Comedy: 488

A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy (1982) is an American science fiction film written and directed by Woody Allen. Set during the transition from the 19th to 20th century, the movie follows Andrew and Adrian, a couple who spend every summer at their cottage in the New York woods. While Andrew is a Wall Street investment advisor with a knack for inventing novelty items, Adrian has been struggling with a mental block that has caused them to go six months without intimacy. Seeking some excitement, they invite two couples to stay with them for a weekend. Among them is Andrew’s close friend Maxwell, a promiscuous ...

The King of Comedy (1982) is an American satirical black comedy film directed by Martin Scorsese. It follows the story of Rupert Pupkin, a delusional aspiring stand-up comedian. His belief that he is on the cusp of fame and success comes after he meets successful comedian and talk-show host Jerry Langford. Despite repeated rejection from Langford and his staff, particularly Cathy Long, Rupert persists in attempting to secure a spot on the show. Along the way, he indulges in elaborate fantasies involving himself and Langford as close colleagues. In an attempt to impress, Rupert brings a date named Rita along when he ...

Directed by Michael Schultz, Carbon Copy (1981) is a comedy-drama film featuring the story of Roger Porter, a 17-year-old African-American man. He is the long-lost son of Walter Whitney, a successful businessman living in San Marino, California—a predominantly exclusive community. Despite his wealth and status, Walter secretly struggles with being Jewish in his gated community where he constantly has to ask his wife Vivian for things and deal with the disrespectful antics of his step-daughter Mary Ann. One day, Roger surprises Walter at his office and reveals that he is Walter’s biological son from a past ...

Private Lessons (1981) is an American sex comedy film based on the novel Philly by Dan Greenburg, who also wrote the screenplay. Greenburg himself makes an appearance as the manager of a motel in the movie. 15-year-old Philip Fillmore, known as ‘Philly’, is left in the care of Nicole Mallow, a French housekeeper, and Lester Lewis, his family’s chauffeur, while his father is away on a summer trip. Nicole playfully teases Philly and he often uses his binoculars to spy on her through windows or deliberately crosses paths with her at the pool or ...

Neighbors (1981) is a film adaptation of Thomas Berger’s novel, featuring the story of Earl Keese, a mild-mannered middle-class suburbanite. His uneventful routine is disrupted when a young couple, Vic and Ramona Zeck, become his new neighbors. As soon as they move in, they begin imposing on the Keese household. Earl becomes increasingly frustrated with Vic’s loud and enthusiastic personality, while Ramona attempts to seduce him multiple times. Despite Earl’s efforts, he cannot prove that the Zecks are intentionally causing trouble. To make matters worse, his wife Enid and daughter Elaine are not much ...

The American television sitcom, Bosom Buddies (1980–1982), was created by Robert L. Boyett, Thomas L. Miller and Chris Thompson. Starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari, it aired on ABC for two seasons from November 27, 1980 to March 27, 1982. Later in the summer of 1984, it was aired in reruns on NBC. The show follows the misadventures of two single men working in creative advertising who disguise themselves as women to afford ...

Any Which Way You Can (1980), directed by Buddy Van Horn, is an American action comedy film. Philo Beddoe, who previously threw a fight with Tank Murdock, continues to participate in underground bare-knuckle boxing matches two years later. He resides with his family and orangutan Clyde, and ultimately decides to retire from fighting when he realizes he has grown to enjoy the pain. One night at his favorite bar, Philo reunites with his ex-girlfriend Lynn Halsey-Taylor, a country-western singer who apologizes for their past issues. The two rekindle their relationship and move in together. The Black Widows biker gang, who ...

The American semi-biographical comedy film, Where the Buffalo Roam (1980), follows the rise of author Hunter S. Thompson in the 1970s and his friendship with activist Oscar ‘Zeta’ Acosta. The story begins on Thompson’s Colorado ranch as he frantically works to complete a piece on his former attorney and friend, Carl Lazlo, Esq. A series of flashbacks then detail their wild adventures together. In one instance, Lazlo convinces Thompson to write about a group of San Francisco youth facing harsh prison sentences for marijuana possession. Despite being reminded by his editor Marty Lewis that he only has 19 hours until deadline, Thompson witnesses the ...

The Nude Bomb (1980) is a comedic spy film based on the popular television series, Get Smart, which originally aired from 1965 to 1970. In this movie, Agent Maxwell Smart (also known as Agent 86) is brought out of retirement to thwart the plans of infamous KAOS clothing designer, Jonathan Livingston Seigle. Seigle intends to detonate a bomb that would leave the entire world without any clothes. In exchange for not setting off the bomb, KAOS demands a hefty ransom of $10 billion per month from the United Nations. Smart’s government agency, PITS (Provisional Intelligence Tactical Service), is similar to CONTROL from the TV show. He teams up with a new ...

Rich Kids (1979), an American comedy-drama film directed by Robert M. Young, follows the story of two 12-year-old best friends from the Upper West Side. Franny and Jamie are both precocious youths who bond over their shared experiences with their parents’ divorces. As the new kid in town, Jamie offers guidance to Franny as she deals with her own family’s separation. Franny has been silently observing her father’s late night escapades and attempts to keep them hidden from her mother and herself. Feeling low, she finds solace in Jamie, who also comes from a broken family.

