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and movie week continues: Frankenstein and farts by Turtle Jones
So what's up for tonight? Funny men and funny women. Funny plots and funny inside jokes. If you haven't noticed by now, this is movie theme week on FTTW. We will get them all in here and deal with the most popular later. Maybe a poll. Maybe a Chimachanga at some dive. I hate writing these when I am hungry. I always get off track. Be that as it may, we are on a theme this week. "The Best of Series." Tonight was hard. Actually, the toughest that we have ever done. I proposed, in one or two diferent ways, that we decide on one movie. She agreed. I wanted more nachos. The hunger thing. While I got off on some trip about dive food, she started writing. I got crap food and cigars and had to play catch up. Little more for you to know about FTTW. This is the way we work around here. So our theme tonight is...... What is the funniest movie that you have ever seen? Mine was easy. I just looked at some old quotes from the film and laughed. I had five movies, but one killed me reading the quotes today. So we are going to go ahead and pick the one movie that always makes us laugh. The one that made us cry from laughing to hard. Wanna play along? Then here we go!
Hmmmmmmmmm. This is a tough one. Let's just start this off by saying a disclaimer. No one got away from being made fun of in the movie. Every race and every religon was nailed in this. Racism, stupidity, religon, mentally retarded people, alcoholism and hating the Irish. So if you think this movie is bad because of the insults or thinking what they are saying is derogatory towards whatever the hell you are, just remember, everyone got taken apart here. Mel Brooks took it all on here. You guys know this movie. The funny thing about this movie is I can justify a movie about making fun of the Irish, Jewish people and black people cause in the end, it shows you that they win. The Chinese got land. The Irish got land. The Sheriff walked away and the new town had a new bunch of people who worked together now. It was like they all bagged on each other for the first 70 minutes, then pulled together at the end to save themselves by working together. Colors and religion mean shit when it 's all down on the line. You help me and I'll help you and we can get thru this together. We can get thru this together. That was the thing about this movie. It was mean spirited but the message at the end was simple. Work together or die alone. And we will take the Irish. - T When we said we would do funniest movies, my first reaction was Blazing Saddles. But my reaction was a bit slower than turtle’s and he grabbed it first. That’s ok. I’ve got the next best thing, a movie that came out the same year as Blazing Saddles, also directed by Mel Brooks. Young Frankenstein. 1974. What a year for Mel Brooks. Two amazingly funny movies that would go on to become classics. I was twelve when these films came out. Yea. Twelve. Get off my lawn. I saw both of these with my parents. Blazing Saddles in the theater and Young Frankenstein in the drive-in. With my parents. Hey, they raised us right. Horror movies and Mel Brooks comedies before we were even teenagers. Let me do a little math here. How many fingers do I have? Not enough. Ok. It’s over 30 years since that movie came out? Shit. I’m old. It’s a testament to this movie and Mel Brooks and everyone in it that over 30 years later, we still quote it extensively on a near daily basis. And once we start, it keeps going until someone whinnies. Then we laugh til we pee a little. It’s not just the brilliance of the writing. It’s Marty Feldman’s crazed eyes and Gene Wilder’s delivery. It’s the way And it had Gene Hackman in it. Walk this way. - M So that's our take on what we think the funniest movies ever filmed were. No, we didn't make a poll because we realized we had missed so many in the last one. But, knowing us, we prolly will later in the week. But for right now, we need input. This is where you come in. What did we miss? * I was corrected in the comments about that. Fixed.
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This was the one you looked at the ground after you heard what a character said and thought "I don't believe he said that" but still kept laughing. I guess in my mind the movie was always fine with all the racial insults, as long as Mel Brooks covered all the bases. No one was safe. He took them all on. We were all fair game in his book. And if you don't think your race was insulted, you aren't looking hard enough. It's in there somewhere. 
Point is, I can throw Young Frankenstein in the DVD player today and still laugh as hard as I did the first time, the 50th time, the 100th time I’ve seen it. And yea, it’s been that many. I still watch it occasionally with my parents, and I’ve watched it with my kids (who love it). It says something about a movie when you know what’s coming, know every line and every joke and it still makes you laugh like it’s the first time you are hearing it.
