Funniest Movies of All Time – Part 1

Posted on 23 Oct 00:00

Visual art has been, for a long time, used to portray ideas, thoughts, perceptions, emotions, and experiences using moving images. Such works of art are called movies or films or motion pictures. Films have existed in man's history for more than a century, with the first movie, Roundhay Garden Scene, being shot in 1888. Of course, these motion pictures do not focus on one area- they cover different genres like fiction, drama, comedy, biography, science, war, and romance, among other subjects of interest. To produce what people enjoy, the movie must have a cast, producer, director, props, plots, themes, and a setting. The director, playwright, producer, and the cast work together and use the script and the props to build on the plot and themes, resulting in a movie. The films are either in single episodes or franchise of movie series. 

1)  Airplane! (1980)

David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams directed this film.  Jon Davidson supervised the production of the movie. This film was created to parody the disaster movie genre, especially the 1957 Paramount film 'Zero Hour'.  'Airplane' based its characters and plot on the Zero Hour film, while other elements i came from the 1975 'Airport' film and other films in the Airport franchise.

The movie’s storyline revolves around ex-fighter pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays), a traumatized war veteran turned taxi driver, and his girlfriend, Elaine Dickson (Julie Hagerty), a flight attendant. Ted drinks and cannot hold a responsible job, leading to his breakup with Ted. Elaine leaves Ted as she boards a plane to Chicago, but Ted also gets a ticket and boards the same airplane. During the flight, they eat fish that causes food poisoning making all passengers and the crew sick. Ted, with Rex's and Elaine's assistance, safely lands in Chicago despite the lousy weather. Elaine is impressed by Ted's confidence, and they rekindle their relationship. 

Directors:  David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams.

Cast:  Robert Hays (Ted Striker) and Julie Hagerty (Elaine Dickinson), Leslie Nielsen (Dr. Rumack), Robert Stack (Captain Rex Kramer), Lloyd Bridges (Steve McCroskey), Peter Graves (Captain Clarence Oveur), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Roger Murdock), and Lorna Patterson (Randy).

Awards and Nominations:  The movie earned many awards and nominations, including the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Comedy that the scriptwriters won.


2)  Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The 2004 American comedy-drama film titled 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy' is another funniest film of all time. Will Ferrell and Adam McKay wrote the screenplay that Adam used to direct the movie. Judd Apatow produced this movie. This Anchorman film is the first installation in the 'Anchorman' movie franchise.

The film follows the events in a San Diego TV station where a senior newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) clashes with his female counterpart, Veronica (Christina Applegate). Ron is the senior and top rated anchorman at a San Diego television station in the 1970s. An ambitious newswoman Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) joins the newsroom. At first, Ron tries to play along, hoping that Veronica will keep in what he feels is her place, and address subjects such fashion shows, cooking, etc. However, Veronica is ambitious despite Ron. This leads to a real war in the newsroom. Ron is fired, but Veronica's near-fatal encounter with a panda leads to Ron's rehiring. Eleven years later, Ron and Veronica are comfortable co-anchors at CNN.

Director:  Adam McKay

Cast:  Will Ferrell (Ron Burgundy) and Christina Applegate. 

Awards and Nominations:  In 2005, the film was awarded for thirteen roles and won the BMI Film Music Award.


3)  Best in Show (2000)

Just thinking of 2000's 'Best in Show' makes one chuckle. This mockumentary film parodies dog shows. Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy wrote the script that Guest used to direct the movie. 

'Best in Show' features five entrants in a prestigious dog show. It closely follows how the various dog owners and handlers slightly freakishly interact with each other as they travel to the show and then compete during the show.

The owners and handlers of five show dogs compete the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. The show takes place in Philadelphia's fictional Beyman Center. Meg and Hamilton swan’s dog, Beatrice is disqualified because the swans cannot control her while the other four remaining dog makes it to the final stage. During preparation, arrival at the Philly’s Taft Hotel, and the dog show's completion, a movie crew interviews them.  Gerry and his terrier, Winky, seem to be at the top of the game, and  Winky ends up taking the Best in Show award. The film then follows what every participant does after completion. Gerry and his wife, Cookie, travel back to Florida, where they get a lot of overwhelming attention. They want to record songs about terriers, but realize that, Steve, their recording engineer is Cookie’s ex-boyfriend which surprises Gerry. The dog show brings out the essence of humans.

Director:  Christopher Guest 

Cast: Eugene Levy (Gerry Fleck), Catherine O'Hara (Cookie Fleck), Michael McKean (Scott Donlan), Jennifer Coolidge (Sherri Ann Cabot), Christopher Guest (Harlan Pepper), Jane Lynch (Christy Cummings), and John Michael Higgins (Scott Donian).

Awards and Nominations:  The movie was nominated by different organizations and won the Canadian, American, and British awards.


4)  Big (1988)

Penny Marshall directed this film, which was produced by Gracie Films and distributed by 20th Century Fox. At the core of the movie is Josh Baskin, a boy who makes a wish to be 'big', and becomes an adult overnight.