Going in Style (1979) is an American heist comedy/drama film written and directed by Martin Brest. Three senior citizens, Joe, Al, and Willie, reside together in a small apartment situated in Queens, New York City. In order to escape their mundane routine of spending their days on a park bench, Joe proposes the idea of a ‘stick-up’. Despite their lack of experience as criminals, Al eventually agrees to borrow three pistols from his nephew Pete’s gun collection. Going ahead with the plan while disguised with novelty glasses, the trio successfully carries out the heist and obtains $35,000. However, their ...

1941 (1979) is an American war comedy film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. On Saturday, December 13th at 7:01 a.m., an Imperial Japanese Navy submarine commanded by Akiro Mitamura surfaces off the coast of California, six days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. With the goal of destroying something “honorable” in Los Angeles, Mitamura sets his sights on Hollywood. Meanwhile, a tank crew from the 10th Armored Division led by Sergeant Frank Tree and including Corporal Chuck ...

The American television sitcom, Mork & Mindy (1978–1982), originally aired on ABC from September 14, 1978, to May 27, 1982. A spin-off of the popular show Happy Days, it featured Robin Williams as Mork, a visitor from the planet Ork, and Pam Dawber as his human companion and eventual love interest, Mindy McConnell. Despite her efforts to help him adapt to life on Earth and understand human customs, Mork’s behavior remains delightfully odd. His mission is to gather information about our planet for his superiors back home.

The American sitcom, Taxi (1978–1983), was originally broadcasted on ABC from September 12, 1978 to May 6, 1982, and then on NBC from September 30, 1982 to June 15, 1983. It explores the daily experiences of a few taxi drivers and their tough dispatcher in New York City. The show follows the employees who work the night shift at the fictional Sunshine Cab Company and mainly takes place in the company’s garage in Manhattan. Alex Reiger is the only driver who sees driving a cab as his career while others consider it a temporary job. Elaine Nardo is a single mother working as an art gallery receptionist while Tony Banta is a struggling boxer. Bobby Wheeler is ...

Every Which Way but Loose (1978), an American action comedy film released by Warner Bros., features Clint Eastwood in a unique comedic role. Philo Beddoe is a truck driver residing in the San Fernando Valley, sharing a small home with an orangutan named Clyde behind his brother and mother’s house. Philo earns extra money as a bare-knuckle fighter and is often compared to renowned boxer Tank Murdock. One evening at the Palomino Club, a local honky-tonk, Philo becomes enamored with Lynn Halsey-Taylor, an aspiring country singer. However, their seemingly successful relationship takes a turn when Lynn and her camper ...

The Italian crime-comedy film, The Con Artists (1976), directed by Sergio Corbucci, received a David di Donatello for Best Actor, which was awarded to Adriano Celentano for his performance. In the Roaring Twenties in southern France, notorious con man Philip Bang causes a commotion during dinner and is subsequently transferred to a maximum-security prison for hard labor. However, this transfer is all part of a clever plan orchestrated by his ex-wife and former partner in crime, Belle Duke, who owns a casino yacht, and their daughter Charlotte. While being transported to ...

Love and Death (1975), an American comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen, follows the story of Boris Grushenko, a cowardly scholar who is forced to join the Russian army when Napoleon invades Austria during the Napoleonic Wars. Despite his initial reluctance, Boris accidentally becomes a war hero. He then returns home and ends up marrying his widowed cousin Sonja, who reluctantly promises to marry him for one night in order to make him happy before he potentially dies in a duel. However, much to her dismay, Boris survives the duel and their marriage is characterized by philosophical discussions but financial ...

Happy Days (1974–1984), an American sitcom, originally aired on the ABC network for 11 seasons from January 15, 1974 to July 19, 1984. Created by Garry Marshall, it quickly became one of the most successful shows of the 70s. Based in Milwaukee during the 50s, the series follows teenager Richie Cunningham and his family: his father Howard who runs a hardware store, traditional stay-at-home mother Marion, younger sister Joanie, and older brother Chuck (who only appears in seasons 1 and 2). The Cunninghams also have a tenant who is both cool and suave – mechanic Fonzie – who eventually becomes Richie’s ...

Swept Away (1974), the Italian romantic adventure comedy drama written and directed by Lina Wertmüller, tells the story of a wealthy woman named Raffaella Pavone Lanzetti who is vacationing on a yacht in the Mediterranean Sea with friends. While enjoying activities such as swimming and sunbathing, Raffaella also proudly espouses her beliefs about her social class and dismisses the political left. This angers Gennarino, one of the deckhands who is a dedicated communist but keeps his opinions to himself to maintain his job. Despite Raffaella’s insulting behavior, she convinces Gennarino to take her out on a dinghy ...

Sleeper (1973), directed and starring Woody Allen, is an American science fiction comedy film. Miles Monroe, a jazz musician and owner of the ‘Happy Carrot’ health-food store in New York City’s Greenwich Village, undergoes a routine operation at a hospital in 1973 which unfortunately goes awry. This leads to his cryopreservation for 200 years. In 2173, two scientists illegally revive him as they are part of an underground rebellion. This group is at odds with the police state that the United States has become due to the destruction caused by ‘a man named Albert Shanker obtaining a nuclear ...