Comedies from the 1980s

Circulez Y A Rien A Voir
      1983 | France | Laughs: 7.4 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 5.1
      who was involved?

After a pair of unlikely cops make a routine call at a posh house, one of them becomes obsessed with the lady owner and starts tailing her instead of doing his job. This is a lovely 1980s comedy with very funny moments, particularly in the first half, as you might expect, and fine performances by Michel Blanc and Jacques Villeret, though the latter is underused. Vastly underrated—I was glad to discover it. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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Teddy Bear (Miś)
      1981 | Poland | Laughs: 7.4 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 8.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

In pre-capitalistic Poland, the manager of a sports club must scheme to obtain a passport in time to beat his ex-wife to London to withdraw his money. I don't speak Polish, but this movie kept me smiling all the way through and made me laugh at least once. I happen to have visited Poland in 1982, a year after the movie was made, so its ambience was familiar. But my friend who has never been to Poland loved the movie too. Woven into the engrossing "swindle plot", there are delicious scenes of bureaucracy at work, a candid view of the black market and "innocent" references to the occasional unavailability of comforts such ham, transportation and hot water. The director did a great job at showing the humor in the strange situation of life in those days—rather than making a tragedy of it or a big political statement. Polish title: Miś. (Last viewed: November 2010)

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Stripes
      1981 | USA | Laughs: 7.2 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.9
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

A young man who has almost made it a point to lose his job and his girlfriend convinces his best friend to enlist in the army with him. Neither of them is prime material for training camp. This movie is something like the army version of Police Academy, and one of Bill Murray's finest comedy roles. It has some good laughs and likeable characters. To be savored again and again. (Last viewed: May 2009 October 2012)

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Real Genius
      1985 | USA | Laughs: 7.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.0
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At a school for extraordinarily gifted children, the pupils unknowingly work on creating a horrifying weapon. This movie would be worth watching for its 1980s charm alone. It also has enough good laughs to deserve a spot on your shelf of comedy videocassettes. (Last viewed: April 2016)

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Caddyshack
      1980 | USA | Laughs: 6.8 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.3
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A slice in the crazy life of a golf club. Fun throughout, but real laughs are few. The funniest scene—surprise?—is the one time when Chevy Chase and Bill Murray come face to face. It used to puzzle me why some people (especially men born in the late 1960s) consider this the funniest comedy ever. When I watched it again, it all became clear: what these men probably enjoyed most, when they first watched Caddyshack in their teens, was the nudity. It's the same principle that earns "American Pie" the status of funniest movie ever with many men of the next generation. (Last viewed: Aug 1991 October 2009)

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Coming to America
      1988 | USA | Laughs: 6.7 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.0
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This Eddie Murphy film may not be a roarer, but it had a few good laughs and a delightful premise. It might even be devoid of profanity (though I cannot vouch for that). An African prince delays his arranged marriage for forty days and travels to New York with his valet in the hope of finding a bride he can truly love. Insisting to live in a run-down room in Queens so that no one will know his royal status, he takes a job cleaning up at a fast-food restaurant. Not only did I find pleasure in the fairy-tale plot and the actors' performances, I also enjoyed the extravagant decor of the palace in the African scenes—the studio must have thrown a bit of money at this. Well worth a watch, just don't expect your jaw to cramp from too much laughing. (Last viewed: July 2012)

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Uncle Buck
      1989 | USA | Laughs: 6.4 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.0
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When a couple leaves town hurriedly to attend to a sick relative, they have no choice but to call Uncle Buck (the family's "charity case") to look after the house and kids—two young' uns and a surly teenage girl. The teenager subplot is as boring and predictable as teenagers themselves, but John Candy and the little boy (who starred in Home Alone the next year) tease out bit smiles. (Last viewed: August 2010)

