1988)
89. The Jerk (1979)
90. Woman Of The Year (1942)
91. The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
92. Ball Of Fire (1941)
93. Fargo (1996)
94. Auntie Mame (1958)
95. Silver Streak (1976)
96. Sons Of The Desert (1933)
97. Bull Durham (1988)
98. The Court Jester (1956)
99. The Nutty Professor (1963)
100. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Sat Aug 11 19:48:53 BST 2001:

Funny, I always thought you were supposed to start with 100 and make your way down to 1.

>According to the American Film Institute they are:
>
>1. Some Like It Hot (1959)
>100. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
>

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hemidemisemiderm' on Sat Aug 11 20:04:56 BST 2001:

What a streak of piss.
For a truly funny American comedy, Mallrats is on BBC2 at 1am. The Farrelly Brothers should have their eyelids cut off and be forced to watch it on a permanent loop.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Peter O'Toes' on Sat Aug 11 20:11:02 BST 2001:

The choice and ranking of Woody Allen films is wrong, all wrong. "Manhattan" and "Annie Hall" aren't funnier than "Bananas," just more respectable and worthy from a stuffy film critic's point of view, and "Love and Death" (not on the list) is funnier than all three. Just examining it via this cross-section shows you they've got a strange idea of what "funny" means.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'john fletcher' on Sat Aug 11 20:17:58 BST 2001:

"Tootsie" - 2nd. Are these critics asking for public execution. And Woody Allen's best film is "Bullets Over Broadway." "Get Shorty" - not Allen - isn't bad. But Tootsie - before the Marx Brothers, "Front Page" - where's that apart from "His Girl Friday"? - and WC Fields - is outrageous.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Peter O'Toes' on Sat Aug 11 21:01:18 BST 2001:

Why isn't "The Man With Two Brains" on the list?

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hemidemisemiderm' on Sat Aug 11 21:26:01 BST 2001:

Because then there wouldn't be room for Moonstruck or Big.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Peter O'Toes' on Sat Aug 11 21:41:39 BST 2001:

Oooh, good clips from "Bananas" though. Okay, I'll let them off.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Norman F' on Sat Aug 11 21:44:24 BST 2001:

and where the hell is Hot Shots: Part Deux?

Still, it is better having Robin Williams and Steve Martin wittering on than Kate Thornton.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Peter O'Toes' on Sat Aug 11 21:44:28 BST 2001:

And "Take the Money and Run," clips chosen with massive wisdom, nice one Steve Martin!

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Peter O'Toes' on Sat Aug 11 21:46:09 BST 2001:

>and where the hell is Hot Shots: Part Deux?
>
>Still, it is better having Robin Williams and Steve Martin wittering on than Kate Thornton.

Fuck me, yes! I'm really enjoying it, actually. Janeane Garofalo as well.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Peter O'Toes' on Sat Aug 11 21:49:02 BST 2001:

Ooooh, well risky Dudley Moore gag.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'MrBungle' on Sat Aug 11 22:50:29 BST 2001:

Blazing Saddles ranked higher than The Producers!

Dunm fucking Yanks.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Lizard Scum' on Sat Aug 11 23:20:21 BST 2001:

>Blazing Saddles ranked higher than The Producers!
>
>Dunm fucking Yanks.

The Beans scene! Only yanks think thats funny! "Hey where the white women at" that's funny!

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Norman F' on Sat Aug 11 23:20:49 BST 2001:

Too much Chaplin. Not funny in the slightest, imho.

Ah Airplane - those cockpit scenes with the little kid - i really feel these highlight the airline industry's hysterical portrayal of paedophilia. oh, wait...

Blazing Saddles - yup, can't argue with that. Fantastic.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hemidemisemiderm' on Sat Aug 11 23:26:42 BST 2001:

Experts have decreed that Tootsies is funnier than Dr. Strangelove. As good a demonstration of why we need SOTCAA as I can think of.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Horizon' on Sat Aug 11 23:29:35 BST 2001:

>Experts have decreed that Tootsies is funnier than Dr. Strangelove. As good a demonstration of why we need SOTCAA as I can think of.

Explains why the AFI never gave Stanley an Oscar.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Lizard Scum' on Sat Aug 11 23:33:44 BST 2001:


>
>Explains why the AFI never gave Stanley an Oscar.

Wasn't that cos he hated everyone in the business. You got to be like Akira Kurosawa in my opinion.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Ken G' on Sat Aug 11 23:38:50 BST 2001:

There's a very good book by Cameron Crowe interviewing Billy Wilder - "Conversations with Wilder". Lots of good stuff on "Some Like It Hot" and "The Apartment"

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Horizon' on Sat Aug 11 23:39:38 BST 2001:

>
>>
>>Explains why the AFI never gave Stanley an Oscar.
>
>Wasn't that cos he hated everyone in the business. You got to be like Akira Kurosawa in my opinion.

There are countless examples of Oscar winning writers, directors and actors who had little regard for the industry of which Bruce Robinson, Michael Winner and George C. Scott are but three examples.

Oh, hold on a moment...

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jippo' on Sat Aug 11 23:40:47 BST 2001:

I'm presuming that only US films are eligable? I then can I also presume that "A fish called wanda" is counted as american. Am I right?

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Braced' on Sat Aug 11 23:47:09 BST 2001:

>I'm presuming that only US films are eligable? I then can I also presume that "A fish called wanda" is counted as american. Am I right?

Presumed correctly on both counts. Filmed in Twickenham, but funded by MGM.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'anthony' on Sun Aug 12 00:10:50 BST 2001:

THE NAKED GUN.

