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Comedy film

January 13, 2023

A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor.[1] These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement.[2] Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception).[3][1] Comedy is one of the oldest genres in film and it is derived from the classical comedy in theatre.[4] Some of the earliest silent films were comedies, as slapstick comedy often relies on visual depictions, without requiring sound.[5] When sound films became more prevalent during the 1930s, comedy films took another swing, as laughter could result from burlesque situations but also dialogue.[4]

Comedy, compared with other film genres, puts much more focus on individual stars, with many former stand-up comics transitioning to the film industry due to their popularity.[6][1]

In The Screenwriters Taxonomy (2017), Eric R. Williams contends that film genres are fundamentally based upon a film's atmosphere, character, and story. Therefore, the labels "drama" and "comedy" are too broad to be considered a genre.[7] Instead, his comedy taxonomy argues that comedy is a type of film that contains at least a dozen different subtypes.[8]

History

Silent film era

The first comedy film was L'Arroseur Arrosé (1895), directed and produced by film pioneer Louis Lumière.[9] Less than 60 seconds long, it shows a boy playing a prank on a gardener.[9] The most noted comedy actors of the silent film era (1895–1927) were Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, and Buster Keaton.[10]

The silent film era also implemented animated comedy films such as Humorous Phases of Funny Faces (1906), which is considered the first animated movie by film historians .[11] This style led to several iconic animated characters such as Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and Betty Boop.[citation needed]

Introduction of sound

Sound was introduced into film towards the end of the 1920s and became much more prevalent through the 1930s and forward.[12] This advancement in technology allowed for comedy acts such as W.C. Fields, the Marx Brothers, and Laurel and Hardy to flourish via verbal humor and auditory sounds instead of complete silence.[13]

Television era

When television sets became popular in the 1950s, the film industry was forced to make some innovations to compete with at-home entertainment. Some of these innovations include the use of color in film, widescreen formats (Cinerama, CinemaScope, VistaVision), 3D, and surround sound.[14] While these innovations impacted the film industry as a whole, many comedies utilized these technological advancements that were not available on television sets at the time. 3 Ring Circus and Funny Face are two of many comedy films that implemented some of these new technologies.[15]

The modern era

From the 1960s until present, comedy film has adopted numerous different styles, sub-types, and sub-genres. The 1960s welcomed a more mature, darker humor known as black comedy such as Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove.[16] Comedy moved towards more parody and satirical humor in the 70s and 80s with directors like Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, and the Monty Python comedy troupe thriving.[17][16] Teen comedies like The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off also became popular in the 1980s.[18][19] In the 1990s, over-the-top, wacky characters succeeded in the comedy scene. Notable actors that played these types of characters include Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, and Mike Myers.[20] From the 2000s until recent, comedies have leaned towards the trend of incorporating more vulgar or raunchy humor with films like the American Pie series, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Superbad.[21] Overall, comedy film has moved away from traditional joke-telling, and now leans more towards eccentric characters finding themselves in unexpected situations.[22]

Subtypes

Anarchic comedy

The anarchic comedy film, as its name suggests, is a random or stream-of-consciousness type of humour which often lampoons a form of authority.[23] The genre dates from the silent era. Notable examples of this type of film are those produced by Monty Python.[24] Other examples include Duck Soup (1933) and Caddyshack (1980).

Bathroom comedy (or gross-out comedy)

Gross out films are a relatively recent development and rely heavily on vulgar, sexual, or "toilet" humor.[25] They often contain a healthy dose of profanity.[26] Examples include Animal House (1978) and Freddy Got Fingered (2001).

Comedy of ideas

This sub-type uses comedy to explore serious ideas such as religion, sex, or politics.[27] Often, the characters represent particular divergent world views and are forced to interact for comedic effect and social commentary.[28] Some examples include both Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and Swing Vote (2008).

Comedy of manners

A comedy of manners satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class.[29] The plot of a comedy of manners is often concerned with an illicit love affair or some other scandal. However, the plot is generally less important for its comedic effect than its witty dialogue.[29] This form of comedy has a long ancestry which dates back at least as far as Much Ado about Nothing created by William Shakespeare, published in 1623.[30] Examples for comedy of manners films include Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and Under the Tuscan Sun (2003).

Black comedy

The black comedy film deals with taboo subjects—including death, murder, crime, suicide, and war—in a satirical manner.[31] Examples include Dr. Strangelove (1964) and Shallow Grave (1994).

Farce

Farcical films exaggerate situations beyond the realm of possibility—thereby making them entertaining.[32] Film examples include Sleeper (1973).

Mockumentary

Mockumentary comedies are fictional, but use a documentary style that includes interviews and "documentary" footage along regular scenes.[33] Examples include This Is Spinal Tap (1984)[33] and Reboot Camp (2020).

Musical comedy

Musical comedy as a film genre has its roots in the 1920s, with Disney's Steamboat Willie (1928) being the most recognized of these early films.[34] The subgenre resurged with popularity in the 1970s, with movies such as Bugsy Malone (1976), Grease (1978), and The Blues Brothers (1980) gaining status as enduring cult classics.[35]

Observational humor

These films find humor in the common practices of everyday life.[36] Some film examples of observational humor include Knocked Up (2007) and The Intern (2015).

Parody (or spoof)

A parody or spoof film 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.[37] Examples of this form include Blazing Saddles (1974) and Spaceballs (1987).

Sex comedy

The humor in sex comedy is primarily derived from sexual situations and desire,[38] as in Bachelor Party (1984) and The Inbetweeners Movie (2011).

Situational comedy

Humor that comes from knowing a stock group of characters (or character types) and then exposing them to different situations to create humorous and ironic juxtaposition;[39] case in point: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) and The Hangover (2009).