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Comments
"mongo just pawn.....in game of life"
Posted by: the turtle | August 1, 2006 10:43 PM
The horse punch in Blazing Saddles is classic.
Every Monty Python movie. Maybe not the Meaning of Life actually, but the other two.
The two Hot Shots movies. Especially the sequel. I don't stop laughing when I watch it.
Posted by: Tim | August 1, 2006 11:09 PM
I visit but don't comment often, but I really enjoy reading both of your articles and stories. And I'm learning lots more about music.
That being said, Michele, it's Teri Garr (Inga) who says "He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker", not Madeline.
In addition to these 2 gems from Mel, I lean towards the older, sillier movies : Airplane, Caddyshack, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, etc. The larger percentage of movies I like seem to be from the past...
Posted by: UnkFrank | August 1, 2006 11:21 PM
caddyshack was my #2 pick
micheles #2 was airplane
I told you this was hard
Posted by: the turtle | August 1, 2006 11:37 PM
Smart Half and i both love "Dude where's my car". I don't know why. We like dumb shit like that. we saw it in the theater But i second the Brooks movies. And Caddyshack. I add Vacation. Can't think of any others right now.
Posted by: pril | August 2, 2006 12:45 AM
I know some people think differently, but I've got to add "Pulp Fiction" as one of the best dark comedies ever produced.
Posted by: Timmer | August 2, 2006 7:34 AM
"It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World."
"I cahn't see."
Posted by: Ed | August 2, 2006 8:33 AM
Yes and amen to Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. (Every morning, my computer starts with a wav file of Gene Wilder saying, "Alive...it's alive....IT'S ALIVE!!!!") Big Mel Brooks fan here.
Airplane is a classic, and Pulp Fiction certainly rates as a classic dark comedy.
But, come on, punks! What's the classic anarchy movie? "Duck Soup"! The Marx Brothers still rule.
My all-time fave comedy, though, is "Raising Arizona." Other Coen brothers flicks rate highly, too ("O Brother, Where Art Thou" in particular, and it had great music -- I shoulda nominated it for the music movies). "Fargo" is another great dark comedy, although not quite up to par with "Pulp Fiction" IMHO.
AC
Posted by: Andrew | August 2, 2006 8:53 AM
blazing saddles is one of the few things in life that my father and i can agree on. for that it has a VERY soft spot in my heart. i fucking love that movie.
"candygram for mongo"
ahahahah... ha... heh... phew...
ok but life of brian and history of the world part 1...
also what about bob. godDAMN that's a funny movie.
"he can wear my slicker!!"
Posted by: kali | August 2, 2006 9:03 AM
Blazing Saddles, no doubt.
I'll second Young Frankenstein, Life of Brian, The Holy Grail, and Raising Arizona.
How about a category for unintentionally funny movies? I'll nominate Shanghai Surprise.
Posted by: Zarba | August 2, 2006 9:18 AM
Hard to top those 2 along with Airplane and Caddyshack, but here are a few others anyway.
Something About Mary - Have you seen my baseball?
Meet the Parents - I will take you down, take you down to China Town
Animal House - Eat Me
A Fish Called Wanda - Don't call me stupid
Old School - You think I like avoiding my wife and kids to hangout with nineteen year old girls everyday?
Anchorman - Go fuck yourself San Diego!
Posted by: mrbandw | August 2, 2006 9:24 AM
I definitely have to agree on Fish Called Wanda, Holy Grail and Raising Arizona.
Plus, add in my favorite Coen bros movie: Big Lebowski.
Posted by: michele | August 2, 2006 9:30 AM
Young Frankenstein: Filmed in Black and White and Plywood. --trailer, from my memory.
Blazing Saddles,
Pulp Fiction,
Holy Grail,
Airplane,
Princess Bride ("Inconceivable!")
kudos to AC for Duck Soup
Arthur is one of my all time favs, but I suppose its a romantic comedy.
