Friday, April 26, 2013

For those who love funny, American Film Institute announces the "100 Funniest American Movies of All Time."

SOME LIKE IT HOT sizzles at #1, TOOTSIE, DR. STRANGELOVE, ANNIE HALL and DUCK SOUP Complete The Top Five Movies



SOME LIKE IT HOT, the 1959 classic starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon which was written, directed and produced by Billy Wilder was ranked #1. Following SOME LIKE IT HOT in the top 10, in order, were: TOOTSIE (#2), DR. STRANGELOVE (#3), ANNIE HALL (#4), DUCK SOUP (#5), BLAZING SADDLES (#6), M*A*S*H (#7), IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (#8), THE GRADUATE (#9) and AIRPLANE! (#10).

Interesting facts about AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs include: Cary Grant is the most celebrated actor with eight films in the top 100; The Marx Brothers and Woody Allen star in five; Spencer Tracy, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Bill Murray each appear in four films. Katharine Hepburn and Margaret Dumont share the title of most represented actress in America's funniest movies, each with four films. Five Woody Allen films made the list, including the film ranked #4, ANNIE HALL, making him the most represented director; George Cukor, Charlie Chaplin and Preston Sturges all directed four films; Mel Brooks directed three films, all of which placed in the top 15. Woody Allen and Billy Wilder both wrote five films on the top 100 list. Four films, including both the #1 and #2 funniest films, involve cross-dressing — SOME LIKE IT HOT, TOOTSIE, MRS. DOUBTFIRE, and VICTOR/VICTORIA. "Recognizing the subjective and historical nature of comedy, AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs salutes the films that have enriched America's film heritage," stated AFI's President Emerita Jean Picker Firstenberg. "Often overlooked for major film awards, it was time funny films had the last laugh. AFI hopes this list will continue to spark interest, dialogue and appreciation for this great American art form."

# MOVIE YEAR
1 SOME LIKE IT HOT 1959 2 TOOTSIE 1982 3 DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB 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 SALLYÉ 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

The special is AFI's third salute to the 100th anniversary of American movies, following the first two critically-acclaimed network specials, AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies and AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, which sparked discussions of America's film history among millions across the nation. A wide array of funny films — from slapstick comedy to romantic comedy; from satire and black comedy to musical comedy; from comedy of manners to comedy of errors — were nominated for this distinction. AFI distributed a ballot with 500 nominated films to a jury of 1800 leaders from the film community, including film artists (directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers, etc.), critics, historians and film executives.

The jurors were asked to consider the following criteria while making their selections: Feature-Length Fiction Film: The film must be in narrative format typically over 60 minutes in length; American Film: The film must be in the English language with significant creative and/or financial production elements from the United States; Funny: Regardless of genre, the total comedic impact of a film's elements that creates an experience greater than the sum of the smiles; Legacy: Laughs that echo across time, enriching America's film heritage and inspiring artists and audiences today.

 As part of its continuing effort to increase awareness and appreciation of American film history, AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs is supported by an AFI website, in-theater trailers and a video retail program which launches today. General Motors, Blockbuster, U.S. Postal Service, Warner Bros., Pepsi, Anheuser-Busch, 20th Century Fox, AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Walt Disney Pictures are sponsors of AFI's continuing commemoration of the centennial of American movies.

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies and AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars were each viewed by more than 11 million people, winning their respective time periods. Multiple-Emmy Award-winner Gary Smith ("The Tony Awards," the 1993 and 1997 Presidential Inaugural Gala) is the executive producer and director of AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs for Smith-Hemion Productions. Former AFI Board Chair Frederick S. Pierce is the executive producer for AFI. Bob Gazzale, AFI's President & CEO, serves as director, AFI Productions.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Omg, Petra, I don't think I've seen 1/3 of these films! Time to update my Netflix queue.

Appreciate the list, the very long list. LOL K. :)

petra michelle; Whose role is it anyway? said...

It seems, I've seen the reverse, 2/3, K. :)) Many of them were from the fifities...just watched two of Jack Lemmon's comedies "Good Neighbor Sam," and another whose name escapes me... Anyway, have about 20 more on the list I haven't seen, then I can say, I've seen them all.

I have to say, that I whole- heartedly agree with the AFI's selections!