Zucker/Mel Brooks-style Comedies

[ShogunRua]

I recently watched both UHF (1989) and Dirty Work (1998).

Both are humble, simple films with small budgets and cliched stories. Both feature comedians (of different genres) who can't act. Both could be edited and directed a hell of a lot better. Both owe an awful lot of their gags to the works of Zucker (especially Airplane) and Mel Brooks (especially Blazing Saddles).

And yet, both are perfectly funny, entertaining films. I had a good time watching the two, many of the jokes were original and hysterically funny, and I loved the wacky vibe and characters. Both films are also paced exceptionally well. One was more kid-friendly (UHF) and the other a little more adult (Dirty Work), but both had a similar style and approach.

Focus- What other, similar works would you recommend in that category? Obviously, the actual works of Mel Brooks and the Zucker brothers go without saying!

[hellboy76]

Besides those creators own works, most of the films like this are pretty bad. Maybe a few average ones:

MacGruber is super silly but I actually got a decent amount of laughs out of it.

National Lampoons Loaded Weapon 1 has a couple of chuckles.

[CMonster]

I'd say Three Amigos! and Hot Rod both fall in that category. Comedy is pretty subjective, but I would say both work because they have a pretty wide range of jokes from physical comedy to parody to some clever witticisms. Neither is gonna be a life changing comedy, but if you are looking for something simply funny both are good choices.

[mattorama12]

I would second Hot Rod as being in the same vein. If you haven't already seen Wet Hot American Summer, I think that's a great comedy that fits the bill as it features comedy ranging from straightforward to absurdist. Major League is also very much the same style as the Brooks/Zuckers movies.

[ShogunRua]

I am not a big fan of Brooks or Zuckers (I liked their movies but not ga-ga). But a friend of mine who loved that genre also loved Carl Reiner's movies with Steve Martin like All of me, Man with Two Brains etc. Have you seen those?

Interesting, I wasn't even thinking of that. I have seen parts of "The Man With Two Brains", but not "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", "The Jerk", or "All of Me". Definitely worth checking out either way, even if the style of comedy is marginally different. Thanks!

I'd say Three Amigos! and Hot Rod both fall in that category.

Three Amigos is a classic I need to check out, but Hot Rod?! I have see it in the Netflix Instantly Watching queue before, and my lips curled in disgust when I saw that Andy Samberg was the lead. Also, multiple reviews refer to it as an "SNL skit", and I hate that fucking show.

Still, I will add it to my massive queue now; I have definitely seen worse, and perhaps it will surprise me.

Major League is also very much the same style as the Brooks/Zuckers movies.

Yes, and it was a good comedy, too.

[CMonster]

I would definitely second watching The Jerk.

As for Hot Rod, I was ready to hate because like most people I was of the opinion that Andy Samberg is a douche. It has some unfunny parts but there are so many jokes and gags that if you can get past disliking Samberg it will make you laugh. How much is hard to say because comedy is subjective, but I ended up laughing really hard at a couple different points, especially some of the physical comedy.

[MmzHrrdb]

I also recommend The Jerk as well as Hot Shots! Part Deux, directed and co-written by frequent Zucker brothers collaborator Jim Abrahams.

[djross]

x

[MmzHrrdb]

Stop the presses: how could I forget Caveman (1981)?! That and the two films mentioned in my previous post are the only movies in this style of comedy that I actually like.

[Gregzilla]

A few worth a try:

Schlock (John Landis, 1973; my score: 55)
The Groove Tube (Ken Shapiro, 1974; my score: 50)
The Kentucky Fried Movie (John Landis, 1977; my score: 60)
Full Moon High (Larry Cohen, 1981; my score: 65).

And following along in that vein would be Amazon Women on the Moon (Landis, 1987; my score: 50).Hit and miss, Bullshit or not.