Key Takeaways:
- Comedy’s Evolution: Comedy has transformed significantly since the early days of cinema, introducing various sub-genres.
- Importance of Influence: The best comedies are not only funny but also influential and timeless in their impact on the genre.
- Buster Keaton’s Legacy: ‘Sherlock Jr.’ is a hallmark of silent film comedy, showcasing Buster Keaton’s innovative style.
- Romantic Comedy Classic: ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ remains a quintessential musical that blends romance and humor effectively.
Comedy is one of the oldest genres in the history of cinema. Since before the medium started to gain traction as a legitimate storytelling device, let alone as an art form, directors were already making short films whose sole purpose was to make audiences laugh until they teared up. Over the course of the years since cinema’s infancy, comedy has evolved an awful lot. Slapstick comedies, romantic comedies, stoner comedies, action comedies; the number of vibrant variations that the genre has grown over the years is too large to count. And over the course of that long history, comedy cinema has put out several masterpieces so great that they can even be counted among the best movies ever made.
But narrowing down history’s myriad of comedies to come up with a Mount Rushmore for the genre isn’t just about their quality: It’s also about their importance, their level of influence, and their timelessness. Being a great and absolutely hilarious comedy won’t be enough to get you a place in the genre’s Mount Rushmore: You’ll also need to be a movie that people can point to and say “that’s one of the most groundbreaking and iconic comedy movies ever made.” Given those qualities and looking back at the stellar, laugh-filled history that comedy cinema has had, there are still dozens upon dozens of candidates that fans of the genre would gladly chisel up on the side of a mountain. However, only four can come out on top, and it doesn’t get much better or more important than these four movies.
4
‘Sherlock Jr.’ (1924)
When having a conversation about cinematic comedy and its great history, the conversation is never complete without at least a mention of the legendary Buster Keaton. Famous for his deadpan style, his tremendous physical commitment to his roles (he made actors doing their own stunts cool decades before Tom Cruise was even born), and his innovative filmmaking style, he was one of the defining figures of the genre during its silent era and well into the talkie years. He made several great films over the course of his career, and it’s a delight for movie fans around the world that his magnum opus is fully available on YouTube and only 45 minutes long—almost a short film, but technically still a feature. It’s Sherlock Jr., about a film projectionist who longs to be a detective.
It’s one of the coziest mystery movies ever made, and probably the funniest detective film of all time. It’s Keaton’s highest-rated film on Letterboxd (as well as the highest-rated silent comedy on the platform), and deservedly so. Upon release, it received mixed critical reviews, which only goes to show that time can be the greatest ally for a film. Today, most cinephiles who have seen it would confidently count it among their favorite comedies from the era. Full of death-defying stunts, laughs that are still irresistible over a century later, and the kinds of clever bits of dreamlike surrealism that made Keaton a filmmaker far ahead of his time, this undeniable classic may not have made that big of a splash when it came out; but today, it can serve as a perfect introduction to silent cinema for those looking for a gateway.
3
‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952)
Musicals today aren’t all that popular, at least not outside of animated cinema; but they were all the rage back during Hollywood’s Golden Age, particularly from the ’30s to roughly around the late ’50s. Singin' in the Rain came onto the scene right as the genre was close to the beginning of its loss of popularity, and it couldn’t have possibly come at a more appropriate time. This is far and away the greatest movie musical in history, one of the best romantic comedies of all time, and one of the biggest bundles of heartwarming joy that the Seventh Art has ever granted to the world. Sure, its focus is more on music and romance than on laughter, but the film’s importance to and influence on the rom-com genre is so tremendous that the comedy Mount Rushmore couldn’t possibly be complete without Gene Kelly‘s face on it (perhaps with a nice brown fedora and a little umbrella also chiseled on the mountain).
People looking for a sweet cinematic pick-me-up when they’re feeling under the weather needn’t look any further than Singin’ in the Rain, a film that’s all charm, singing, laughing, and falling in love. But not only is it both a perfect rom-com and a perfect musical: It’s also an unexpectedly sharp and witty satire poking fun at Hollywood’s awkward transition from silent films to talkies, making it an essential watch for those interested in cinema’s history as well as just regular people who love heartwarming films. The acting, singing, and dancing are all fantastic; the musical numbers are as memorable as they are visually stunning; and the comedy is so perfectly utilized that it’s impossible to watch the film without smiling from ear to ear throughout its entire runtime.