Young Josh Baskin, comes across situations that challenge him. He feels tired of being pushed around. He decides that if only he could become an adult, all of his problems will disappear. Josh comes across a mysterious machine with fortune-telling powers while hanging out with his crush at a carnival. Josh makes his wish to Zoltar, and the machine tells him, 'his wish is granted.' Josh wakes up in an adult's body the following morning. But, he is an adult but still has the child's personality. He realizes that being a grown-up is not easy. It means that he must look for a job. He becomes confused and not sure if this is the life he wants. However, he gets a fun job, and a girlfriend and never wishes to be a kid again. But...

Director: Penny Marshall.

Cast:  Tom Hanks (adult Josh Baskin), Elizabeth Perkins (Susan Lawrence), David Moscow (young Josh), John Heard (Paul Davenport), and Robert Loggia.

Awards and Nominations:  This film was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Tom Hanks won the Best Actor- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Golden Globe award.


5)  Bridesmaids (2011)

A mention of this 2011 comedy elicits a laugh.   Paul Feig  directed, the playwrights are Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig. The 'Bridesmaids' was produced by Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, and Clayton Townsend. The film is loosely based on Jane Austen's 1815 novel, 'Emma', coupled with the modern-day setting of Beverly Hills.

The film focuses on a lady who suffers many of misfortunes when she consents to her best friend’s request to become the maid of honor. The lady in the big picture is Annie (Kristen Wiig), and her life is a mess. Her bakery is closed, her boyfriend is gone, her flat mates are unbecoming. She has to live with Ted, an uncaring occasional sex partner. However, things tend to take a different direction when her best friend Lilian (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged and asks Annie to be her maid of honor. Sadly though, the whole process subjects Annie to stress, primarily because of Lilian’s new and extravagant friend called Helen. Helen constantly tries to get under Annie's skin, and the two keep competing for Lilian’s affection, closeness, and confidence. Helen incessantly looks down upon Annie’s ideas, and Annie is soon out of control when it is clear that Helen is stealing her ideas to win Lilian’s confidence.

Director:  Paul Feig

Cast:  Kristen Wiig (Annie) Maya Rudolph (Lilian Donovan), Rose Byrne (Helen Harris III), Melissa McCarthy (Megan Prince), Ellie Kemper (Becca), Wendi McLendon-Covey (Rita), Chris O'Dowd (Officer Nathan Rhodes).

Awards and Nominations: The film was both a critical and commercial success and grossed highly. It received many nominations, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and two Academy Awards, one for Best Supporting Actress and the other for Best Original Screenplay. 

6)  Clueless (1995)

The mention of the 1995 American coming-of-age teen comedy film, 'Clueless' immediately causes laughter. Scott Rudin and Robert Lawrence produced the movie, and Amy Heckerling wrote and directed.

At the core of the film is Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), a beautiful, but shallow, socially successful, and wealthy high school student whose best friend is Dionne (Stacey Dash). Cher has a knack for talking anyone into doing anything she wants. But, she cannot get a teacher to give her the grades she wants, and so Cher, Dionne, and another teacher forge a plan to overcome this obstacle. Soon, Tai (Brittany Murphy) transfers to Beverly Hills school. Dionne and Cher give her a makeover and try to help her get a boyfriend. However, Cher is surprised when she realizes that it is she who needs a boyfriend. She undergoes a spiritual makeover and realizes that life has more than popularity and clothes. Cher finally finds the boy of her dreams.

Director:  Amy Heckerling

Cast: Alicia Silverstone (Cher Horowitz), Stacey Dash (Dionne Davenport), Brittany Murphy (Tai Frasier), and Paul Rudd (Josh Lucas) are the movie’s main actors.

Awards and Nominations:  Although there are no special awards that the movie won, it received several nominations, and was recognized by the American Film Institute among the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs and AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes.


7)  Coming to America (1988)

This 1988 romantic comedy film directed by John Landis is one of the funniest movies of all time.

The film is about the crown prince of the fictional Zambuda nation who travels to America in hopes of finding himself a wife.

Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) has everything but a wife. When he turns twenty-one years, he is receives an arranged marriage proposal. This is not what he wants, and he  turns down the proposal. Afterward, Akeem and a trusted friend, Semmi (Arsenio Hall), set out to New York City' Queens, where everything seems strange. They pose as exchange students and try to find a woman for Akeem to marry. Akeem wants to be loved for who he is and not his princely title.

Director:  John Landis

Cast:  Eddie Murphy (Prince Akeem, Saul, Clarence, Randy Watson), Arsenio Hall (Semmi, Reverend Brown, Moris the barber, Extremely Ugly Girl), James Earl Jones (King Jaffe Joffer), Shari Headley (Lisa McDowell), and John Amos (Cleo McDowell).

Awards and Nominations: 'The Coming to America' freceived two Oscar nominations, Best Makeup and the other for Best Costume Design.

Conclusion

Of all the movies ever released in the motion pictures industry, comedy movies stand out. This article looked at some seven funniest movies of all time in the movie industry. Watching them might make one's day happy due to the whole package of jokes and fun associated with the films.


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