Comedy has been a part of movies for longer than many realize: The film that’s recognized as the first comedy is “L’Arroseur Arrosé” from 1895. For more than 130 years, people have been going to see movies to make them laugh, and every decade has exceptional examples. Back in the silent era, you had people like Charlie Chaplin performing vaudevillian-style slapstick for the masses.
Over time, comedies evolved into more complex narratives littered with topical humor of the period, and while every decade has plenty to laugh about, the genre changed in the 1980s. Comedies got a little raunchier; they leaned into gratuitous nudity and were reflective of the times. This was the era when directors like John Hughes, Ivan Reitman, and John Landis filmed comedy gold.
Determining which ’80s comedy is the best is subjective, but for many, there’s a consensus. Movies that had an impact on popular culture and those that influenced the genre are among the best comedies of the 1980s. The 15 ’80s comedy movies featured here were ranked using an aggregate of their IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes scores.
15. Spaceballs
“Spaceballs” is the kind of tongue-in-cheek takedown of all things science fiction that you could only get from director Mel Brooks. It parodies plenty of sci-fi movies, but primarily, it’s “Star Wars,” and Brooks got permission to make it directly from George Lucas himself. The only condition was that he couldn’t create any kind of toy line or merchandising, which is why it’s such a funny and oft-referenced plot point throughout “Spaceballs.” Every character, location, and prop is purposefully included for a gag of some kind.
Like Brooks’ other films, “Spaceballs” is riddled with quotes fans have been quipping for decades. The number of comedy legends in the cast all but assured the movie’s success. Despite the film’s hilarity and exceptional lampooning of the genre, it’s more of a cult classic than a straight-up hit. “Spaceballs” made decent cash upon release but hasn’t enamored many critics with its unique brand of humor. Regardless, “Spaceballs” stands as a classic example of an ’80s parody done right.
Cast: John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga
Director: Mel Brooks
Rating: PG
Runtime: 96 minutes
14. Police Academy
“Police Academy” answers the question, “What would happen if you loosened police standards because crime is so high?” The answer is a screwball comedy where very little is taken seriously by any of the characters — exactly like “Police Academy.” The movie is sophomoric to a T, thanks largely to Steve Guttenberg’s performance as Cadet Carey Mahoney, who sets the tone of the film and brings the laughs throughout. Essentially, instead of treating the police academy for what it is, Mahoney sees it more as an “Animal House” situation.
While college-esque hijinks are the name of the game, “Police Academy” does follow a narrative structure that ultimately leads to a third-act victory. Despite everything that happens throughout the film, when the excrement hits the air conditioning the newly trained cops manage to save the day. “Police Academy” was a huge success, raking in over 18 times its production budget. That financial accomplishment led to a franchise consisting of seven movies — although they tend to get worse as they continue.
Cast: Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall
Director: Hugh Wilson
Rating: R
Runtime: 96 minutes
13. Weird Science
Director John Hughes wrote the script for “Weird Science” in only two days and somehow got backing to make the movie about two high school teenagers who use a incredibly dated personal computer and a Barbie doll to create a sexy genie they hope will fulfill all of their desires. The elevator pitch for “Weird Science” must have been something to hear, because Hughes made the movie, and it went on to become a cult classic.
It has an early performance by Robert Downey Jr., Kelly LeBrock in a perfectly cast role, and plenty of outdated humor that ensures “Weird Science” is one of the many sci-fi movies that have aged terribly. It’s one of those films that you probably love, but introducing it to someone today likely won’t go over as well as you’d hope. Still, there’s no denying that while “Weird Science” is a product of its time, it’s also a classic ’80s comedy.
Cast: Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Kelly LeBrock
Director: John Hughes
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 94 minutes
12. Coming to America
If you’re an Eddie Murphy fan, you probably love how he takes on multiple roles in his films. He does this often, and he began with “Coming to America.” The movie sees Murphy play Prince Akeem, a betrothed young royal who travels to Queens, New York, to find his queen. He takes his best friend, Semmi (Arsenio Hall), and they both play multiple characters. The movie is replete with classic Murphy humor and one-liners that still resonate in the zeitgeist decades after its release.
It’s not your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy — it’s more than that. It’s one of the first hugely successful to feature a mostly Black cast. Because of this, the film is something of a twofer, as it’s a romantic comedy, but it’s also a movie about the Black experience in the United States during the 1980s. It features some of the most talented performers of the era, and much of the movie was improvised by its hilarious stars.
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones
Director: John Landis
Rating: PG
Runtime: 117 minutes
11. Caddyshack
Harold Ramis directed plenty of films throughout his career, and it all started with “Caddyshack.” The movie features an impressive cast and has several interconnected subplots. One of the most memorable is Bill Murray as greenskeeper Carl, who engages in wanton destruction in his quest to kill a gopher. The main narrative revolves around a caddy scholarship and a tournament between the uptight old-money club member and the obnoxious new-money jerk, played by Rodney Dangerfield.
