"This Is Spinal Tap" named greatest comedy of all time

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:44 am

Quote:

'This Is Spinal Tap' named greatest comedy of all time

This Is Spinal Tap has been named the greatest comedy of all time in a poll assembled by Time Out.

The 1984 cult classic, directed by Rob Reiner, took the Number One spot above Airplane!, in second, and Monty Python's Life of Brian, which came third. Speaking about the choice for the top spot, Time Out critic David Jenkins said:

Quote:

It's sublimely funny and sharp - a comedy built for the long haul which matures with each viewing. It's so perfectly constructed and performed, the characters so rich and realistic, that it's initially a challenge to determine the dividing line between reality and fiction.

Voters taking part in the poll included Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd, Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright and The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant.

The Top Ten was as follows:
1. This Is Spinal Tap
2. Airplane!
3. Monty Python's Life Of Brian
4. Annie Hall
5. Monty Python And The Holy Grail
6. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
7. Withnail And I
8. Groundhog Day
9. Some Like It Hot
10. The Jerk

You can view the entire 100, and check out the contributors individual lists, over at the Time Out website.

http://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/this- ... l-t/245643

Simon · **Joined:** 26 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 59406

I can't disagree with that top ten, to be honest. I'm pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of Anchorman.

Brainiac McGee · **Joined:** 10 Jun 2011 **Posts:** 2941

I agree with "This Is Spinal Tap" being on top, but I'd figure out a way to add "South Park: Bigger, Longer And Uncut" to the list.

ranasakawa · 26 Jan 2007

I'd have to say 'The Blues Brothers' is a funnier music based comedy movie.

My favorite comedy movie is 'Stir Crazy' with Gene Wilder & Richard Pryor close by 'The Return of the Pink Panther' & 'The Pink Panther Strikes Again'. Peter Sellers was a hilarious comedy actor as was Richard Pryor.

Jimbo · 19 Jul 2006

Woody Allen's Love and Death is my favorite comedy of all time, I practically have it memorized. MP & the Holy Grail would be second.

(T)Eddy · **Joined:** 02 Jul 2009 **Posts:** 11767

My cousin and I saw the film he considers to be the best movie of all time---The Producers---and it's hard to disagree with him.

Did the people who make this list even CONSIDER movies that did not come out during their lifetime, or which they didn't actually see in the theatres upon their initial release?

Looks like they did consider older movies, but I do see a bias. No way are there 29 films funnier than The Producers, including Rushmore. (?????)

Brainiac McGee · **Joined:** 10 Jun 2011 **Posts:** 2941

(T)Eddy wrote:

Did the people who make this list even CONSIDER movies that did not come out during their lifetime, or which they didn't actually see in the theatres upon their initial release?(?????)

"Some Like It Hot" tends to be the token black-and-white comedy on these lists. I don't think it's a bad movie, but there are plenty of older comedies that hold up just as well.

I do have to wonder if "Blazing Saddles" has somehow fallen out of favor with modern audiences.

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

I haven't seen "Withnail And I", but I'd have to say I think "Groundhog Day" and "Anchorman" are ranked too high (and I LOVE "Anchorman"). "Blazing Saddles" definitely belongs here, and I'd say "Young Frankenstein", "Stripes", "Blues Brothers" and "Slap Shot" deserve consideration.

I, too, wonder about "Blazing Saddles" and modern audiences, but I wonder how many younger people a) have been exposed to it, and b) are able to appreciate the racial aspect. My son has developed a pretty decent sense of humor, but we've still never let him watch it in part because of the racial stuff. I'm not sure that the environment kids grow up in today lets them have the same appreciation that audiences growing up in the immediate shadow of the civil rights era had, in much the same way that this generation will never really appreciate Cold War-era stuff (i.e., "Red Dawn" and the like) because the Soviet Union was never a real entity to them, but just a historical notion.

Spiderboy · 31 Jul 2006

I'm kind of surprised that Aristophenes' "The Frogs" (405 B.C.) didn't make the all-time list. It's one of his funniest, but then again, the list -- despite its pretensions to being an "all-time" list -- doesn't seem to include anything before 1959.

ralph · 11 May 2009

No "Bringing Up Baby"? Not one single Marx Brothers movie? How about "Platinum Blonde" or "it Happened One Night"? Or something with WC Fields or Mae West? Who compiled this list, a bunch of 20 somethings with limited taste?