Posted by: Charlie on the PA Turnpike | August 2, 2006 10:10 AM
This is a hard category. So many great, funny movies.
If the second half of 'Chasing Amy' were 1/4 as funny as the first half, then that would get my vote, but alas, it turned into a gooey love story that left the best character (Banky) as nothing more than a backdrop.
I'm going to go with what is now a movie that is almost 20 years old: 'Midnight Run.' When they combined Robert DeNiro's tough guy with comedy and paired him with Charles Grodin, it was comedy gold. Throw in great stuff from Dennis Farina who had awesome threats, "I'm gonna blowtorch the both of you." and "I'm gonna stab you in the fuckin heart with a pencil." Laughs from beginning to end.
Second choice is a true classic. 'The Odd Couple.' I've always been a big fan, and despite a lull in the middle, theres laughter pretty much throughout. Felix's sinus outburst in the diner, and classic lines like:
Oscar: Who wants food?
Murray: What do you have?
Oscar: I have brown sandwiches and green sandwiches.
Murray: What's the green?
Oscar: It's either very new cheese or very old meat.
Murray: I'll have the brown.
Roy: You're not gonna eat that!
Murray: I'm hungry.
Roy: His refrigerator's been busted for 2 weeks. I saw milk standing in there that wasn't even in a bottle!
Posted by: Jay | August 2, 2006 10:26 AM
"What are nihilists?"
Love that movie.....I'm also very fond of Dodgeball and Galaxy Quest.
I watch them and laugh hard every time I watch.
Posted by: Chuck | August 2, 2006 10:26 AM
I forgot all about midnight run. that was a very funny movie.
Jay, I agree about Chasing Amy. Funny up to a point. Then it just crashed. The best part is the whole "what's a nubian" scene.
Posted by: michele | August 2, 2006 10:43 AM
i need to go on the record here as hating ben stiller. and that stupid fucking leather jacket he wears in every film. in fact, he's the same fucking guy in every film.
i fucking hate that guy.
Posted by: kali | August 2, 2006 11:14 AM
Well if we are confessing, I'm not really a Ben Stiller fan.
And I find Will Ferrel to be amazingly unfunny.
Posted by: michele | August 2, 2006 11:14 AM
And I find Will Ferrel to be amazingly unfunny.
I am one of the few people that I know that DESPISES Adam Sandler. Not funny at ALL.
As for Will Ferrel. I just start laughing when I see the guy on screen.
Posted by: Jay | August 2, 2006 11:25 AM
Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.... Goddman it was good when Mel Brooks was funny.... And when he wasn't (Spaceballs, anyone ?)meh.....
There's a lot of good picks up there (Duck Soup "Now, what is it that has four pairs of pants, lives in Philadelphia, and it never rains but it pours? " and Princess Bride "Oh, what I wouldn't give for a holocaust cloak"....
Mallrats, though.... Still gets me every time I see it.... I can be flipping around and it'll be half over and I'll still watch the damn thing through.....
Well, that and Half Baked... But that's just because I'm in love with Dave Chappelle......
Posted by: thefinn | August 2, 2006 2:40 PM
I love Mallrats. I think it's funnier than Clerks.
Posted by: michele | August 2, 2006 2:44 PM
Anchorman
Tommy Boy
Dumb and Dumber
Old School
Animal House
Big Lebowski
Posted by: RcM | August 2, 2006 3:50 PM
Good call on Tommy Boy
Posted by: mrbandw | August 2, 2006 5:06 PM
I do love both Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. But I have to give some love to Mel Brooks' for The Producers. First of all, Dick Shawn as a hippie Hitler. And some classic quotes.
"I lieb you, baby, I lieb you. Now leave me alone!"
"Hitler... there was a painter! He could paint an entire apartment in ONE afternoon! TWO coats!"
"I am the author. You are the audience. I outrank you!"
"I'm in pain and I'm wet and I'm still hysterical!"
As for Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell, I'm with Jay on the first and Michele on the second. Don't find either of them funny.
Posted by: Lesley | August 3, 2006 6:45 AM