There’s even a scene with some scatological humor and a Baby Ruth candy bar, so there are plenty of laughs to go around in “Caddyshack.” The movie was a hit, pulling in more than six times its production budget. There are a plenty of golf movies out there, and even a few comedies like “Happy Gilmore,” but “Caddyshack” stands above the rest as one of the best golf movies of all time. It has everything you want in an ’80s comedy: It’s raunchy, and has a puppet gopher that steals the show.
Cast: Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield
Director: Harold Ramis
Rating: R
Runtime: 98 minutes
10. Better Off Dead
John Cusack starred in several teenage black comedies during the 1980s, and “Better Off Dead” is an excellent example of the period’s comedy. The film is surreal and leans into absurdist humor throughout most of the sight gags, of which there are many. The main narrative follows Lane Meyer (Cusack), a recently-dumped ski-obsessed teenager who falls for his neighbor’s foreign exchange student and goes up against the town bully in a race down the local mountain.
This is the film that gave the world “I want my two dollars,” thanks to Johnny (Demian Slade), a neighborhood newspaper delivery boy who will stop at nothing to get paid. While not his first movie, “Better Off Dead” brought Cusack to more people’s attention, and his career benefitted greatly. That said, it wasn’t well received upon release, but it developed a sizable cult following and is now regarded as a hilarious ’80s movie filled with tropes of the era that don’t age well but are objectively humorous.
Cast: John Cusack, Diane Franklin
Director: Savage Steve Holland
Rating: PG
Runtime: 97 minutes
9. Back to School
These days, it’s perfectly normal for adults to attend college, but in 1986, it was unusual enough to become a movie’s plot. “Back to School” sees Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield) return to college to encourage his wayward son to remain in school. Thornton is a wealthy businessman who rubs his professors the wrong way, having bribed his way into the institution. Robert Downey Jr. plays the eccentric roommate of Thornton’s son, and the film climaxes with Dangerfield performing a ludicrously impossible dive called the Triple Lindy.
On the surface, “Back to School” is a familiar format for a comedy film in the ’80s, but it’s aided by Dangerfield’s inimitable comedic boisterousness and impeccable timing. He’s always fully on in the movie, and it’s all the better for it. Without Dangerfield, the film would likely be formulaic and unimpressive, but the comedy master absolutely steals every scene, as he clearly has fun bringing his iconic character to life on the silver screen.
Cast: Rodney Dangerfield, Sally Kellerman
Director: Alan Metter
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 96 minutes
8. Adventures in Babysitting
Director Chris Columbus had his directorial debut with “Adventures in Babysitting” in 1987, establishing a style that would continue throughout his career. The film centers around Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue), who babysits the neighbor’s kids while their parents party in Chicago. When her friend is in trouble, Chris takes the children into the city, where absolutely everything that could possibly go wrong does so in funny yet surprisingly dangerous ways. They even meet a mechanic the youngest child believes is Thor, but it’s just Vincent D’Onofrio (or is it?).
“Adventures in Babysitting” is the kind of ’80s family-friendly comedy that doesn’t get a lot of attention these days, as it’s often overlooked for the raunchier fare. It was Shue’s first major role as a lead, and it features an early performance by Anthony Rapp. While the movie didn’t blow away the box office, it helped to establish Columbus and Shue as serious contenders in the business and remains a beloved cult classic decades after its release.
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp
Director: Chris Columbus
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 102 minutes
7. Stripes
It’s never been uncommon to lampoon the military, and you don’t need to look much further than “M*A*S*H,” “Hogan’s Heroes,” or “Not Time For Sergeants” for some top-tier examples. One film that perhaps doesn’t get as much attention is “Stripes,” an Ivan Reitman-directed military comedy that doesn’t pull its punches. The movie revolves around a couple of ne’er-do-wells who decide to join the Army to try and turn their lives around, as they don’t have jobs, girlfriends, or anything else to speak of.
They don’t take it very seriously, clashing with their drill sergeant throughout basic training. After the training ends, they’re assigned to guard a so-called Urban Assault Vehicle, which they steal. This leads to some light treason and the crossing of the Iron Curtain before everyone involved is hailed as a hero upon returning home. What makes “Stripes” such a fun movie is that it doesn’t even attempt to take itself seriously, and even the well-disciplined military types are caricatures of how real soldiers act.
Cast: Bill Murray, Harold Ramis
Director: Ivan Reitman
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 minutes
6. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
For many who grew up in the decade, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is the quintessential ’80s teen comedy. The film is about the titular high school student who fakes being sick to get out of going to school. This triggers his principal, who spends the entire movie trying to track Ferris (Matthew Broderick) down to expose him so he can’t graduate.
