Film Criticism Comedy

What is comedy? “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.” –Charlie Chaplin

Greek Comedy Greek comedy was a popular and influential form of theatre performed across ancient Greece from the 6th century BCE. Starting from 425 BCE, Aristophanes, a comic playwright and satirical author of the Ancient Greek Theater wrote the first comedies on record. Aristophanes developed his type of comedy from the earlier satyr plays, which were shamelessly obscene. In ancient Greece, comedy originated in bawdy songs. Around 335 BCE, philosopher Aristotle, in his work Poetics, stated that comedy originated in the light treatment of the otherwise base and ugly.

Lampoon It criticizes an act by using ridicule or sarcasm. The comedies during Greek time would mock celebrities and/or any idea they hate and poke fun at them. They would portray them as looking selfish and stupid.

Shakespearean Comedy Comedy through wordplay— Shakespeare communicated his humor through language. His plays are peppered with wordplay, puns, and insults. He also uses multiple plot twists that typically utilizes mistaken identity, disguises, cross-dressing, and coincidence. In Shakespeare, “comedy” means that the play has a happy ending— usually a wedding.

From Stage to Screen... Charlie Chaplin was the first and best known comic film star. The silent tradition lived on well into the 20th century through mime artists like Marcel Marceau, and the physical comedy of artists like Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean.

Slapstick The name "slapstick" comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the "slap stick" in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in early comedic theater. When struck, the battacchio produces a loud smacking noise, though little force transfers from the object to the person being struck. Actors may thus hit one another repeatedly with great audible effect while causing very little actual physical damage. Along with the inflatable bladder (of which the whoopee cushion is a modern variant), it was among the earliest special effects that a person could carry. In other words, slapstick humor relies on exaggerated physical injury and body-humor, which is why it worked well for silent films. The Three Stooges are famous for this.

Screwball Comedy Screwball comedy derives its humor largely from bizarre, surprising (and improbable) situations or characters.Screwball comedy derives its humor largely from bizarre, surprising (and improbable) situations or characters. Screwball comedyScrewball comedy Screwball comedies often involve mistaken identities or other circumstances in which a character or characters try to keep some important fact a secret. Sometimes screwball comedies feature male characters cross- dressing, further contributing to the misunderstandings.Screwball comedies often involve mistaken identities or other circumstances in which a character or characters try to keep some important fact a secret. Sometimes screwball comedies feature male characters cross- dressing, further contributing to the misunderstandings.

Fish Out of Water In a Fish Out of Water Comedy Film, the main character finds himself in an unusual environment, which drives most of the humor. Situations can be swapping gender.

Parody or spoof A Parody or Spoof Film is a comedy that satirizes other film genres or classic films. Such films employ sarcasm, stereotyping, mockery of scenes from other films, and the obviousness of meaning in a character's actions. Examples of this form include Blazing Saddles (1974), Airplane! (1980), Young Frankenstein (1974) and Scary Movie (2000).

Anarchy! The Anarchic Comedy Film, as its name suggests, is a random or stream-of- consciousness type of humor which often lampoons a form of authority. The genre dates from the silent era, and the most famous examples of this type of film would be those produced by Monty Python. Others include Duck Soup (1933) and National Lampoon's Animal House.

Black Comedy The Black Comedy film deals with normally taboo subjects, including death, murder, intimate relations, suicide, and war in a satirical manner. Dark humor that makes light of so-called dark or evil elements in human nature. Examples include Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Heathers (1989), and Burn After Reading (2008).

Gross Out! Gross Out Films are a relatively recent development and rely heavily on vulgar, sexual, or "toilet" humor. Examples include Porky's (1982), Dumb and Dumber (1994), There's Something About Mary (1998), and American Pie (1999).

Romantic Comedy The Romantic Comedy Film sub-genre typically involves the development of a relationship between a man and a woman. The stereotyped plot line follows the boy-gets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy gets girl back again sequence. Naturally there are innumerable variants to this plot. Most of the generally light-hearted comedy lies in the social interactions and intimate tensions between the pair. Examples of this style of film include It's a Wonderful World(1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Sabrina (1954), Annie Hall (1977), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Pretty Woman(1990), and Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).

Sophomoric Comedy Sophomoric humor aka Juvenile Comedy is a comedy that would normally be expected from an adolescent. This includes bathroom, intimate relations humor, and gags that are based on and appeal to a silly sense of immaturity.

Elements of Comedy Films Irony: –Verbal Irony: Saying one thing and meaning another –Dramatic Irony: The audience knows something a character does not –Situational Irony: Something unexpected happens

Comic Devices Mistaken Identity: Either an intended act of deception or an accident Coincidence: Improbable chance happenings or meetings Surprise & Incongruity: To set up the audience to expect one thing and then surprising them with the unexpected (irony) Hyperbole/Exaggeration: May be used due to strong feelings or is used to create a strong impression and is not meant to be taken literally

Purpose Some comedies are satires--satire and farce both mock society as a political commentary to bring change.Some comedies are satires--satire and farce both mock society as a political commentary to bring change. Some focus on story and entertainment--these are primarily narrative.Some focus on story and entertainment--these are primarily narrative. Others use humor to ask you to consider the human condition--these are primarily philosophical.Others use humor to ask you to consider the human condition--these are primarily philosophical.