Brainiac McGee · **Joined:** 10 Jun 2011 **Posts:** 2941

alantig wrote:

I haven't seen "Withnail And I", but I'd have to say I think "Groundhog Day" and "Anchorman" are ranked too high (and I LOVE "Anchorman"). "Blazing Saddles" definitely belongs here, and I'd say "Young Frankenstein", "Stripes", "Blues Brothers" and "Slap Shot" deserve consideration.

I, too, wonder about "Blazing Saddles" and modern audiences, but I wonder how many younger people a) have been exposed to it, and b) are able to appreciate the racial aspect. My son has developed a pretty decent sense of humor, but we've still never let him watch it in part because of the racial stuff. I'm not sure that the environment kids grow up in today lets them have the same appreciation that audiences growing up in the immediate shadow of the civil rights era had, in much the same way that this generation will never really appreciate Cold War-era stuff (i.e., "Red Dawn" and the like) because the Soviet Union was never a real entity to them, but just a historical notion.

Alan

I find it interesting how modern, younger audiences question the tastes of an older generation that found Eddie Murphy's stand-up act funny, particularly his material about "faggots with AIDS."

Mike M · **Joined:** 24 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 6487

I watched Young Frankenstein with my son a couple of years ago when he was 13. He absolutely hated it and didn't understand why anybody thought it was funny. Maybe you have to have grown up watching B&W B horror movies to appreciate it.

Jimbo · 19 Jul 2006

When I saw Superbad, I remember thinking that if I was a current teenager I'd probably think it was really funny. Kinda like when I saw Animal House as a teen. Do young people today find Animal House funny? (It still holds up for me.)

Jeff · 05 Oct 2006

I do not find Animal House funny (just a little younger than you, at 41, Jimbo). I think for a lot of these, you have to have experienced them at the right time of your life to fully appreciate them. That said, I found The Hangover one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, and I'd probably be considered much older than their target audience.

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

Anchorman was abysmal. Withnail And I? Ugh. Groundhog Day was annoying-I hated it then and even more now.
And where the hell is Raising Arizona????
Stripes? Animal House? The Hangover? (Yeah, it's still damn funny even though I'm sick of seeing it).
Planes, Trains and Automobiles? Midnight Run? Old School?
This list blows.
edit:
I didn't look at the Top 100, but I now see at least they did give a list of 100. Hope the ones I mentioned are high on the list.
The Top 10 still sucks and Withnail And I is not funny. At all.

Ocean Doot · 25 Oct 2007

Comedy is subjective.

In my opinion.

Jeff · 05 Oct 2006

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles would make my top 5 easily.

Mike M · **Joined:** 24 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 6487

I watched Stripes recently on On Demand. It wasn't as funny as I remembered it being when I saw it years ago.

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

Mike M wrote:

I watched Young Frankenstein with my son a couple of years ago when he was 13. He absolutely hated it and didn't understand why anybody thought it was funny. Maybe you have to have grown up watching B&W B horror movies to appreciate it.

I think it's somewhat funny without knowing the old movies, but there's definitely another level of humor there if you're familiar w/the old stuff. Same w/"Blazing Saddles" - my favorite radio talk show host was a HUGE fan of "Blazing Saddles", and it was clear from some of the stuff that he raved about that there were things I was missing. I get the Hedley references, but mainly because he talked about Hedy Lamar's lawsuits. Still, "That's Hedley!" makes me laugh independent of the lawsuit bit.

Alan

Rick A · 23 Jul 2006

"Animal House" would be one of my top faves and here is a sleeper most nobody knows of, "Serial". Stars Martin Mull, Tuesday Weld and Tom Smothers. Many other faces you would remember when you see the movie. Real funny & satire look at the Northern California New Age lifestyle. When this came out on DVD (which I thought it would never do) I immediately bought 4 (get one of course) and passed them out for Christmas gifts.

Rick A.

TS Garp · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 32248 **Location:** MN

Jeff wrote:

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles would make my top 5 easily.

Modern day Laurel and Hardy.

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

I don't think so

IMO
1.) A Night at the Opera - Marx Bros
2.) The General - Buster Keaton
3.) Duck Soup - Marx Bros.
4.) Million Dollar Legs - WC Fields
5.) Young Frankemstein - Mel Brooks
6.) Blazing Saddels - Mel Brooks
7.) Monty Python & the Holy Grail
8.) Arsnic & Old Lace
9.) Sail A Crooked Ship - Ernie Kovacks
10.) Harvey

"This Is Spinal Tap" named greatest comedy of all time

Who is WANline