July 28, 2000 The Second 100 Funniest Films By TOM WILLIAMS Just a few weeks ago, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced its list of the 100 funniest films. It was an impressive list (see chart at bottom) led by "Some Like It Hot", considered the funniest film of all time. No argument here. Put Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis together with a great script and great direction (Billy Wilder was responsible for both) and you're bound to have a winner. There were some inconsistencies, however. A couple of years ago, the AFI selected "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" as the 50th best film of all-time. Yet, it was not selected among the 100 funniest. Okay, there were other aspects to that film. It wasn't one rollicking laugh after another. But it was funny. The AFI also did select films like Diner, Broadcast News and Sullivan's Travels that, like Butch Cassidy, had some serious moments. All of this makes us believe that 100 funny films are not enough. So, we decided to select the next 100 funny films. Check them out and see what you think. American Hot Wax- This story, about rock and roll creator Allan Freed, mixes a lot of great early rock with its comedy. Includes a rare screen appearance by Jay Leno. The American President- Michael Douglas in a story about the dating struggles of a single President of the United States. Annette Bening is the woman who catches his eye. An American Werewolf in London- A horror movie satire that catches you by surprise and keeps you entertained. Starring David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, it also uses "wolf" songs to add to the humor. And Now For Something Completely Different- The creative British group, Monty Python, does many of its best skits. Animal Crackers- The Marx Brothers moving into Margaret Dumont's mansion - what more can you want. This film introduced the song, "Hooray for Captain Spaulding", that became Groucho's theme. As Good As It Gets- Academy Award winners Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt have a strong supporting cast in a great story about contemporary life in New York, with all of its unique characters. Babe- Funny story about talking animals and the pig that wins the sheepdog competition. The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer- Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and a teenaged Shirley Temple bring lots of laughs to this story about a bachelor and, well, a Bobby-Soxer. Back to the Beach- Frankie Avalon and Annette star in this funny send-up of the many beach movies they brought us. Back to the Future- Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in a brilliant time machine story by Robert Zemeckis, with great use of music and lots of hidden humor. The Bad News Bears- Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal in a comedy about Little League baseball. The Bank Dick- Written by and starring W.C. Fields, this one is a riot with Fields at his very best. Barefoot in the Park- A classic Neil Simon stage comedy, this funny screen version starred Jane Fonda and Robert Redford. The Bellboy- Jerry Lewis goes through skit after skit as a bellboy at a large hotel. The Blues Brothers- John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in a classic comedy that features almost as many singing stars as comedy actors. Led to a chain of good restaurants and a lousy sequel last year. Broadway Danny Rose- A Woody Allen classic that revolves around the deli conversations of some classic comedians, including Milton Berle. Buck Privates- The first of the Abbott & Costello films and the one the rest of them copied. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid- Paul Newman and Robert Redford as hapless bank robbers trying to get away from Lord Baltimore. Bye Bye Birdie- Great screen adaptation of the giant Broadway hit with Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Ann Margret, Wildwood's Bobby Rydell and Paul Lynde. Catch-22- Written by Buck Henry (he wrote The Graduate) this film is a war satire featuring an all star cast. Clueless- Alicia Silverstone is perfect as the Beverly Hills teenager in this terrific parody by Amy Heckerling. Good supporting effort by the always solid Wallace Shawn. The Cocoanuts- The screen debut of the Marx Brothers. Cooley High- About black high school students in Chicago, this film uses great Motown music to set the stage. Is much better than the TV show, "What's Happening", which it inspired. Crocodile Dundee- Paul Hogan as the guy from the Outback who takes on New York City. A Day at the Races- The Marx Brothers take over a sanitorium. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid- Steve Martin inter-acts with the great movie detectives of the past in this very clever film he created with Carl Reiner. You must see it to really appreciate the creativity, timing and editing skills required. Down and Out in Beverly Hills- Nick Nolte, Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler and a great supporting effort by Little Richard make this simple story very funny. Dragnet- Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks in a tribute to the long-running TV show, with Aykroyd doing a perfect Jack Webb as Joe Friday's nephew. The Dream Team- Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle and Stephen Furst as four mental patients lost in New York City when their chaperoning doctor in hospitalized. Drop Dead Gorgeous- A documentary-style spoof of the teenage girls competing in a beauty pageant (and their families). Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (but were Afraid to Ask)- Woody Allen, with help from his usual assortment of talented co-stars, makes a funny movie out of what was actually a sex manual. Ferris Bueller's Day Off- A real fun film, written and directed by the talented John Hughes, that features a terrific performance by Matthew Broderick. Fletch- Chevy Chase is a lot of fun in this private detective comedy. Forrest Gump- Robert Zemeckis directing again, this time following Tom Hanks wonderful performance as a non-judgmental character who changes the world. Great use of special effects. Four Weddings & a Funeral- Intelligent British comedy about the people who attend the five social events in the title. Terrific, low-key performance by Hugh Grant in the lead. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes- Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell on a cruise to Europe with good laughs, good songs and great scenery. Get Shorty- John Travolta interacts with Hollywood characters, played by, among others, Danny DeVito and Gene Hackman. The Goodbye Girl- Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason and Quinn Cummings as the sassy kid in this New York comedy by Neil Simon. Grease- It's the word, with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy. Good supporting cast, including the ageless Frankie Avalon. Gremlins- Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates star as a young couple who see their town attacked by small, and sometimes funny, little monsters. Grumpy Old Men- The seventh movie pairing Jack Lemmon and the late Walter Matthau, this one is just as good as the others. You can watch this one many times and always find something new to make you laugh. Burgess Meredith is terrific in a supporting role. Hairspray- Rikki Lake, before she lost weight and got her own talk show, is great as a typical, overweight teen going through life in a bizarre town. How bizarre? David Nelson and Patty Hearst are married in this John Walters film. Harry and Tonto- Academy award winning performance by the great Art Carney as he travels across the country with Tonto, his cat. High Anxiety- Mel Brooks takes off on Hitchcock with a terrific parody featuring a great lineup of comedy actors. Will be even more enjoyable to Hitchcock fans. History of the World, Part 1- Mel Brooks again, this time changing history into a funny story. "It's great to be the king". Hollywood Knights- A bunch of hot-rod loving teens try to save their favorite drive-in restaurant. Features the debuts of Michelle Pfeiffer, Tony Danza and Robert Wuhl. (A classic favorite among editors and newsroom types!) Home Alone- A funny slapstick starring Macaulay Culkin as an eight-year old left at home and his battle with robbers Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. House Party- The rap duo Kid 'n' Play has fun with this hip-hop teen movie. How to Marry a Millionaire- Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall are struggling to find men. That's funny enough right there. The In-Laws- Peter Falk and Alan Arkin in a zany adventure of two future in-laws. Into the Night- Jeff Goldblum gives a classic performance in this offbeat film that follows him as he tries to save Michelle Pfeiffer from a group of funny killers. Jerry Maguire- Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr. not only "show me the money", they also bring a lot of laughs. L.A. Story- Steve Martin wrote and starred in this take off on life in Los Angeles. Good supporting effort by Sarah Jessica Parker. Life of Brian- The Monty Python guys again in the story of a guy mistaken for Jesus. The Little Shop of Horrors- The musical version of an old film. Rick Moranis stars with big supporting efforts from Steve Martin and Bill Murray. And the lovely Tisha Campbell as part of the singing trio. Live on Sunset Strip- Richard Pryor's hilarious stand-up routine is the centerpiece of this film. Love Finds Andy Hardy- This Mickey Rooney series was about a young man growing up in the 30s and 40s. All were entertaining, but this one - featuring Judy Garland, Lana Turner and Ann Rutherford - might have been the best. The Major and the Minor- Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland in a story about a woman who is forced to pretend she's a little girl. Major League- A comedy about the Cleveland Indians winning the pennant. Need more? Introduced "Wild Thing" to major league stadiums. Mars Attacks- A disaster spoof with Jack Nicholson as president and lots of little green men. Monkey Business- Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers and Marilyn Monroe in a slapstick about a chemical that makes people act younger. Monty Python and the Holy Grail- The British group yucks it up as they search for a special piece of history. My Cousin Vinny- Joe Pesci is an inexperienced attorney and Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei is his girlfriend in this legal comedy. Tomei is superb, stealing every scene. Also a great supporting effort by Fred Gwynne, as the judge. "Did you say, yoots?" My Favorite Year- Peter O'Toole and Mark Linn-Baker in a big comedy about the struggles of an old-time movie hero. A loose takeoff on Sid Caesar's old TV show. My Fellow Americans- Former presidents, played by Jack Lemmon and James Garner, work together to solve a political mystery. The Naked Gun: Files From the Police Squad- Leslie Neilsen stars in this spoof of police by the creators of "Airplane". National Lampoon's Vacation- Chevy Chase takes the family to Wally World, with lots of funny stops along the way. The Night Before- Keanu Reeves takes out beautiful classmate Lori Loughlin and it turns into a night of craziness. Night Shift- Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton organize hookers through the morgue. Funnier than it sounds. Oh, God!