The 5 Spot: The Best Comedies from SNL Alum

The famed Saturday Night Live has spawned the careers of dozens of actors and writers and comedians. It has also vomited out a number of un-stomachable movies like It's Pat, Corky Ramano, and Superstar. Some of the cast members have gone on to have illustrious film careers and have participated in, what I think to be, some of the funniest movies of all time. Here's a list of my Top 5 (not necessarily in order as my tastes change from day to day) and I am sure your list is different so feel free to let me know which ones I mercilessly glossed over.



#5- Christopher Guest and Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride
This fairy tale of a movie has a little something for everyone. It is an adventure, a comedy, a romance and it is probably the most quotable movie of all time. I didn't really get this as a kid when it was in its hay-day of popularity, but when I watched it when I was a little older, I was blown away by how ridiculously good everything was. It was directed by the wonderful Rob Reiner (an SNL Host in its first season) and it might just be one of the best films ever made, and I mean it. Anybody want a peanut?





#4- Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd in Ghostbusters
My favorite flavor of Hi-C juiceboxes is Ecto-Cooler, and this is why. Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis buddy up to fight meta-crime in this 80s classic. They are the underdogs as nobody wants to believe that a group of ghost hunters is needed in NY, but the Key Master has other plans! Zuul and Gozer are ready to party so strap in for a good time.






#3- Chevy Chase in Fletch
If you are the kind of person who enjoys good, overly sarcastic, and biting wit, then you need to look no further than this Chevy gem. I have often been quoted as saying I think this might be the funniest movie of all time. As Fletch, Chevy brings new and wonderful meaning to identity theft. Again, as with the rest of these great comedies, this is incredibly quotable.





#2- Martin Short, Chevy Chase, and Steve Martin in The Three Amigos
There are a lot of things that I liked as a child that make me want to cringe these days. This amazing tale of three Mexi-can'ts named Dusty Bottoms, Ned Nederlander, and Lucky Day is not one of them. This was one of my favorite movies as a child, and for good reason. Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Chevy Chase reign in their collective comediac brilliance and inject it into this Western send-up. Beware: the invisible swordsmen is not as invincible as he sounds, and, No, tequila is not like beer.




#1- Steve Martin in The Jerk
What can you say about this zany tale of Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) who was born a poor, black child in Mississippi and upon learning that he wasn't a natural born child he embarks on a journey due to the horror of finding out he was going to stay that color. He gets everything you could ever want and loses it and lives to tell about it. It's not like he really needed all that stuff. He doesn't really need anything except maybe the ashtray. Yeah, the ashtray and the paddle game. He'll be content with the ashtray, and the paddle game, and this lamp, and...




All Rated: A





Honorable Mention: Chris Farley and David Spade in Tommy Boy; Bill Murray in everything else he ever did; Christopher Guest and Michael McKean in This Is Spinal Tap, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and Waiting for Guffman. I'm sure there's more too...