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The Man with Two Brains
      1983 | USA | Laughs: 6.3 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.4
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This movie has one foot in the "watch once" category, the other in the "don't bother". The main reason I placed it on the "watch once" page is that it is the first movie I've seen where Steve Martin manages to make me laugh a few times. Martin plays a brilliant brain surgeon who grieves for his ex-wife and falls prey to an alluring gold-digger (Kathleen Turner). Despite the alarming title, Martin is neither annoyingly goofy (in fact there is no man with two brains in this film), nor does he draw on the hopelessly "white square American male" humor niche I also associate him with. Save this for a time when you are hung-over. (Last viewed: March 2012)

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Clockwise
      1986 | U.K. | Laughs: 6.1 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.6
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An English headmaster's misadventures on his way to deliver a speech at the headmaster's conference. Many funny moments, but a little slow for the 21st century. Still, it's John Cleese and you want to watch because you don't want to be rude to him. (Last viewed: August 2009)

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Black Mic Mac
      1986 | France | Laughs: 6.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 5.4
      who was involved?

After a health inspector and his team decide to close down a derelict project that is home to countless families of Africans, a holy man is flown in from the Congo to stop the bulldozers. On the flight over, a young upstart learns of the funds involved and takes the healer's place.

This is a very funny but not silly movie that takes a compassionate look at the African community of Paris in the mid-1980s, a side of the famous capital city that would be unknown to most foreigners—and probably to most Parisians as well. There is a side-plot that involves a restaurant and a romantic interest. Jacques Villeret (from The Dinner Game) carries his role very well but is not the main source of comedy—this time he doesn't play the clown. Luckily there is more talent, starting with the young upstart, who is something of a French-speaking Eddie Murphy and does a lot for the film. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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You Better Walk in the Shade (Marche A L'Ombre)
      1984 | France | Laughs: 6.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.6
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Two friends (one a frail hypochondriac, the other a muscular musician) hitchhike to Paris in the hope of getting work. Penny-less, they soon end up in a dilapidated building with African squatters. This movie has very funny moments—thanks to a strong performance by Michel Blanc, who plays his usual comedic character (an improved Woody Allen) to perfection. The film is weakened by the romantic side-story but it is still well worth a watch. (Last viewed: August 2014)

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Fletch Lives
      1989 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.2
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Never mind what they say about sequels being awful, Chevy Chase is in good form in this second Fletch as he battles villains in Louisiana. A chance to smile for ninety minutes, hear the classic Fletch theme tune and detect fake from real Southern accents. (Last viewed: April 2010)

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
      1988 | USA | Laughs: 5.9 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.4
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Two stars. A scam artist (Michael Caine) passes himself off as a monarch to extract funds from naive wealthy women on the French riviera. He sees his turf invaded by an American scam artist of smaller caliber (Steve Martin). Sweet and fun, with perhaps one or two LOL moments, but the terribly weak ending ruins the overall rating. Without spoiling the end, I'll just say that we can't buy the situation reversal at the end because it contradicts the emotions on the face of one of the lead characters throughout the rest of the movie. (Last viewed: August 2009)

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My New Partner (Les Ripoux)
      1984 | France | Laughs: 5.9 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

On his rounds, an ageing Parisian cop takes small pieces here and there from petty law-breakers. Fresh out of the academy, his new partner threatens to change his routine. (Last viewed: September 2011)

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Porky's
      1982 | USA | Laughs: 5.6 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.2
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Porky's is a movie about the obsession that lives in the underpants of male high-school seniors. It is probably the daddy of films such as American Pie, but I found it to be a lot funnier. I laughed quite a few times, partly by contagion, as the actors laugh a lot too. Although Porky's has a lot of graphic language, it doesn't feel excessive as in today's common swear-a-thons. Some of the scenes (as the one on the poster) are almost shocking in their audacity for the mainstream film medium. And yet it all feels natural, probably because it is. If you are allergic to adult themes, skip this. Otherwise, this piece of film history is well worth a watch. (Last viewed: July 2012)

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