Seeking A Friend For The End of The World
To celebrate the DVD and Blu-ray release of ‘Seeking a friend for the end of the world’ the apocalypse comedy, starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, we’ve put together a list of quirky comedies, which has entertained cinema audiences.
- Some Like It Hot (1959)
One of Billy Wilder’s best loved movies, Some Like it Hot sees Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon play two struggling musicians, who after witnessing a gangland massacre take to the road with Sweet Sue and her Society Syncopators under the female guise of Josephine and Daphne .
While en route to the sunny and safer climes of Florida, they meet Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe) with whom, they both immediately fall in love.
Unable to make their move dressed as the women, they enact an elaborate series of gender-bending ruses in order to get close to her and get one up on each other. But the arrival of Spats Colombo, the perpetrator of the murder signals the beginnings of a farce worthy of Noel Coward.
Most memorable moment - ‘Nobody’s Perfect.’ Needs no explanation.
- This is Spinal Tap (1984)
This 1984 mockumentary about Spinal Tap, a British metal band’s comeback tour, is widely considered to be one of the greatest comedies ever!
As you watch the aforementioned band trawl through dive venues, suffer declining sales and are subjected to terrible reviews, the totally deadpan performances of Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer will have you curled up in stitches.
From their catchy tunes; Big Bottom, Stonehenge and Sex Farm to philosophical discussion and their long history of unfortunate drummers, This is Spinal Tap is a magical, mystery tour of quotable line, hilarious scene and great characterisation!
Most memorable moment - McKean’s killer line delivery ; ‘I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. I think that the problem *may* have been, that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being *crushed* by a *dwarf*.’
- The Princess Bride (1987)
Written by one of Hollywood’s veteran screenwriters, William Goldman of Butch Cassidy fame, this 1987 gem of a movie still stands today as one of the most original, humorous and bizarre comedy adventures to date.
This film has it all; quicksand; fire swamps; giants; monsters and, errr ‘Rodents of Unusual Size.’
Structured as a story-within-a-story, complete with star turns by the swashbuckling Cary Elwes and enchanting Robin Wright who appear as the ill-fated lovers. It’s a perfect romantic comedy.
Our couple fall in love instantly, there is no need for words and as an audience member, you don’t want to hear them.
Under the meticulous direction of Rob Reiner (his second film in the top 5, the other being Spinal Tap) Chris’ Sarandon and Guest shine as the dastardly Prince Humperdinck and Count Tyrone Rugen and top it off with one of cinema’s finest cameos (Billy Crystal, in case you’re wondering) and you have the perfect, quirky, fairytale comedy (if there is such a genre.)
Most memorable moment - Go on, you know you want to; ‘Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.’
- Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Long before he was cast as Alfred Pennyworth in Nolan’s Batman Legacy, Caine took on the task of playing sophisticated swindler Lawrence Jamieson, an Englishman living off a series of very wealthy women in the French Riviera.
That is, until small-time con man Freddy Benson arrives. Stepping on Jamieson’s toes and in turn, his living, the two men compete to win the right to stay, in a ‘loser leaves’ wager.
Most memorable moment - In Frank Oz’s comedy classic, Caine is the perfect foil to Martin’s clumsy, awkward grifter and the scenes in which Martin is forced to participate as Ruprecht, Jamieson’s mentally challenged and socially inept brother are some of its best.
- Fargo (1996)
This darkly comic Coen Brothers’ film was noted for its title card, which claimed that the following events were based on a true story. Of course, it wasn’t.
The story of Jerry Lundegaard’s bumbling attempts to organise the kidnapping of his wealthy wife unfolds slowly before the viewers disbelieving eyes, but it’s the role of Marge Gunderson by Frances McDormand which really gives this film both warmth and humour.
The persistent and heavily pregnant Police Chief knows that something is amiss as she endeavours to get to the bottom of the case.
Most memorable moment - The sight of Gaear, a shockingly blonde Peter Stormare, feeding the remains of somebody (we won’t spoil it for you) into a wood chipper!
Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World is out to own on DVD and Blu-ray on 5th November.