Top 10 Comedy Movies That Could Never Be Made Today

A cult film, “Heathers” rose in status and popularity in the years after its release, eventually even becoming the basis for an off-Broadway musical and a TV series. There are some wonderful moments in this dark comedy, as well as great performances by Winona Ryder and Christian Slater that still pack a punch. But “Heathers” opened in 1989, when mass murders in a school setting still felt like a hard-to-believe and an extremely rare occurrence. Sadly, the surge in violence since then makes the film - especially the ending - a much more challenging and uncomfortable viewing experience.

Based on a 1976 French film, “The Toy” is about the young son of an enormously wealthy man who purchases a person as his personal property - essentially, his toy. Much was altered in the journey from Paris to Hollywood, but the most notable change was the toy going from being a white actor in the French version to black comedy icon Richard Pryor in the American remake. Perhaps, at the time, Pryor felt that the story might serve as a compelling reminder of slavery in the United States. Unfortunately, any attempt at social commentary feels wholly undermined by the film’s cheap comedy. The premise is, quite simply, way too troubling to ever get greenlit today.

The low-budget “Porky’s” became a massive hit in 1981, spawning two sequels and eventually a reboot. Teenagers today may take a look at it and just wonder what their parents and grandparents were thinking. The low-brow humor is one thing, but there are many elements that make it doubtful the film could or would be made today. Chief among these is a scene - once considered a high point at the time - in which our young protagonists use a peephole to spy on girls showering. The film’s sexist stereotyping of the female coach, not to mention the lengths SHE’LL go to in order to catch the boys, are equally unpalatable.

Molly Ringwald is incredible as Sam and there are many on-point moments in “Sixteen Candles”. But unfortunately it also has some fatal flaws. Hopefully, no film would ever get made today with an Asian caricature like Long Duk Dong; yes, his name alone is now enough to make anyone cringe. The subplot, which culminates in Ted and friends selling the chance for other boys to see Sam’s underwear is also...um...problematic. But more so is the spectre of date rape which hangs over Ted and an obviously drunk Caroline.

Throughout the history of the entertainment industry, there have been countless examples of white performers donning blackface, or adopting insulting black stereotypes for laughs. As such, with two black men in whiteface, “White Chicks” COULD be seen as payback. But even if a studio decided to do whiteface today, the film’s attitudes toward women would make it a non-starter. “White Chicks” revels in female stereotypes; body image issues and objectification are all played for comedic effect. Sure, the intention may be satirical; but it would have to be played at a much higher level to work today.

With their off-the-wall sensibility, the Monty Python comedy troupe took on many sacred cows over the years. With “Life of Brian,” which focused on a neighbor of Jesus’ who’s mistaken for the Messiah, they did so quite literally. Upon its release in 1979, the film received a great deal of criticism and condemnation from those who didn’t think religion in general, and the Judeo-Christian tradition in particular, was a fit subject for a rude comedy. The lighthearted treatment of crucifixion was especially controversial, but the very concept behind “Life of Brian” might be too risky for studios to touch.

Isn’t it just hilarious when the hero of a story tries to win a girl by disguising himself as the girl’s boyfriend and having sex with her? Not laughing? No one should be! It’s called “rape-by-fraud” or “rape-by-deception”. Yeah, not exactly quality comedy material. And neither is surreptitiously taking nude pictures of sorority girls. Obviously, “Revenge of the Nerds” couldn’t be made now in its original form - at least one hopes not. All the aforementioned issues, paired with overt sexism throughout the film, make it uncomfortable to sit through today.

In some ways, it’s surprising that “Borat” was ever made. Deliberately provocative and taking in-your-face comedy to a new level, the film was designed to insult and mock - and it certainly worked as designed! The list of those it pokes fun at includes feminists, Arabs, Romanians, Jews, Baywatch fans, conservatives, liberals, politicians, southerners, and Christianity, and it may even have played a role in the break-up of Pamela Anderson’s marriage. None of this would help the project get greenlit nowadays, but the biggest obstacle may simply be the outrage the film provoked from the Arab world. No studio wants to anger a foreign market, which may strike back by preventing distribution of future films in their countries.

At its heart, “Soul Man” is a well-intentioned but thoroughly misguided film that aims to reveal how white people don’t understand the level of racism faced by people of color. Unfortunately, it seeks to make its point by having its entitled lead white character don blackface to pass as African-American. By doing so, he wins a scholarship that would have gone to an actual black student. And though he eventually forfeits it by telling the truth, it takes way too long for him to do the right thing and only after his double life proves too complicated. In this day and age, the use of blackface is acknowledged to be so repellent that it would make the film a total non-starter.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.

“Partners” (1982)
In Which Gay Stereotypes Abound

“The Jerk” (1979)
The Comedy Around Race Hasn’t Aged Well

“Weird Science” (1985)
Terrorizing Girls So They Can Be Rescued

“Zapped!” (1982)
Taking Sexual Photos Without Permission

Mel Brooks’ anything-for-a-laugh, can’t-be-big-enough style creates a level of zaniness that can be downright hypnotic. But Brooks, believing basically that there’s nothing that can’t or shouldn’t be the subject of a joke, throws all political correctness to the wind in “Blazing Saddles”. Most problematic is the liberal use of the n-word in this tale of a black sheriff in the otherwise-white Old West - even though the sheriff is the smartest guy around. Also objectionable is a joke about rape, as well as material that could anger Native Americans, the LGBTQ community, women, the Irish - you get the picture. If this script landed in a producer’s office today, they couldn’t get rid of it fast enough.