Film Comedy: Some Thoughts

[FMJeff]

I guess this would be considered more of a metaphysical/philosophical question that one you could qualitatively measure with any meaningful accuracy, but do you think comedy in cinema is getting better as film evolves and time passes? Even as I write this I could cite examples proving or disproving, but if I had to take a side, I would say yes. While I appreciate films like Meatballs, Animal House, Dr. Strangelove, The Monty Python films, Steve Martin in his prime, Bananas, Revenge of the Nerds for the entertainment value of the films, I doubt very much they would get the laughs they garnered on opening day should they be released tommorow. Does that make them less funny, because they don't translate? The other day, I was watching Pryor, and while it was undeniably funny, it was dated, and because it felt dated I didn't laugh. That's how I feel about many of these movies.

Is cinematic comedy inevitably seasonal? Is is locked in with the time period? Or are there themes and humor that stand the test of time? I can still laugh at Spaceballs, but not History of the World. You can sense the difference in the comedy. It's that difference that intrigues me. Why/how is Spaceballs more funny than History of the World: Part I? Is it the references? The characters? Or is it the fact that Spaceballs was released six years later?
If that's the case, then why did Robin Hood: Men in Tights suck so much balls?

Then I look at the work of Judd Apatow and I completely forget about Mel Brooks and the like. His work is so next level. It FEELS like modern comedy. The American Pie movies (which I hated from day 1) feel like National Lampoons: Christmas Vacation next to Cable Guy, Knocked up and 40 yr old virgin. It's obvious his comedy his born of modern existential crises, and you're more open to the theory that comedy is better now than in the past...but then you have movies like "Dude, where's my car" and "Harold & Kumar" and all variations on the Farrelly Brothers gross out shtick (which in my opinoin peaked and died after Something about Mary, and don't give me Me, Myself & Irene...it was quoteable but overall very lacking).

I guess I'm all over the map here, obviously...probably because I'm not 100% sure myself. Excited to hear your thoughts on it.

[drusilla]

i think its that the situations in judd apatow movies seem much more relatable to the general public. a lot of the conversations characters carry out in the films could probably be heard just walking down the street.

[spoon]

To me, the older comedies you mentioned do actually stand up to the test of time. Perhaps some jokes will be lost over time, but the majority is the same.

[TheMojoPin]

I'm sorry, you lost me when you totally slammed Harold & Kumar after brigning up The Cable Guy as an example of a "good comedy."

[Hottub]

Monkee Business, Night at the Opera, Day at the Races.
Some Like it Hot.
Mr. Roberts.

Classic. Timeless. Hilarious.

And I'm with Mojo on Harold and Kumar. You are dead wrong on that.

[GreatAmericanZero]

fmjeff is smart. i'll have more to say in this manner when i have more time

[JPMNICK]

I think any movie discussion is hard to have because when you talk about the past, especially before you were born or going to the movies by yourself, you tend to only remember the classics or great films, but not even know what else was out at the time. you have a better chance of seeing a shitty comedy made now then you do a shitty comedy made in 1975 because the one made in 1975 is just not as known.

I think comedies now tend to be more plot driven than jokes that are loosely placed in a framework just to make them work.

[EliSnow]

Monkee Business, Night at the Opera, Day at the Races.



You have to add Animal Crackers, and especially Duck Soup, which is probably the best Marx Brothers movie ever.

"You're a brave man. Go and break through the lines. And remember while you're out there risking life and limb through shot and shell, we'll be in here thinking what a sucker you are."

[Furtherman]

I don't think comedies have improved over the years, whereas to my own judgment to watch some comedies over and over again. There are some classic staples such as Caddyshack, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein I can watch over and over again. Others like Groundhog Day, My Cousin Vinny or Tommy Boy, I'll watch all the way through if I come across it on cable.

But most of the new comedies these days I can find "funny at that moment", but not really look forward to seeing again or even purchasing on DVD. This includes any Judd Apatow or Will Farrell movie.

I guess I lean now more towards a darker comedy. I'd much rather watch a movie like Happiness than any "Let's put two big stars at this moment together a call it a comedy" that you'll see at the top of the box office for one week.

Of course, there is your Wes Anderson and Cohen Brothers to give us gems like Rushmore and Lebowski. And the last two comedies I actually went to the theater for was Sideways and Borat, which both had me in stitches crying.

But overall, I think it's too easy to throw two good looking actors together and call it a comedy. 9 times out of 10 they will stink with the only mildly funny part ending up in the trailer and it's never as funny the second time.

And for the record, I thought Harold & Kumar was hysterical. Especially Neil Patrick Harris' cameo. "Like I said, I was tripping balls." Now that was surprising and funny.

I just saw an ad for "Good Luck Chuck" with Jessica Abla & Dane Cook. Oh, he's a normal guy but she's a clutz! Up chuck. Awful.

[TooLowBrow]

i just re-watched borat and it's lost a lot of its humor without the shock value

[EliSnow]

I have to stand forward and say I didn't like Borat when I watched it. I'm not really into the whole "cringe" humor. I don't get into it on O&Aaaaay and I don't enjoy it in Borat. Intellectually, I understand why people think it's funny, but it doesn't make me laugh.

