Monday 3 April
The Jerk
8:30pm, SBS VICELAND
M
USA, 1979
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Director: Carl Reiner
Starring: Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Catlin Adams
What's it about?
A rags-to-riches-to-rags story, The Jerk showcases some of the finest work by comedy genius Steve Martin. This satire of the American Dream tells the story of Navin (Martin), who believes he was born a poor Black child in Mississippi. When he discovers he's actually white, he heads north to St Louis to find himself, which leads him from one misadventure to another as he invents gadgets, dodges bullets, joins the carnival and finds love, proving that even stupid people can get to the top.
Slap Shot
10:15pm, SBS VICELAND
MA15+
USA, 1977
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Language: English
Director: George Roy Hill
Starring: Paul Newman, Strother Martin, Michael Ontkean
What's it about?
Paul Newman is a past-his-prime player/coach of a loser ice hockey side who uses violence to bring back the crowds to avoid a team sell-off. The tactic works and the team begins to win; their brutal style becomes a cult. A satire on the crass, gimmick-riddled commercialisation of sport encouraged by lucrative TV sales, Slap Shot is arguably one of the funniest sports movie ever made.
Monday 10 April
Young Frankenstein
8:30pm, SBS VICELAND
PG
USA, 1974
Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction
Language: English, German
Director: Mel Brooks
Starring: Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman
What's it about?
Mel Brooks' genius send up of monster movies follows a young neurosurgeon as he inherits the castle of his grandfather, the famous Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. In the castle he finds a funny hunchback called Igor, a pretty lab assistant named Inga and the old housekeeper, Frau Blucher. Young Frankenstein believes that the work of his grandfather was delusional, but when he discovers the book where the mad doctor described his reanimation experiment, he suddenly changes his mind.
Is 'Young Frankenstein' the funniest movie ever made?
Orgazmo
10:30pm, SBS VICELANDAvailable after broadcast at SBS On Demand
MA15+
USA, 1997
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Director: Trey Parker
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, David Dunn
What's it about?
South Park writer Trey Parker lends his acerbic wit to this outrageous comedy about a naive young Mormon who accidentally becomes a porn star. Although Trey Parker wrote, directed and starred in Orgazmo, his South Park cohort Matt Stone is never too far, producing the movie and playing a set photographer in love with our hero. When soon-to-be-married mormon Joe Young knocks on the door of a porn movie producer, he is recruited as a sex superhero using orgasms as a weapon. But his "talents" are soon noticed, and he finds the kind of fame that might not sit well with his fiancée.
Monday 17 April
National Lampoon's Animal House
8:30pm, SBS VICELAND
MA15+
USA, 1978
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Director: John Landis
Starring: John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom
What's it about?
John Landis's classic college jam introduced movie audiences to Saturday Night Live tornado John Belushi, delivering one of his signature performances. Belushi's John "Bluto" Blutarsky is on hand with dubious party-hard advice as the troublemakers of Delta Tau Chi Fraternity plot to fight that lousy, uptight college Dean's plans to expel them. Time hasn't diminished the movie's raucous energy - nor its pioneering use of togas as the quintessential frat fashion.
Jawbreaker
10:30pm, SBS VICELAND
M
USA, 1999Genre: Comedy, Crime
Language: English
Director: Darren Stein
Starring: Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz
What's it about?In this Heathers-style crime comedy, a prank played by three popular girls turns to tragedy when their friend dies, choking on a jawbreaker. The cool and calculating Courtney (Rose McGowan) tries to cover the crime but is found out by school geek Fern Mayo. In return for her silence, Courtney transforms the gawky Fern into the stylishly beautiful Vylette, leaving the conscience-stricken Julie out in the cold, threatening to set her up for the girl's murder if she breaks her silence.
Sunday 7 May
Borat
9:20pm, SBS VICELAND
MA15+
USA, 2006
Genre: Comedy
Language: Hebrew, English, Kazakh
Director: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen
What's it about?
In the cult comedy Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Kazakh journalist 'Borat Sagdiyev' travels to America to make a documentary about American cultural mores (and pursue the woman of his dreams, Pamela Anderson). Travelling across the nation, the vulgar, racist and sexist character meets and offends unsuspecting yanks. All together now:"My wiife!"
Read: 10 years on, 'Borat' is a mirror to our times
The Ringer
10:55pm, SBS VICELAND
M
USA, 2005
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Director: Barry W. Blaustein
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Brian Cox, Katherine Heigl
What's it about?
Fans of the Jackass brand of humour will enjoy this outrageous comedy starring Johnny Knoxville as lovable loser Steve, who pretends to be mentally challenged to rig the upcoming Special Olympics, bring home the gold, and finally pay off his debts. But when Steve's fellow competitors get wise to the con, they inspire him to rise to the greatest challenge of all: becoming a better person.