- John Denver and George Burns, in the title role, bring laughs to a simple story. The Out-of-Towners- Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis are a couple trying to get through a visit to New York. Much better than the re-make with Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. Peggy Sue Got Married- A married woman relives her senior year of high school, with the expected situation comedy. Kathleen Turner is effective in the lead. The Pink Panther Strikes Again- Peter Sellers in one of his classic performances. Planes, Trains & Automobiles- John Hughes wrote and directed this funny story of two men, stranded together on the day before Thanksgiving. Well acted by Steve Martin and John Candy. Play It Again, Sam- Woody Allen gets help from Humphrey Bogart in dealing with life. Pleasantville- Ken Leary is not even mentioned in this comedy, about two teens magically transported into a black and white TV sitcom and how they change things around. Police Academy- It's not Shakespeare, folks, but there are enough sophomoric jokes that it turns into a funny film. Porky's- See Police Academy, above. (Besides, how can we include Hollywood Knights and not this one?) Risky Business- Tom Cruise and his high school classmates use Rebecca DeMornay and her fellow hookers to raise money at a series of parties. Cruise's lip-sync dance in underwear and Ray-Bans is one of the classic scenes of the 80s. The Rocky Horror Picture Show- Still a cult classic after all these years. Room Service- The Marx Brothers do whatever is necessary to get their play produced. Sixteen Candles- Molly Ringwald stars in John Hughes' hilarious story of a memorable weekend in the life of a high school girl. Anthony Michael Hall is among many strong supporting actors. Smile- A funny parody of how a small town handles a teen beauty pageant, starring Bruce Dern. Smokey and the Bandit- The Burt Reynolds classic about a run for beer, with great efforts from Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed and Sally Field. Soapdish- Sally Field again, along with Kevin Kline, Robert Downey Jr. and Whoopi Goldberg in a take off on soap operas. Splash- Tom Hanks and John Candy play brothers (funny already!) who deal with a mermaid, played by Daryl Hannah. Literally, a fish out of water comedy. Stakeout- Some great scenes in this comedy about undercover cops starring Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez. The Sting- Paul Newman and Robert Redford pull off the big con. Summer Rental- John Candy as a man on vacation with his family in Florida and the characters they run across. The Sunshine Boys- George Burns and Walter Matthau are great in this Neil Simon comedy. Tin Cup- Kevin Costner, Don Johnson and Cheech Marin in a comedy about professional golf. To Die For- A dark comedy with Nicole Kidman as a TV reporter who will do anything to move up the ladder. Trading Places- A very enjoyable romp, partly shot in Philadelphia, with Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Directed by John Landis. The Truman Show- Jim Carrey as a man whose entire life has been televised, without his knowledge. Not the big-gesture Carrey effort, but funny just because of him. Viva Las Vegas- Elvis and Ann Margret have a rollicking good time without betting a dime. Wag the Dog- Modern political comedy about using Hollywood techniques to elect a president. Big cast includes Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman and Anne Heche. Who Framed Roger Rabbit- Animation and live actors inter-act in this well-done comedy starring Bob Hoskins. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. You Can't Cheat an Honest Man- W.C. Fields and Edgar Bergen star in this film, which includes some of Fields' best bits. You Can't Take it With You- James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Lionel Barrymore in Frank Capra's rollicking portrayal of a very strange family in New York City. Zelig- Woody Allen's documentary spoof about a man who seems to be everywhere. Well, there's our list. The first 100 - the one's selected by AFI - are listed below. You probably won't get a chance to see them all before Labor Day so, take these lists with you and you can rent some of them later. AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs 1. SOME LIKE IT HOT. 1959 2. TOOTSIE. 1982 3. DR. STRANGELOVE. 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 Be sure to read The Sandpaper in the Ocean City area and The Beachcomber in the Wildwood area throughout the summer months for similar features.