The ability to laugh is an amazing ability of mankind. Many doctors say that often laughing people live much longer than those who smile a little. Let's look at the best foreign comedies of all time and the artists who made them such.
Long live the ageless retro!
Despite the limitlessness of human imagination, the number of comedy stories is actually quite limited, and for more than 100 years of the cinema's existence, all of their versions have long been filmed. Therefore, the only thing that remains for modern filmmakers is to replay old good stories in a new way. Often they manage to do this very skillfully, and in such cases the copy is better than the original.
However, there are comedies that, despite numerous remakes and sequels, remain unsurpassed. Most of them became so thanks to the comedians who played the main roles. Let's look at the most famous of them, as well as the best foreign comedies of all time with their participation, which to date have not lost the status of masterpieces.
The Great Cinema Magus - Charlie Chaplin
Comedy with this artist made millions of spectators cry with laughter from around the world. At the same time, Chaplin was not just an artist, but also a screenwriter, director and composer for most of his films. He managed to create the image of a Tramp, migrating from one picture to another.
With age, Charlie Chaplin focused on political satire. For this, the Nazis hated him as a Jew; Americans as a hidden communist; and in the USSR, Chaplin’s work was not held in high esteem for many years. However, ordinary people around the world loved the work of this funny man with a mustache and a hat. And the lines for his films were colossal. Even today, when the audience seemed to have already seen everything, Charlie Chaplin’s comedies are capable of hitting the living.
His most famous works are “Baby”, “Circus”, “City Lights”. Political comedies such as New Times and The Great Dictator stand apart. They are permeated with subtle irony and look relevant even now. It is not surprising that they still top the rating of foreign comedies.
The genius of Louis de Funes
Comedies with this comedian have long been classics. The fame brought him the tape "Big Walk". It described the attempts of two Frenchmen to save British pilots from fascists. This comedy can hardly be called intellectual, but it still can help to spend a pleasant evening.
In the list of other comedies with de Funes, which are included in the list of the best in the history of cinema, there is a series of tapes about the gendarme Louis Cruchot: “The Gendarme from Saint-Tropez”, “The Gendarme in New York”, “The Gendarme is getting married”, “The Gendarme is walk ”,“ Gendarme and aliens ”,“ Gendarme and gendarmes ”. Like Big Walk, these are comedies of errors with a rather primitive plot.
Although most of the paintings with this comedian, like the cycle about the gendarme or Fantômas, the films Frozen, Soup with Cabbage, Mania of Grandeur, The Adventures of Rabbi Jacob, etc., are significantly inferior to many modern comedies and look very naive , he has an amazing charm that is still able to captivate the audience.
Meanwhile, in the work of de Funes there were ribbons with a rather caustic satire. An example is the “Wing or Leg” tape. Louis de Funes in it played a culinary critic Charles Duchman, who, having lost the opportunity to distinguish the taste of food, is trying by all means to maintain his high social status and, as a result, nevertheless proves that he is a master of his craft. This tape openly ridicules the restaurant industry, so revered in France. Moreover, even after 40 years, many aspects in it look very modern.
The last work of de Funes was the film "The Gendarme and Gendarmes." Another famous French comedian named Christian Clavier also played a cameo role in it.
Christian Clavier
This is a French artist that cannot be ignored when listing the best foreign comedies of all time.
The role of Zhakuy Proydokha in the comedy "Aliens" brought him worldwide fame. The success of the film about the medieval knight, who, together with the servant, fell into modern France, contributed to the fact that two more sequels were filmed (“Aliens 2: Corridors of Time”, “Aliens 3: Revolution”) and one remake of “Aliens in America”. And in all these projects, Christian Clavier and Jean Renault played. This duet is so loved by many viewers that they starred in the comedy "Operation" Stew "."
The audience also liked the comedies with the duet Clavier and Depardieu. Together, these artists starred in such films: “Between an Angel and a Demon”, “Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar” and “Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra”.
Pierre Richard
Continuing the theme of the French comedians, whose film works were included in the treasury of the best comedies of the world, one cannot help but recall Pierre Richard. Unlike Louis de Funes and Christian Clavier, his acting was practically devoid of grimaces. He rarely made grimaces, but at the same time the artist managed to make the audience laugh with his charming smile.
It is interesting that many famous films with his participation were so successful that remakes were shot on them in the USA. This happened with the dileogy “The Tall Blonde in the Black Boot” and “The Return of the Tall Blonde” (a remake of “The Man in the One Red Boot”). The same fate befell the tape "Toy" and "Twin", as well as the film "Unlucky".
It is worth noting that this comedian always preferred to play in highly satirical tapes. Such as "It's not me, it's him!" (criticism of the system of literary "blacks"), dilogy about Blond and "Prick with an umbrella" (ridicule of the insolvency of special services).
Pierre Richard managed to play well in a duet with Gerard Depardieu. Together they made famous the film “Unlucky”, and also played in the films “Dad” and “Runaways”. Unfortunately, on these comedies, their collaboration ended. However, these films today are rightfully included in the category "Best Foreign Comedies of All Time".
