Ten Great Dark Comedies

[doppelganger]

I'm a big fan of dark comedy. Here are ten of my favorites (in no particular order than that in which they come to mind).

1. Network
2. M*A*S*H
3. Dr. Strangelove, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb
4. Apocalypse Now!
5. Election
6. American Beauty
7. Raising Arizona
8. Arsenic and Old Lace
9. I [Heart] Huckabees
10. Harold and Maude

What are your favorites?

 

[lunamoth]

I'm a big fan of dark comedy. Here are ten of my favorites (in no particular order than that in which they come to mind).

1. Network
2. M*A*S*H
3. Dr. Strangelove, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb
4. Apocalypse Now!
5. Election
6. American Beauty
7. Raising Arizona
8. Arsenic and Old Lace
9. I [Heart] Huckabees
10. Harold and Maude

What are your favorites?

Dr. Strangelove, M*A*S*H, and Raising Arizona are some of my all-time favorites. I have not seen most of the others.

I saw Dr. Strangelove as part of an undergraduate class...also All's Quiet on the Western Front. I'd maybe put Platoon* in that catagory of great movies too.

* oops, that's not a comedy. But it is a great movie.

 

[Wandered Off]

Brazil

The World According to Garp

 

[ayani]

not sure if these count...

Willard

Fargo

Full Metal Jacket

Good Will Hunting

 

[cardero]

I’ll see your 10 and raise you 10

The Last Supper
Brewster McCloud (stars Bud Cort directed by Robert Altman- may he rest in peace)
Being There
Fargo
Fight Club
Man Bites Dog
Phantom Of The Paradise
Serial Mom
Dead Alive
Repo Man

 

[doppelganger]

I’ll see your 10 and raise you 10

The Last Supper
Brewster McCloud (stars Bud Cort directed by Robert Altman- may he rest in peace)
Being There
Fargo
Fight Club
Man Bites Dog
Phantom Of The Paradise
Serial Mom
Dead Alive
Repo Man

Excellent list as well. I'm glad I didn't say "greatest dark comedies" 'cause some of these are better than the ones I thought of (Last Supper and Being There stand out). I haven't seen Phantom of the Paradise or Man Bites Dog. I love Repo Man. Anyone up for a nice can of "Food"?

I thought of another though: Wag the Dog

 

[doppelganger]

Brazil

The World According to Garp

Brazil is one of favorites, too. Have you seen it with the alternate ending?

 

[Wandered Off]

Brazil is one of favorites, too. Have you seen it with the alternate ending?

No. Is the alternate ending the one the studio wanted? I remember they refused to release it for quite some time because Terry Gilliam wouldn't change the original ending.

Speaking of Terry G, I stuck his rendering of God in the "Gods" pictures area of the forum.

 

[doppelganger]

The original theatrical release was the studio's version that is the "official" Brazil. The ending of the "Director's Cut" is completely different and much more profound, IMO. It makes almost as much difference as the "Director's Cut" of Blade Runner.

 

[cardero]

Wanderd Off writes: No. Is the alternate ending the one the studio wanted? I remember they refused to release it for quite some time because Terry Gilliam wouldn't change the original ending.

Speaking of Terry G, I stuck his rendering of God in the "Gods" pictures area of the forum.

The original theatrical release was the studio's version that is the "official" Brazil. The ending of the "Director's Cut" is completely different and much more profound, IMO. It makes almost as much difference as the "Director's Cut" of Blade Runner.

If it is still available you can own the three disc Criterion's Collection on DVD which includes all three versions (U.S. release, Director's Uncut Version, and Brazil: The Love Conquers All Edition, including commentaries, production notes and several different features like the Battle Of Brazil, What Is Brazil and other documentaries. Mrscardero gave this gift to me the first year we went out. One of the truest gifts I ever received.

 

[doppelganger]

If it is still available you can own the three disc Criterion's Collection on DVD which includes all three versions (U.S. release, Director's Uncut Version, and Brazil: The Love Conquers All Edition, including commentaries, production notes and several different features like the Battle Of Brazil, What Is Brazil and other documentaries. Mrscardero gave this gift to me the first year we went out. One of the truest gifts I ever received.

Thanks so much for the tip [revising list for Santa . . .]. :shout

 

[ChrisP]

Noones mentioned Monty Python

John Cleese will roll over in his grave... in a few months.

 

[RevOxley_501]

i freaking love M*A*S*H

 

[doppelganger]

Noones mentioned Monty Python

John Cleese will roll over in his grave.

He's not dead yet. He's just restin'.

You have to give partial credit for Brazil, which was written and directed by MP alumnus Terry Gilliam.

 

[Willamena]

Catch 22
Dr. Strangelove (worth mentioning twice)
Weekend at Bernie's
An American Werewolf in London

Others like 'Throw Mamma from the Train' and 'The War of the Roses' I didn't really enjoy.

 

[Bastet]

I only saw it once when it first came out, but Shallow Grave is one that always stuck with me.

 

[nutshell]

Willard

The Truman Show

Little Shop of Horrors

 

[Ulver]

The Best of The Best! No one can top Kubrick!

 

[Kay]

In no particular order:

American Beauty

Joe Versus the Volcano

Snatch

Grosse Point Blank

The Heathers

Harold and Maude

Shaun of the Dead

Big Trouble

Raising Arizona

The Ice Harvest

Being John Malcovich

Adaptation

Bringing out the Dead

Matchstick Men

Fight Club

I Heart Huckabees

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

 

[Bastet]

Little Shop of Horrors

I love Little Shop! I bought it recently (Halloween sale), and although I hadn't seen it in about 10 years, I still knew all the words to the songs. I don't know how many times I watched that as a kid...