Here on VOG there is a definite focus on the sci-fi and fantasy genres in film. And why shouldn't there be? It's the geek bread and butter after all. But I wanted to shift the spotlight a bit, and focus on what I believe to be the most difficult genre to pull off and have universal appeal: the comedy. What’s great about comedies though is they can take place in any setting, be it a fantasy world, outer space, or even a convenience store. 

For this list, I'm going to specifically focus on cult comedies. A few of these films were box office hits, many found life on home video, but they all attracted a cult following of die-hard fans and most, if not all of them, can be seen as midnight movies somewhere in the country. I also wanted to focus on intentional comedies. Unintentional comedies could form a list all their own with Showgirls and The Room fighting for the top slot. 

#10 Spaceballs

 

A man ahead of his time, Mel Brooks took on the Star Wars franchise in 1987 with his trademark parody treatment. He made fun of the ridiculously huge ships (and helmets), the mystical force-like powers of "The Schwartz" and guys who hang out with giant hairy sidekicks while rescuing princesses. The movie was not received well by critics, probably for its silly sophomoric humor but compare it to most parody films that come out these days, and I think those critics would all gladly re-watch Spaceballs instead.

#9 This Is Spinal Tap

 

The mockumentary that started it all back in 1984. Not only does this movie have a cult following all its own, but it also spawned more films featuring the same actors, such as Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show, but without director Rob Reiner returning. I feel like this movie also went a long way to inspire many of the documentary style TV shows that have been big hits with that style such as The Office (UK & US) and Modern Family. Nothing beats that tiny Stonehenge though.

#8 Wet Hot American Summer

 

This 2001 satire comedy directed by The State’s David Wain and starring a slew of future comedy all-stars barely screened at theaters, a massive failure both commercially and critically. However as the years went by, the cult status of the film grew, culminating in tenth anniversary celebrations and midnight screenings across the country. All this new buzz coupled with the rise to stardom of the many people involved and there may be a sequel in the works. I have a feeling it won’t compare to the original.

#7 Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

 

Debuting in 2010, it's one of the latest entries into the cult canon. Despite being a box office flop, it has garnered a large cult following. Just go to any convention and you will see multiple versions of Scott and Ramona running around. Sure it didn't get the good reviews and box office success (in relation to the budget) of director Edgar Wright's other films Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, but I think its unique vision of a world where video game rules are a reality vaults it slightly above those great parody films.

#6 Office Space

 

The mother of all workplace comedies from animator turned live action film director Mike Judge is another of those quotable classics. And like many films on the list, it too found its audience on home video after its poor theatrical release in 1999. I actually like Judge's Idiocracy a little more, but Office Space is just a better put together film, and I'm pretty sure it has many more followers so it gets the spot on this list.

#5 Army of Darkness

 

While I don't think it's the best movie in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead Trilogy, it's the only one that’s a comedy by design. Most of the horror is pushed aside for gags, and it still works. Since he’s not constrained to a tiny cabin in the woods, Bruce Campbell's Ash gets more to do, and thus more to work with, in this 1992 movie that truly cemented his status as a cult icon.

#4 Clerks

 

Clerks is gritty and dirty but, most appropriately, funny. It's quotable as long as you don't mind being a potty mouth and it launched the career of Kevin Smith and was at the forefront of a boom of 90's independent filmmaking when it was released in 1994. I may have watched this movie once a month during my high school years. Does it still hold up? Maybe not as well as it should have, but I still remember it for what it was: a groundbreaking film about nothing really. Just guys hanging out and talking, yet it’s still one of the funniest films I’ve ever seen.

#3 Clue

 

You wouldn’t think that adapting a board game to film would work, and if big screen adaptations continue to end up like the recent Battleship film then you’re probably correct. But in 1985 this Jonathan Lynn film debuted with a script by John Landis and featured a stellar comic cast lead by Tim Curry. I think going the comedy route really helped give this film a longevity it wouldn’t have had as a more straightforward adaptation. Plus the addition of all the ending scenes to the home video release helped elevate the film beyond its so-so box office performance.

#2 Monty Python and the Holy Grail

 

In 1975 the popular British comedy group released their first feature film consisting of entirely new material. While it still is technically a series of sketches, the Holy Grail plotline ties everything together in a very cohesive way as it transitions from one sketch to the next. The other Python films were good, but in my opinion this one was the best, from all the classic quotable dialogue to even the animation by director Terry Gilliam.

#1 The Big Lebowski

 

I know this is probably a controversial pick, but I have watched this 1998 Coen Brothers movie more than any other, and I still laugh every time. And as a cult film it really has spawned a huge following. There is Lebowski Fest, a travelling festival dedicated to all things Lebowski, Big Lebowski parties at bowling allies and even special 4/20 screenings in theaters across the country every year. All this from a film that followed up one of the Coen’s biggest critical and commercial successes in Fargo. I feel like instead of caving to the pressure to follow up a classic like that with something similar, they instead decided to just have fun and make the movie they wanted to make, creating an entirely different type of classic in the process.



Those are my picks, now it’s your turn. Rank these ten movies in the order you think they should have been ranked. If I left out something notable, let me know in the comments and I’ll explain why I left it off the list or simply hang my head in shame if I truly forgot.