In contrast to projects with de Funes and Chaplin, ribbons with Richard require a certain intellect from their viewers. Perhaps because of this, they are considered classic examples of special French humor.
Rowan Atkinson
Closing the topic of French comedies, you should turn to the British comedians, who are also many. The most famous of them today is Rowan Atkinson, who is often called simply by Mr. Bean.
This is the name of the character of the British television series of the same name and the cycle of feature films. And while viewers around the world are more fond of Atkinson for the role of the idiot in the dilogy "Mr. Bean," in his filmography there are many other interesting projects. For example, a dilogy about the agent Johnny Inglisch or the series “Thin Blue Line”.
However, Rowan Atkinson is able to make laugh not only posing as an idiot, but also playing intellectual. An example is the famous comedy television series Black Adder (Black Viper), in which he played a cowardly, but very resourceful sneak. This project, by the way, helped to become famous for the comedic English duo Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.
Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry
This duet made a name for itself in the UK thanks to the comedy project The Fry and Laurie Show.
The world-wide fame was brought to them by the television series Jeeves and Worcester, in which they played the main roles: the nonsense gentleman and his dodger servant. Gradually, the creative paths of the artists diverged. However, this series was ranked among the best comedic projects in the world, illustrating a special British humor.
Leslie Nielsen
Of course, the primacy in the creation of comedies has always remained with Hollywood. It was mentioned above that this was often achieved thanks to remakes for successful European comedies and the luring of European stars - the same Christian Clavier or Rowan Atkinson. At the same time, the Americans had many unique projects of their own and comedic artists.
One of the most striking among them was Leslie Nielsen. Most of the projects in which he starred are vivid parodies of box office movies. This is Naked Gun (a parody of Colombo and the James Bond series), and Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Last Lunge (Untouchables, Escape from Alcatraz, Jurassic Park, Thelma and Louise ”), And“ Dracula: Dead and Contented ”(“ Bram Stoker's Dracula ”), and“ Guilty Without Guilt ”(“ The Fugitive ”), etc.
It is difficult to call comedies with Nielsen's participation in intellectual cinema , but at the same time they are quite interesting and often unexpected.
Among his works, which are among the best comedies in the world, are the tape “Mr. Magu”, “The Sixth Element”, a series of parody films “Superhero Cinema” and “Very Spanish Cinema”.
By the way, some comedies with Nelson failed at the box office, but later they were still appreciated by the audience. For example, the picture “Mr. Magu” is about a millionaire who does not wear glasses and gets into various troubles.
Jim carrey
This comedian is familiar to everyone since childhood. It was his ingenious game that helped such comedies as The Mask, dilogies about Ace Ventura, the films Liar, Liar, Me, I and Irene Again, the comedy remake of The Dick and Jane Scams and Bruce Almighty.
It is interesting that in the filmography of Kerry, there are not only comedic roles, but also many successfully created dramatic images. However, like Charlie Chaplin, Jim Carrey is not one of the Academy's favorites.
Other famous American film comics
Other comedians include Robin Williams, who has played in such masterpieces as Mrs. Doutfire, Healer Adams, Night at the Museum.
Also loved by many are Steve Martin (Roksana, Otpetye Scammers, Father of the Bride, Sergeant Bilco, Wholesale Cheaper, The Pink Panther), Denis de Vito (Roman with a Stone, Pearl of the Nile "," Gemini "," Renaissance Man "," Junior "), Chevy Chase (series of films about the Grizzwolds," Confession of the Invisible "," Flash "), Bill Murray (" Ghostbusters "," Volunteers involuntarily "," A Man Who Knew Too Little ”), Adam Sandler (“ Bulletproof ”,“ Wedding Singer ”,“ 50 First Kisses ”,“ Click: With a Remote Control for Life ”,“ Bedtime Stories ”), Rob Schneider (“Animal”, “Chick”, “Call Man”, “Big Stan”) and others.
Actors in other roles starring in comedies
Often in comic films are actors who have a completely different role. For example, the hero of the militants Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 90s played in many successful comedies by Ivan Reitman: "Kindergarten policeman", "Last movie hero", "Junior", "True lie." Or the legendary performer of the roles of Rocky and Rambo - Sylvester Stalone, who starred in the film “Stop! Or my mother will shoot. " This project was the only full-fledged comedy in the filmography of the artist, in which he played a central role. And although the tape “Stop! Or my mother will shoot ”she earned several Golden Raspberries, the audience liked her pretty much and soon became a comedic classic of the 90s, especially in the CIS.
In this vein, it is worth recalling Robert De Niro. This artist became famous for his dramatic roles, but having grown older, he retrained to comedy: “Meet the Parents”, “The Show Begins”, “Analyze That”, “Malavita”, etc.
Also, speaking about the most famous comedies, one cannot but mention the first two parts of Home Alone, which featured such a famous artist as Joe Pesci and the young talent Macaulay Culkin.
All the above comedies at different times became the best of their kind and were able to maintain their status over the years. Today they belong to comedy classics, and watching any of them is a great pastime to pamper your body with a dose of wellness fun.