2
‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ (1975)
Those looking for comedies that will have them struggling to catch their breath from how much and how often they’ll be laughing only need to look at Monty Python, the British comedy troupe that revolutionized sketch comedy television with their series Monty Python’s Flying Circus. A year after the show came to an end, they decided that they wanted to revolutionize sketch comedy cinema as well. So armed only with less than £300,000 and a few coconut shells, they made Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a parody of Arthurian legend that’s as important to the history of comedy filmmaking as its source material is to European folklore and Medieval literature.
Its fame alone should be enough to earn it a spot on the comedy movie Mount Rushmore.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is beyond iconic, one of the best comedy masterpieces of all time. It’s so good and so popular, in fact, that its fame alone should be enough to earn it a spot on the comedy movie Mount Rushmore. But as if that weren’t enough, it’s also a landmark in the history of low-budget filmmaking, proof that you can make comedy work wonderfully even if you don’t have a massive budget. This masterpiece is a labor of pure love, passion, and commitment, filled to brim with some of most intelligently constructed and absolutely hysterical gags, jokes, and comedic set pieces that cinema has ever seen. The movie can feel a bit episodic but that’s feature not bug;and it all culminates in one of most unexpected hilarious endings that comedy genre has ever offered.
1
‘City Lights’ (1931)
Including two silent films on this list may feel like not enough ground is being covered when looking at most important groundbreaking or influential movie comedies ever made. However no Mount Rushmore best comedy films could ever possibly be complete withoutBuster Keaton&, Charlie Chaplin’s faces on it, no movie better exemplifies Chaplin’s style charm than“City Lights”.
It’s actor-director’s most timeless masterpiece where he struck perfect balance between absolute mastery slapstick comedy love pathos-filled romance melodrama.
Is it Chaplin’s best or funniest? It doesn’t really matter since it’s most definitely his most iconic important. At time when talkies were already becoming norm around entire globe Chaplin decided stay true timeless style make last-ever fully silent film audiences had already started growing bored silent films yet“City Lights”. Instantly became one Chaplin’s financially successful critically acclaimed works today this many cinephiles favorite silent comedy all time utterly foundational incredibly influential both rom-coms slapstick comedies masterpiece almost 100 years old yet still funny charming beautiful romantic easy immerse oneself magic much forget wasn’t made recently Chaplin’s face would have forefront any comedy movie Mount Rushmore worth respecting none Tramp’s adventures would more fitting spot Mount Rushmore than“City Lights”.
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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz
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Which Oscar Best Picture Is Your Perfect Movie?
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Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
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Five Oscar Best Picture winners Five completely different visions what cinema can be — what it can do you One them film was made way your mind works Ten questions will figure out which one
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Academy Has Decided
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Your Perfect Film Is…
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Your answers have pointed one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others This is film was made way your mind works
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Parasite
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You drawn films operate multiple levels simultaneously begin one genre quietly brilliantly migrate another Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is film about desire architecture inequality manages darkly funny deeply suspenseful genuinely shocking across single extraordinary running time Your instinct cinema hides true intentions until moment ready reveal them Parasite exactly that — film rewards close attention punishes assumptions right devastating final image
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
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You want all this film gives you all it Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once one maximalist films ever made action comedy multiverse sci-fi family drama existential crisis genuinely earned emotional core sneaks amid chaos You someone who responds ambition doesn’t want cinema choose between being entertaining meaningful This film refuses choice entirely overwhelming design overwhelming nature precisely point because feeling crushed infinite possibility exactly what it's about
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Oppenheimer
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Birdman
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You drawn films foreground construction make how filmmaking part what it's about Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman shot appear single continuous take cinema examining itself through cracked mirror fading actor’s ego You respond formal daring feeling film doing something probably shouldn’t possible Michael Keaton’s performance Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — film simultaneously creativity relevance self-destruction impossibility ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all
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No Country for Old Men
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You drawn cinema trusts silence refuses explain itself treats dread form meaning Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is film about arrival new kind evil implacable arbitrary utterly indifferent moral frameworks we use make sense world It one formally controlled films ever made controlled restraint makes terrifying You want your films haunt comfort You not interested resolution if resolution would dishonest No Country for Old Men honest way most cinema never dares be
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