Quirky sports films that hit the target

When you give the likes of gag gurus Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield licence to push the mirth-o-meter up to 10 on screen, allied with character names as class as Carl Spackler, there can only be one result.

Despite the likes of Adam Sandler's trip to the tee in Happy Gilmore and smooth Costner comedy Tin Cup, it's this early 80s classic that put the gentleman's game firmly on the sporting celluloid map.

Tennis, and a romance taking place upon the pristine lawns of Wimbledon, may not leap out at you as perfect fodder for a hit movie. But lots of even odder, obscure, bizarre sports have been the subject of movies and generated moolah to boot.

When Will Ferrell created a host of memorable comedy characters on Saturday Night Live, including taking part in the hysterical cowbell sketch, it was only a matter of time before he converted it into box-office success on the big screen.

Old School, Elf and Anchorman duly delivered that to his door however his one-two-three punch of this NASCAR racing dose of drivel, patchy Blades of Glory and luke-warm basketball outing Semi-Pro suggests he's better off looking elsewhere for inspiration.

Ok, so baseball is hardly weird or marginal to Americans (it is one of their national sport after all) but it still seems confusing and alien to us despite the fact we hold cricket dear to our hearts.

There have been a phalanx of baseball films down the years like The Natural and A League of Their Own. However, this Kevin Costner vehicle hits it out the stadium for a home run thanks to Costner's charm, Sarandon's sexiness and Robbins' goofball.

After tearing up the fairways, quite literally, in Caddyshack, the Billster returned to the sports arena for one of the funniest movies ever in this Farrelly Brothers side splitter when they were at the peak of their powers.

Muzza's turn as sneering Ernie McCracken has entered movie folklore, not only for his crazy hair, but the rumour he improvised every single line. Quality backup from Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Vanessa Angel's chest is the cream on the cake.

Snooker is a strange sport populated by strange people, who routinely make watching paint dry a better entertainment proposition. So it is in keeping that the ultimate snooker film is also very, very strange.

Starring Brit character actor Phil Daniels as The Kid, and made by acclaimed Scum director Alan Clarke, it's a thriller, a comedy and a musical. It really has to be seen to be believed, if you can even track down a copy.

We're not sure who decided that the world of Crown Green Bowls needed to be taken down a peg or two - but they probably wish they hadn't bothered after concocting this preposterous tat.

With Paul Kaye lowering himself from the heights of Dennis Pennis to star alongside Johnny Vegas and a confused Vince Vaughn, the film failed to improve the lot of professional bowls, or British film comedies in general.

This John Candy heart-warmer took some major liberties with the so-called true story of the Jamaican bobsled team's exploits at the Winter Olympics, en route to reaching worldwide cinemas.

But no-one seemed to mind as the Disney production took over $150 million at the box office and cemented Candy's place in our hearts as one of the most talented comedians to grace the screen.

OK, so dodgeball isn't really a sport, more of a torture devised by American gym teachers to destroy the lives of weaklings across the land. But that didn't stop moustachioed Ben Stiller turning it into a tale of true underdog triumph.

With Vince Vaughn parlaying his comic schtick to great effect as the rival gym owner, and Rip Torn leading a ragtag gang of quality laughter support, there was only one way the box office was going and it wasn't down.

It never should have worked. Bill and Ted's Keanu Reeves, Dirty Dancer Patrick Swayze and gummy-mouthed Gary Busey in an action thriller set against the backdrop of surfing. But it does.

Famous for the legendary dog throwing scene, the cheesy thrill flick has become a beloved cult classic thanks in part to the presence of serial hipsters the Red Hot Chilli Peppers throughout.

Not just the greatest marginal sports film - but possibly the best sports film ever to round off our selection of sporting behemoths at the end of a long, old week in the working trenches for one and all.

The story of a broke, failing ice hockey team doesn't seem to add up to much on paper, but throw in some insane characters, brutal action, male striptease on ice and possibly the finest actor ever in Paul Newman and we've got a classic.