This weekend, low-brow comedy fans will be coming out in droves to watch Todd Phillips' The Hangover, a movie about a crew of guys who wake up in the aftermath of a booze and hooker filled night to a baby, a tiger, some missing teeth and wedding bands. The concept itself is whatevs, but having Zach Galifianakis in anything makes it a must see. We'll have a full review of the film on Friday morning, so watch Galifiniakis' Between Two Ferns while you wait (seriously, do it).
The Hangover reminds us of a few things: Vegas is awesome for the first 8 hours you're there, bachelor parties can be the most awesome/most awkward few days of your life, and next time you play Best Man, there are a few things that are absolute musts: boobs, booze, drugs, and donkeys. The Hangover isn't the first big screen banger to capitalize on these uber-American themes—hit the jump for our 5 favorite bachelor party movies of all time...
#5: How to Murder Your Wife (1965)
• The classic cautionary tale: never tell a stripper/cake jumper you want to marry them. Never tell them anything, for that matter. Jack Lemmon kills it, classic 1960s, "I hate my wife" fodder that defined the great tuxedo/booze/smoking sessions of the time.
#4: The Best Man
• Terrence Howard's first real breakout role came courtesy of Spike Lee's cousin Malcom D. Lee, who put together this classic late '90s ensemble comedy. Granted, the PG-13 rating and "romantic comedy" stamp make the bachelor shenanigans relatively tame, but a stripper/college student named Candy and a heated brawl between the groom and the best man make this one worth watching. Oh yeah, and Nia Long was still the hottest chick in the game back then.
#3: Clerks II
• When Randall is about to ditch his hometown Jersey homies to marry "the woman of his dreams" Jay and Silent Bob throw down at the Mooby's for good friends, beers, and...a dude having sex with a donkey. Kidding! This movie is awesome because Rosario Dawson admits going from ass to mouth once in a while.
#2: Very Bad Things
• There's all kinds of awesome characters in this one: Jeremy Piven, Christian Slater, and a bunch of cocaine. After the killing of the hooker, played by Kobe Tai, it gets nuts, but hey, a great movie for sitting awkwardly next to your fiance before your flight leaves. Do you want this to be your bachelor party? Probably not, but that's why it's a movie.
#1: Bachelor Party
• The movie that started it all. Really. Which is why it's taken over 20 years for anyone to even attempt to make something along the same lines (Bachelor Party 2 doesn't count). From a donkey snorting drugs and dying in an elevator to a penthouse full of stripper/prostitutes, this movie is the bachelor party paradigm. Required viewing for any best man, and for anyone who wants to see one of the great tennis scenes of all time.