I actually like better than airplane

That is easily the funniest

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Ken G' on Sun Aug 12 00:36:44 BST 2001:

Shame that "Best in Show" and "Big Lebowski" didn't make the list. I know it's all subjective, but anyway - Lebowski gets funnier every time...

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'the wasp factory' on Sun Aug 12 00:37:29 BST 2001:

So according to the list the 1980s were the funniest decade with 22 films and Woody Allen is the funniest writer/director with 5 films in the top 100.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'ollie' on Sun Aug 12 00:48:18 BST 2001:

no clerks? it's an outrage.

sleeper is woody's funniest film (manhatten is his best).

something about mary is a lousy gross out film thrown in to please the plebs.

also didn't notice any john cusack films.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jippo' on Sun Aug 12 00:50:48 BST 2001:

You read my mind ollie. Why no Kevin Smith? Shows what a load of out of touch gits the AFI are.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Max Fischer' on Sun Aug 12 12:13:06 BST 2001:

1. Some Like It Hot (1959)
- Universally agreed, non?

2. Tootsie (1982)
- A great film, very sharp. But No.2?

3. Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Stopped Worrying And Learned To Love The Bomb (1964)
- Great to see this so high.

4. Annie Hall (1977)
- This too. And good to see so much Allen in the Top 100. Bananas, Sleeper and Take The Money And Run. All amazing.

5. Duck Soup (1933)
- Yes, the best Marx Bros film!

6. Blazing Saddles (1974)
- Great, but higher than the Producers?

7. M*A*S*H (1970)
- Very odd to see this in the Top 10. A landmark film, for sure, but not nearly as funny as many other in the list.

9. The Graduate (1967)
- Quite an odd one too. Not an out and out comedy, though truly a classic.




21. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
- Is this still funny?

31. Raising Arizona (1987)
- My favourite movie of all time.

45. Harold And Maude (1972)
- Great to see this in.

84. Lost In America (1985)
- This is an underrated film. The scene with Albert Brooks and the casino boss is a classic.

88. Beetlejuice (1988)
- Overrated?

But some glaring, glaring ommissions. How come Trading Places wasn't in? WHAT!!! Some of best comic timing of the Eighties.

And why wasn't Laurel & Hardy any higher?

And who the fuck thought Griff would be a good presenter?

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'jayne' on Sun Aug 12 13:10:22 BST 2001:

Griff was awful - just as I was really beginning to enjoy each segment it was ruined by some really really really crap alleged-witticisms.

I was glad to see Fargo in there and totally agree with Some Like It Hot, but like most of you guys Tootsie - what was all that about?

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Squidy' on Sun Aug 12 13:25:37 BST 2001:

>21. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
- Is this still funny?

More importantly, can this be classed as an 'American movie'? Presumably it was included because it was produced by an American company, but then that means that all sorts of British films such as The Full Monty or Bedazzled can be counted as being American. But it is still funny: "You think The London Underground is a kind of political movement." And I really like Beetlejuice too.

Griff was truly awful, insulting, sneering and pointless. "Written by Lucy Porter". Did the American showing of this programme have a host, and if so who was it?

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Ken G' on Sun Aug 12 13:33:30 BST 2001:

>Griff was truly awful, insulting, sneering and pointless. "Written by Lucy Porter". Did the American showing of this programme have a host, and if so who was it?

Drew Barrymore hosted it - she can only have been better than Griff

http://www.afionline.org/

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'lurker #353' on Sun Aug 12 18:37:54 BST 2001:

>"Written by Lucy Porter".

wasnt she the woman who replaced harry hill on those godawful phone adverts? and then turned up in one of the i love 70's shows?

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Sun Aug 12 20:41:56 BST 2001:

>Griff was truly awful, insulting, sneering and pointless.

He wasn't bad, IMO, considering the material he was given to work with. That top 100 films was far more insulting than anything he could have said.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Sun Aug 12 20:44:55 BST 2001:

>Blazing Saddles ranked higher than The Producers!
>
>Dunm fucking Yanks.

...and where was Problem Child?

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Lizard Scum' on Sun Aug 12 21:38:28 BST 2001:

>>Blazing Saddles ranked higher than The Producers!
>>
>>Dunm fucking Yanks.
>
>...and where was Problem Child?
>
I'm surprised none of the Porkies films made it in, or the Nerd films, or any of the other crass "teen" films which American Pie ripped off, and you know in 10 years time A pie will be in that list.
>

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Teenwolf' on Mon Aug 13 00:25:03 BST 2001:

Tootsie 27 places higher than TIST? Only in America...

Should've been more Woody Allen IMO: Manhattan Murder Mystery and Broadway Danny Rose to name but two.

Would've nice if they extended the list to include all English speaking films, if only to see where Life of Brian would've ended up.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jake Thingy' on Mon Aug 13 08:57:43 BST 2001:

>>"Written by Lucy Porter".
>
>wasnt she the woman who replaced harry hill on those godawful phone adverts? and then turned up in one of the i love 70's shows?
>
Yes that's her, and I'm afraid I lost my virginity with someone who looked like her.

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Bob Honey' on Mon Aug 13 12:30:35 BST 2001:

>I'm surprised none of the Porkies films made it in, or the Nerd films, or any of the other crass "teen" films which American Pie ripped off, and you know in 10 years time A pie will be in that list.
>>
They did a parallel poll to this one, with the American public voting instead of the AFI. Porkies was number 1, closely followed by Dumb & Dumber.

http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/articles.html?print=true&id=010809007619

Subject: Re: The Top 100 Funniest American Films [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Richard Herring on Mon Aug 13 16:26:00 BST 2001:

Dustin Hoffman's portrayal of a man dressed up as a woman in Tootsie was entirely stolen from Charles Hawtrey's performance in "Carry On Again Doctor"

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