Exclusive: Paul Rudd recommends these classic comedies

Last Updated on March 26, 2024

Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon, who are out promoting Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Both Rudd and Coon have been outspoken in their love of the original Ghostbusters, as well as the original cast, and I couldn’t help but put them both on the spot a little bit. Given that young audiences are discovering the original Ghostbusters thanks to these new movies, I wondered which classic comedy featuring some of the cast Rudd and Coon might suggest younger audiences check out next.

“I love so many of them. I might say Stripes because of the Harold Ramis connection there. But, you can also do Groundhog Day because of the Harold Ramis connection. Or Caddyshack. I mean, my God, there’s so many! And with Aykroyd, The Blues Brothers is obviously such a major thing.” 

Coon also chimed in, mentioning that the old SCTV stuff featuring Ramis as part of the ensemble is well worth checking out. “That’s all so funny, that’s great stuff,” said Coon. 

Rudd added, “Yeah and then you can say, ‘Oh, you like Rick Moranis? You think he’s funny? Look at this!”

All that makes me wonder, what Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd movies are essential? Certainly, Rudd is right in citing Stripes, as without that movie being a hit, I wonder if Ghostbusters would have ever been made. It was also directed by Ghostbusters’ director Ivan Reitman. And speaking of Reitman, how about Meatballs? It’s maybe more dated than some of the others, but it’s worth checking out. Caddyshack is also a stone-cold classic, and Groundhog Day is a masterpiece. As for Aykroyd, Blues Brothers remains a staple, and I’d also add Trading Places with Eddie Murphy to that list. Heck, if you want to get really weird and take a deep dive into his stuff, you might want to check out Nothing But Trouble, which he also directed, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Indeed, all involved made many classics well worth checking out. 

Which comedies listed here would you say are essential? Let us know in the comments!