There are many subgenres of comedy movies, but the one that picked up a lot of steam and left behind countless classics from the 1970s through the 1990s was the gross-out comedy. These movies mostly consisted of gross-out humor that had audiences squirming in their seats, scared of how far the filmmakers were going to go.
These are movies that initially featured taboo subject matter that didn't exist in cinema during the days of the Hays Code, and when the code went away, the moral guidelines disappeared. Roaring into Hollywood were movies that proved that nothing was off-limits, no matter how gross or disgusting.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
- Available to stream on Prime Video.
Jim Carey had proven he was funny in the sketch comedy series In Living Color, and he offered up some of his gross-out humor there, with Fire Marshall Bill a perfect example. In his breakout movie role, Carey went all in as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
The movie is not one that would pass the vibe check today, as it delivers some plainly offensive jokes, including the fact that the central whodunit centers on a transgender character, a "plot twist" that leads to blatant transphobia in the movie's climax. But there's no denying it was a massive hit, spawning a sequel and an animated series.
American Pie (1999)
- Available to rent on Apple TV.
One of the most successful gross-out comedies of the 1990s was American Pie, which hit theaters in 1999. Following in the tradition of National Lampoon movies, American Pie brought a group of teenagers together with the teenage male character making a pact to lose their virginity before prom.
The most popular gross-out scene in the movie involved Jim humping the apple pie in the kitchen. However, there was an even grosser scene with Stifler and his beer at the party. Finch's toilet issues also created a funny moment, and the popularity of the movie resulted in many sequels, most of which arrived with diminishing returns.
Pink Flamingos (1972)
- Not available to stream anywhere.
The gross-out comedy that started it all arrived in 1972 with Pink Flamingos. Directed by John Waters, who built his career on gross-out comedies, the movie follows the life of Devine's Babs Johnson, known as "the filthiest person alive."
While most gross-out comedies that followed had the gross gags surrounded by great jokes, Waters went all in on just making the audience as disgusted as possible, including the scene of Babs eating fresh dog poo.
There's Something About Mary (1998)
- Available to stream on Starz.
There's Something About Mary was one of the most star-studded gross-out comedies of the 1990s. It not only featured huge stars like Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller, but also a hilarious Matt Dillon and non-acting celebrities like NFL quarterback Brett Favre.
The movie started out with a gross-out gag involving Ben Stiller's Ted getting himself caught in the zipper of his pants and going to the hospital while Mary's brother yells "pork and beans." The biggest moment that brought the most laughs in There's Something About Mary involved Mary mistaking Ted's semen for hair gel and wearing it through their date.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
- Available to stream on HBO Max.
Jim Carey was one of the top comedy draws in the 1990s, and the 1994 hit gross-out comedy Dumb and Dumber remains one of his most beloved releases. The movie focuses on best friends Harry and Lloyd, who are, as the title suggests, as dumb as they come.
However, they were also hapless and just wanted love. The jokes came a mile a minute, including Lloyd struggling at a woman's house after taking a laxative. Between the humor and the sound effects, it is one of the most disgusting moments in Farrelly Brothers movies.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
- Available to stream on Paramount+.
In 1999, Matt Stone and Trey Parker brought their hit cartoon South Park to the big screen with South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. The title alone should have let people know what to expect, as the gross-out comedy was right there in the double-entendre title.
The movie was also a musical, with an Oscar-nominated song. There was also a lot of bad language, dirty jokes, and the fact that Satan and Saddam Hussein are depicted as lovers in hell.
The Hangover (2009)
- Available to stream on HBO Max.
The Hangover started out with a lot of laughs and it never let up. The opening credit scene of the movie had photos from the night in question flashing on the screen with shocking, disturbing, gross, and hilarious moments playing out for the viewer.
After this, the three friends had to retrace their movement the night of the bachelor party and find the missing groom before the wedding. Along the way, all the gross photos played out as they learned how low and depraved they went on that mysterious night. It ended up taking the crown as the most profitable R-rated comedy of all time.
Bridesmaids (2011)
- Available to rent on Apple TV.
Bridesmaids was more than just a female-centric version of The Hangover. In some ways, it was funnier than The Hangover and it surpassed all the prior movie's sequels. In this, a perfect cast delivers some truly disgusting jokes as they head to the big wedding day.
There are poo gags, specifically in the spotless bridal store where the women pay for the meal they had enjoyed. This entire scene was a riot that ranks among the greatest gross-out moments in movie history.
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life (1983)
- Available to rent on Apple TV.
Monty Python made movies that offered offensive humor tempered by the comedy troupe's absurdist bent. However, the movies never veered into gross-out comedy until 1983 with the release of The Meaning of Life. This was their final movie, and they used the opportunity to throw everything at the audience.
The movie mostly traced the stages of a human's life, starting with a baby pulled out of his mother's womb while a butcher's knife cuts the umbilical cord. There are organ transplants and even a man who explodes after eating too much.
Animal House (1978)
- Available to rent on Apple TV.
National Lampoon built its production company on gross-out comedies, and it all started with its 1978 release of Animal House. While Pink Flamingos started the subgenre, Animal House mastered it. The movie took place at Washington University with a snobby fraternity clashing with a frat full of losers.
John Belushi offered a masterclass of physical humor here, especially in the scene where he fills his face full of food before smashing his cheeks and shooting out mashed potatoes, calling himself a zit. Add in projectile vomiting and low-brow jokes, and this is the movie that launched gross-out comedies to mainstream success.