For some reason, the entire town rallies behind Ferris, as they’ve come to believe he’s dying of some unnamed disease. This upsets his sister (Jennifer Grey) and leads to a hilarious confrontation at their house after a daring dash to return before Ferris is busted. The film is incredibly funny with unusual situations that seem just on the edge of surreal, and there’s no denying it influenced the teen comedy format and popular culture as a whole.
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck
Director: John Hughes
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 103 minutes
Where to watch: Tubi, YouTube, Paramount+
5. Trading Places
Eddie Murphy went from “Saturday Night Live” to starring in “48 Hrs.,” which he followed with “Trading Places.” The film is about taking a stockbroker with a permanent silver spoon in his mouth and swapping him out for a homeless man with nothing to his name. They lead their new lives, one toward their newfound fortune and the other in hopeless desperation, before coming together to take down the two wealthy brothers who set them on their path. Interestingly, the film features an excellent example of insider trading on Wall Street.
Of course, that’s not what makes “Trading Places” special: It’s primarily the cast, which includes Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy, who make the film a memorable ’80s comedy. Their chemistry give the film much of its panache, and it’s unfortunate they never acted together again after “Trading Places.” Pretty much everyone in the movie had their careers either launched or reinvigorated by appearing in the film, and gave Jamie Lee Curtis the chance to prove she was more than just a scream queen.
Cast: Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy
Director: John Landis
Rating: R
Runtime: 118 minutes
4. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Traveling is often a challenging and frustrating affair, and that’s basically the whole premise of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” Steve Martin plays Neal, an executive who desperately wants to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving so he can be with his family. He’s annoyed and harassed along the way by Del (John Candy), a boisterous man who latches onto Neal for dear life, costing him everything as they somehow become friends along the way.
It’s a feel-good film that includes a scene where Martin drops almost as many F-bombs as you’d expect in a Quentin Tarantino movie — 18 in under two minutes. In the end, Del is accepted as family, which makes the journey all the more rewarding. While the silly situations and unusually close innuendos are certainly funny, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” stands the test of time because it’s relatable. Everyone’s had a hard travel day at least once in their lives, and most people run into a Del sooner or later.
Cast: Steve Martin, John Candy
Director: John Hughes
Rating: R
Runtime: 93 minutes
3. National Lampoon’s Vacation
Cross-country road trips can be fun, but not if you’re Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and all you’ve ever wanted to do is take your family to Wally World. That’s what happens in “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” and if anything could go wrong on the trip, it absolutely and hilariously does. Even before the family leaves the garage, all of the luggage is smashed off the ridiculously hideous car’s roof, setting the tone for what follows.
There’s some light infidelity, a dead family member nobody likes, and when they get to the park, of course, it’s closed. “National Lampoon’s Vacation” was a huge hit upon release, and it went on to spawn five sequels. Watching the “National Lampoon Vacation” movies in order is a great way to dive into the franchise, though the first is the best of them all. One of the greatest gags of the franchise is that, while the adults remain the same, the children are played by different actors in each movie.
Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo
Director: Harold Ramis
Rating: R
Runtime: 98 minutes
2. Ghostbusters
It’s not uncommon for movies to delve into multiple genres, but it’s rare for horror and comedy to come together and produce anything but a parody. Somehow, “Ghostbusters” not only managed to cram the two antithetical genres into a single film, but it also established a massive franchise that’s beloved decades later. “Ghostbusters” follows a group of self-described ghost exterminators who form a business in New York City to deal with the growing ghost problem plaguing their town.
Few films are as era-defining and as permanently affixed into a culture’s zeitgeist as “Ghostbusters.” Odds are, if you walk up to a random person on the street and ask, “Who you ‘gonna call?”, they might look at you funny, but there’s a good chance they’ll exclaim “Ghostbusters” in response. That’s a movie with staying power, and it developed into an animated series, multiple live-action sequels, toys, and video games. “Ghostbusters” is both a hugely successful franchise and one of the funniest and most innovative comedies of the 1980s.
Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd
Director: Ivan Reitman
Rating: PG
Runtime: 105 minutes
1. Airplane!
There are many bad parodies, but “Airplane!” isn’t one of them. The film is a masterclass in making parodies work, and it remains one of the greatest ever committed to film. There are plenty of jokes in the movie that are relatively benign, like someone having a drinking problem that amounts to splashing their beverage all over their face every time they try to take a sip — a literal drinking problem. Other jokes tie events together from disparate parts of the movie in ways that seem narratively improbable.
Surely, you’ve seen the movie and know the dangers of beginning a sentence this way. For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, “Surely, you can’t be serious.” Running gags and silly slapstick comedy are on full display in “Airplane!” and even though it parodies disaster movies, there’s nothing frightening about the plot or potential plane crash. It’s truly one laugh after the next in what amounts to the best comedy of the decade and one of the best comedy movies of all time.
Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen
Director: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Rating: PG
Runtime: 85 minutes
