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The
Eleven Funniest Performances |
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"...because ten was
not enough!" |
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Photo courtesy of
www.smh.com |
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A Jacob Hall Column
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June 27, 2006 |
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Comedy is one of my passions in life. I believe that there is nothing
more exciting or life-affirming than a genuinely good laugh. I write
comedy, watch it and have very high standards for it. A comedy has to be
reeeaaally funny for me to genuinely enjoy it. Recently, I’ve been
thinking about my favorite comedic performances. Performances that stand
out in my mind as pinnacles in the genre. In compiling this list, I have
tried to pick my personal favorites, not the answers I am expected to
give. If your favorite isn’t here, give me an e-mail and chew me out. |
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11. Christian Bale in
American Psycho
Unconventional choice? Certainly. Most people don’t even see “American
Psycho” as the comedic gem that it is…a dark satire disguised as a
brutal horror film. Bale has had so many masterful dramatic roles that
seeing him in a role such as this is refreshing. He fills Patrick
Bateman with so many little touches and tics that we can’t help but like
this madman. The best scene: Bale puts on a raincoat and puts newspapers
down before killing a man with an ax.
10. Bruce Campbell in “Evil Dead II”
There is a reason why Mr. Campbell is a cult phenomenon…he’s just so
wonderful in everything he does, even if it’s a terrible film. “Evil
Dead II” is sick, bloody and hilarious and Campbell goes all out. He
shows a fantastic talent for slapstick, and in a scene that would make
the Three Stooges proud, he fights his own demon-possessed hand as it
punches him, slaps him and smashes dishes into his face. It’s so
outrageous, so twisted…and so funny.
9. Jack Black in “School of Rock”
If I ran the Oscars, Jack Black would have received an Oscar nod for his
work here. Here is a character who is not only hilarious, but a
full-fledged human being, albeit, a very eccentric one. Black sings,
plays a guitar and manages to win us over with ease. It’s such a joyful
and exuberant performance that he manages to make us laugh and warm our
hearts (Awwww). There is so much joy and enthusiasm on display here that
we don’t even laugh at Black’s antics…we laugh with them.
8. Groucho Marx in “Duck Soup”
No list of great comedic actor can be complete without mention of the
Marx Brothers, quite possibly the second greatest comedy team known to
man (What’s number one, you ask? Hold on, you’ll find out). As fantastic
as Chico and Harpo are, I’ve got to give it to Groucho. This guy is so
funny that it is no wonder he is so incredibly iconic. His performance
here as a deranged dictator is cruel, mischievous and completely
unreal…but that’s all part of the charm.
7. Alec Guinness in “Kind Hearts and Coronets”
Yes, Obi-Wan Kenobi. But also one of the finest, and most underrated
actors of all time in both comedy and drama. Few thespians contain even
an ounce of the talent and class that Mr. Guinness had. Technically, he
is not the lead in “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” but he makes the movie
work. Dennis Price plays a man out to kill the eight men and women
standing between him and his inheritance…and all eight victims are
played by Guinness. The make-up is certainly primitive, but Guinness is
so good, that he crafts different mannerisms, walks and facial
expressions for each character, making them all completely different.
Sometimes it’s difficult to even see that it is Guinness. He does all of
this while maintaining the film’s very droll, very dry sense of humor.
Perfect.
6. Buster Keaton in “The General”
There is a reason why Keaton remains an enduring legend to this very
day. It is all too clear in “The General”: Keaton gives the air of a man
completely undeterred and ready to do anything…without panicking at all.
Keaton performs many of the funniest and dangerous scenes I have ever
seen on film without missing a beat or showing a emotion. His face is
completely blank the entire time. He’s not quite human…he’s beyond it.
He’ll jump from train to train and dangle from great heights (before the
days of stuntmen and safety regulations) without making us worry about
him at all. He’s not worried, why should we worry? The effect will charm
you half to death and leave you in stitches.
5. Steve Martin in “The Jerk”
Martin’s Navin Johnson is one of the most endearing characters in
comedy. We love him so much that it is impossible to laugh at him…we
laugh with him. This is a credit to Martin (who believe it or not, did
some awesome work before “Cheaper by the Dozen 2”), who manages to
create buffoonish character who destroys almost all that he touches, but
still comes off in the end as innocent and lovable. In an age where
humor seems to constantly stem from people being asses to each other (as
funny as that usually is, though), it’s refreshing to see a kind and
caring comedic gem.
4. Johnny Depp in “Ed Wood”
Speaking of innocent characters who we laugh with rather than laugh at,
there is Johnny Depp’s Ed Wood. As far as I am concerned, Depp can play
with silly putty on film and I’d watch, fascinated, but here he does
something really special. This is his best work…a comedic work of art. A
cross dressing filmmaker who is so optimistic that he cannot see that he
is the worst director of all time. Ed’s undying optimism in the face of
his producers provides the most uplifting comedy I have ever seen.
3. George C. Scott in “Dr. Strangelove”
Scott has a more flexible face than Jim Carrey and the physicality of
Buster Keaton. The man who is most well known for playing Patton could
do things with his voice and body that would make all strictly comedic
actors green with envy. In “Dr. Strangelove,” he makes gum chewing funny
without using comedic theatrics like pulling it out and messing with it.
How? He just DOES. Words cannot describe how much fun he is here, even
more fun that Peter Sellers in his more-famous three roles. Scott proves
that great comedy is great acting.
2. Gene Wilder in “The Producers”
Zero Mostel may have gotten top billing, but Wilder got the Oscar
nomination and most of the laughs. “The Producers” is enough of a
classic that I’m sure I don’t have too elaborate too much…apparently
Matthew Broderick got the point when he starred in this role in the
musical version…he doesn’t sway to far from Wilder’s perfection. Few
performances have been this manic, strange or trendsetting. I honestly
believe Wilder truly created modern comedic acting here. When he shrieks
about his little blue blanket, joyfully dances around a fountain or
simply reacts to other characters, he gets huge laughs...almost as good
are his roles in "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles."
1. The Cast of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”
Is putting six people at number one cheating? You bet, but choosing only
one of Monty Python Troupe is impossible and placing them in the top six
spots is impractical, so here we are. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Pythons
are among the most influential comedic actors to ever grace the screen.
Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and
the late Graham Chapman play virtually every major character in the
entire film, often opposite themselves. For most of them, it’s all about
who can be the looniest and the most bizarre, and hell, it’s beautiful.
However, special props to Chapman’s King Arthur, who gets the fewest
laughs, but is quite possibly the best comedic straight-man ever.
Usually, a straight-man has to play it straight opposite one kooky
sidekick…Chapman plays is straight to an entire kooky movie!
These performances were also
under consideration for the top spots:
Will Ferrell in “Anchorman”
Robin Williams in “Aladdin”
Woody Allen in “Annie Hall”
Christopher Guest in “Waiting for Guffman”
Leslie Nielson in “Airplane!”
Adam Sandler in “Billy Madison
Steve Carell in “The Forty Year Old Virgin”
Bill Murray in “Rushmore”
Kevin Kline in “A Fish Called Wanda”
Jim Belushi in Animal House
Stephen Root in Office Space
Darren McGavin in A Christmas Story
Dustin Hoffman in “The Graduate”
Gene Hackman in “The Royal Tennenbaums” |
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© Written by Jacob Hall -
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