Gangs of Comedy
The term “comedy team” usually implies a duo. Laurel & Hardy. Abbott & Costello. Burns & Allen. When you think about some of the best comedy teams in film, many of them have an ampersand in between their names (a la Martin & Lewis or Cheech & Chong). Think a little harder and dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll realize that “teams” in the actual sense of the word – groups of people united in a common goal – were at work to create some great comedic films.
The Marx Bros.
Duck Soup may be funnier. A Night at the Opera may be a better film. But nothing captures the zaniness that encapsulates the Marx Brothers team like Monkey Business, perhaps their most underrated flick. The (four!) Marx Bros. are stowaways on a ship and antics ensue in the general hilarious Marx Brothers fashion – this time with straight man Zeppo along for the ride as well.
What to watch first: Duck Soup, A Night at the Opera, Monkey Business
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Monty Python
What can be said about Monty Python that hasn’t been talked about numerous times in the many (deserved) tributes that the surreal sketch comedy troupe has had bestowed upon them? If there’s time to watch multiple episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, by all means do so. But if time is limited to a few hours, what better way to spend them than with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in which the fellows go on a search for the (you guessed it!) Holy Grail.
What to watch first: Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian.
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Mel Brooks’ Crew
Brooks has always been extremely loyal to his troop of actors. After acquiring Gene Wilder while making The Producers, Mel went on to add to his stable with Harvey Korman and the wonderful Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles and then discovering the comedic talents of Cloris Leachman for the brilliant Young Frankenstein. Mel made a bunch of films with this group- including Silent Movie and History of the World, Part I. But it was Young Frankenstein where they all hit a groove working together, and you can tell how much fun they had working together in this warped retelling of the classic Frankenstein tale.
What to watch first: Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, History of the World, Part I.
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The State
After forming as a sketch comedy troupe while students at NYU, this group of 11 went on to create a seminal sketch comedy show on MTV in the early 90s. Who would guess that some of those crazy kids would go on to write, direct and/or star in some of the most lucrative films (Night at the Museum) and TV shows (Reno 911) of the next few decades? The film that reunited just about the entire cast is the cult hit Wet Hot American Summer. Luckily, this 80s-movies send-up is completely worthy of their talents and of the audience’s time. All that, plus Paul Rudd!
What to watch first: Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten, Wanderlust
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Christopher Guest’s Crew
Working with friends clearly has its benefits. Witness most of Christopher Guest’s career. Starting with This is Spinal Tap and up to For Your Consideration, Guest worked with some of his friends on some of the best long-form improv ever put on film. Catharine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean and Fred Willard are but a handful that makes Team Guest what it is. Waiting For Guffman is perhaps their finest, taking on the almost-too-crazy-to-be-real-yet-it-is world that is Community Theater. Or is it Theatre?
What to watch first: This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show
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Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon & Michael Winterbottom
Okay, it’s a bit of a cheat. Their other collaborations (Tristram Shandy and 24 Hour Party People) weren’t strictly comedies. And it is mostly Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon working together as a duo that makes something like The Trip work. But without Michael Winterbottom’s direction, who knows if two friends riding cross country and critiquing restaurants (with their Michael Caine impersonations thrown in for good measure) would have been as entertaining, or had as much feeling as in The Trip?
What to watch first: Tristram Shandy and 24 Hour Party People
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Judd Apatow’s Crew
You could probably even start as far back as The Ben Stiller Show to see Apatow’s influence. But it’s the late-90s one-and-done TV season of Freaks and Geeks that introduced us to a new cadre of actors, writers and directors who would become the most powerful names in comedy and film in general some 10 years later. Seth Rogan, Jason Segel, James Franco, Paul Feig and Jonah Hill are all firmly in Camp Apatow and have created some of the raunchiest and funniest comedies of the last 10 years, and all with an enormous amount of heart. None more so than Superbad, which was written by Seth Rogan and his buddy while they were still in Middle School. Jonah Hill first started with a small role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but in Superbad really showed glimpses of why he is not only truly fucking funny, but now an Oscar nominated actor as well.
What to watch first: Superbad, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up