That's not to say the whole movie was "cringe" humor, because it wasn't. And there were times that I laughed, but I won't ever watch it again.

[Furtherman]

i just re-watched borat and it's lost a lot of its humor without the shock value

I'd image it would be the same for me, but I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard at the movies.

[TheMojoPin]

But most of the new comedies these days I can find "funny at that moment", but not really look forward to seeing again or even purchasing on DVD. This includes any Judd Apatow or Will Farrell movie.

I guess I lean now more towards a darker comedy. I'd much rather watch a movie like Happiness than any "Let's put two big stars at this moment together a call it a comedy" that you'll see at the top of the box office for one week.

But overall, I think it's too easy to throw two good looking actors together and call it a comedy. 9 times out of 10 they will stink with the only mildly funny part ending up in the trailer and it's never as funny the second time.

I'm not expecting everyone to love his films, but I really don't understand how it seems you're using this criticism against Judd Apatow's films. Hell, if you include the shows Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared, he's one of the few figures in Hollywood that's cleary bucking the trend of "throwing good looking actors together." His movies also tend to not star big names, so I really don't see how that kind of criticism above is all that applicable. Ironically, it's actually the Coens and Anderson who usually have much bigger stars.

[TheMojoPin]

And something tells me Jeff never even bothered to see Harold & Kumar.

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[Furtherman]

I'm not expecting everyone to love his films, but I really don't understand how it seems you're using this criticism against Judd Apatow's films. Hell, if you include the shows Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared, he's one of the few figures in Hollywood that's cleary bucking the trend of "throwing good looking actors together." His movies also tend to not star big names, so I really don't see how that kind of criticism above is all that applicable. Ironically, it's actually the Coens and Anderson who usually have much bigger stars.

No, you've misunderstood me. The Judd Apatow films like 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up are funny, I just don't have a desire to seem them again or purchase the DVD.

I think the "Let's put two big stars at this moment together a call it a comedy" formula is mostly what you see in the theaters and they stink. This accounts for any Ben Stiller/Jennifer Aniston/Drew Barrymore/Owen Wilson/Jessica Alba/Dane Cook what-have-you pairing. I wouldn't put Apatow's movies in that formula. His are funny, but will they be considered classics? I don't know.

And TV shows is another discussion, in which I would say Freaks & Geeks will be considered a classic and I can watch over and over again.

[TheMojoPin]

No, you've misunderstood me. The Judd Apatow films like 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up are funny, I just don't have a desire to seem them again or purchase the DVD.

I think the "Let's put two big stars at this moment together a call it a comedy" formula is mostly what you see in the theaters and they stink. This accounts for any Ben Stiller/Jennifer Aniston/Drew Barrymore/Owen Wilson/Jessica Alba/Dane Cook what-have-you pairing. I wouldn't put Apatow's movies in that formula. His are funny, but will they be considered classics? I don't know.

And TV shows is another discussion, in which I would say Freaks & Geeks will be considered a classic and I can watch over and over again.

Ah, now I gotcha...and I completely agree.

[mikeyboy]

I just saw an ad for "Good Luck Chuck" with Jessica Abla & Dane Cook. Oh, he's a normal guy but she's a clutz! Up chuck. Awful.

It's worse than you think. I saw the trailer. Cook plays a guy who, whenever he sleeps with a woman, the very next day that woman finds the love of her life in another man. This happens every time, like it's some kind of supernatural force. He falls in love with Alba, and he doesn't want to sleep with her because blah blah blah. Oh the hilarity. :wallbash:

[FMJeff]

And something tells me Jeff never even bothered to see Harold & Kumar.



Trust me, I've seen it. Through an unfortunate turn of events, I ended up owning a copy. MMy wife will back me up on this. We both agreed it was dreadful.

The occasional funny line does not a comedy make...sorry. Doogie Howser can pop his head in all he wants, it doesn't mean the movie as a whole was funny. It was a tired rehash of the roadtrip movie, and after a string of horrible roadtrip movies in the early 2000's...Dude Where's My Car, EuroTrip, and of course, the horrible Road Trip, I was pretty worn down by the subpar comedy. Not to mention the fact that it was an American Pie spinoff of all things, and the American Pie movies were fucking awful. "It's like fucking a pie" Is it? I've never seen four guys more clueless about sex in my entire life. Need a book passed down from generation to generation with pussy eating secrets do ya? It's not funny, but worst of all, its not honest. I may not have sealed the deal as much as some of the other guys in high school, but I did ok, and even in the beginning, I knew what I was getting into. You can't grow up in this day and age and not know what you need to know, especially if you have the internet, which they had.

And nobody picks Allyson Hannigan over Shannon Elizabeth. Doesn't happen. Not on my watch.

[TheMojoPin]

If you don't stop lumping H&K in with those messes, we are throwing down.

[drusilla]

And something tells me Jeff never even bothered to see Harold & Kumar.

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truely one of the best scenes ever & this is coming from someone who is 1000% straight edge


BITCH! LEARN HOW TO FUCKING MAKE COFFEE YOU FUCKING WHORE!