Slapstick comedies are a different breed. These films turn conventional comedy on its head by introducing a lot of physical humour combined with total obscenity. Over the years there have been memorable classics and although not produced as consistently as the standard romcom or trashy teen comedy flick, the slapstick comedy is unique, has an acquired taste and does often vary in its degree of hilarity. Luckily we’ve filtered the OK from the great to bring you the top ten slapstick comedies of all time:
10. Hot Shots (1991): Charlie Sheen teams up with Lloyd Bridges in this hilarious naval comedy that takes pot shots at films like Top Gun and Dancers With Wolves to name but a few.
9. Hot Shots 2 (1993): Sheen is back in this superior sequel with the same supporting cast from the first one. This time round films like Rambo, Indecent Proposal and Basic Instinct are spoofed.
8. Dumb & Dumber (1994): Not Jim Carrey’s first comedic outing but certainly one of his best. In this film about two total idiots trying to return ransom money he’s joined by Jeff Daniels as his equal in brain power. Of note is the scene where the traffic cop drinks their beer not knowing it’s actually urine.
7. There’s Something About Mary (1998): One of the more memorable comedies of 1998, this film by the Farrelly Brothers, the same guys who made Dumb & Dumber, throws everything but the kitchen sink at its audience. A great cast including Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller and Matt Dillon ham it up in a comedy that sees Diaz using man juice for gel by accident!
6. Ace Ventura Pet Detective (1994): Jim Carrey’s official break out role sees him playing an unconventional pet detective tasked with finding the kidnapped dolphin mascot of the Miami Dolphins. Carrey is joined by two former Hollywood hotties – Courtney Cox and Sean Young. Of note is Carrey’s discovery that he actually kissed a man.
5. Rat Race (2001): An ensemble cast including Rowan Atkinson and Cuba Gooding Jnr. all race over 500 miles from Las Vegas to New Mexico to get to a train station with a locker containing $2 million. These guys would have had a much easier time just playing at an android casino.
4. The Nutty Professor (1996): Eddie Murphy is side splittingly funny in a movie that sees him playing at least 6 different characters. Murphy’s key character is Sherman Klump, a scientist working on a wonder drug to make him thin and help him get the girl of his dreams. Of note is Dave Chapelle and Eddie Murphy heckling each other.
3. Spaceballs (1987): Mel Brooks delivers the laughs in this sci-fi comedy that rips Star Wars a new one. A good cast certainly helps too and Rick Moranis is hilarious as Darth Helmet.
2. Airplane (1980): The movie that started it all, this is the father of modern slapstick comedies. Leslie Nielsen joins a cast of characters trying to safely land an aeroplane.
1. Top Secret (1984): By far still the best slapstick comedy ever made. Val Kilmer plays a rock singer who gets into all kinds of shenanigans while on a tour of East Germany.