Straight comedy

This broad sub-type applies to films that do not attempt a specific approach to comedy but, rather, use comedy for comedic sake.[40] Chasing Amy (1997) and The Shaggy Dog (2006) are examples of straight comedy films.

Slapstick films

Slapstick films involve exaggerated, boisterous physical action to create impossible and humorous situations.[41] Because it relies predominantly on visual depictions of events, it does not require sound. Accordingly, the sub-genre was ideal for silent movies and was prevalent during that era.[42] Popular stars of the slapstick genre include Harold Lloyd, Roscoe Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Peter Sellers and Norman Wisdom.[41] Some of these stars, as well as acts such as Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges, also found success incorporating slapstick comedy into sound films.[43] Modern examples of slapstick comedy include Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007) and Get Smart (2008).

Surreal comedy

Although not specifically linked to the history of surrealism, these comedies includes behavior and storytelling techniques that are illogical—including bizarre juxtapositions, absurd situations and unpredictable reactions to normal situations.[40] Some examples are It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and Space Jam (1996).

Hybrid subgenres

According to Williams' taxonomy, all film descriptions should contain their type (comedy or drama) combined with one (or more) subgenres.[44] This combination does not create a separate genre, but rather, provides a better understanding of the film.

Action comedy film

Films in this type blend comic antics and action where the stars combine one-liners with a thrilling plot and daring stunts.[45] The genre became a specific draw in North America in the eighties when comedians such as Eddie Murphy started taking more action-oriented roles, such as in 48 Hrs. (1982) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984).[45]

Sub-genres of the action comedy (labeled macro-genres by Williams) include:[44]

Martial arts films

Slapstick martial arts films became a mainstay of Hong Kong action cinema through the work of Jackie Chan among others, such as Who Am I? (1998). Kung Fu Panda is an action comedy that focuses on the martial art of kung fu. The Paper Tigers is another example of a Kung Fu Comedy.

Superhero films

Some action films focus on superheroes; for example, The Incredibles, Hancock, Kick-Ass, and Mystery Men.

Other categories of the action comedy include:[44]

Buddy films

See also: Buddy film

Films starring mismatched partners for comedic effect, such as in Midnight Run, Rush Hour, 21 Jump Street, Bad Boys, Starsky and Hutch, Booksmart, The Odd Couple, and Ted.

Comedy thriller

Comedy thriller is a type that combines elements of humor and suspense.[46] Films such as Silver Streak, Charade, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, In Bruges, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Man, The Big Fix, and The Lady Vanishes.

Comedy mystery

See also: List of comedy–mystery films

Comedy mystery is a film genre combining elements of comedy and mystery fiction. Though the genre arguably peaked in the 1930s and 1940s, comedy-mystery films have been continually produced since.[47] Examples include the Pink Panther series,[48]Scooby-Doo films, Clue (1985) and Knives Out (2019).

Crime comedy

A hybrid mix of crime and comedy films, examples include Inspector Palmu's Mistake (1960), Oh Brother Where Art Thou? (2000), Take the Money and Run (1969) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).[49]

Fantasy comedy

Fantasy comedy films use magic, supernatural or mythological figures for comedic purposes.[50] Some fantasy comedy includes elements of parody, or satire, such as the hero becoming a cowardly fool or the princess being a klutz. Examples of these films include Big, Being John Malkovich, Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest Scared Stupid, Night at the Museum, Groundhog Day, Click, and Shrek.

Comedy horror

Comedy horror is a genre/type in which the usual dark themes and "scare tactics" attributed to horror films are treated with a humorous approach.[51] These films either use goofy horror cliches, such as in Scream, Young Frankenstein, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors, The Haunted Mansion, and Scary Movie where campy styles are favored. Some are much more subtle and don't parody horror, such as An American Werewolf in London. Another style of comedy horror can also rely on over-the-top violence and gore such as in The Evil Dead (1981), The Return of the Living Dead (1985), Braindead (1992), and Club Dread (2004) – such films are sometimes known as splatstick, a portmanteau of the words splatter and slapstick. It would be reasonable to put Ghostbusters in this category.

Day-in-the-life comedy

Day-in-the-life films takes small events in a person's life and raises their level of importance. The "small things in life" feel as important to the protagonist (and the audience) as the climactic battle in an action film, or the final shootout in a western.[44]  Often, the protagonists deal with multiple, overlapping issues in the course of the film.[44]  The day-in-the-life comedy often finds humor in commenting upon the absurdity or irony of daily life; for example The Terminal (2004) or Waitress (2007). Character humor is also used extensively in day-in-the-life comedies, as can be seen in American Splendor (2003).

Romantic comedy

Romantic comedies are humorous films with central themes that reinforce societal beliefs about love (e.g., themes such as "love at first sight", "love conquers all", or "there is someone out there for everyone"); the story typically revolves around characters falling into (and out of, and back into) love.[52] Amélie (2001), Annie Hall (1977), Charade (1963), City Lights (1931), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), It (1927), The Lobster (2015), My Wife, the Director General (1966), My Favorite Wife (1940), Pretty Woman (1990), Some Like It Hot (1959), There's Something About Mary (1998) and When Harry Met Sally... (1989) are examples of romantic comedies.

Screwball comedy

A subgenre of the romantic comedy, screwball comedies appear to focus on the story of a central male character until a strong female character takes center stage; at this point, the man's story becomes secondary to a new issue typically introduced by the woman; this story grows in significance and, as it does, the man's masculinity is challenged by the sharp-witted woman, who is often his love interest.[44] Typically it can include a romantic element, an interplay between people of different economic strata, quick and witty repartee, some form of role reversal, and a happy ending. Some examples of "screwball" comedy during its heyday include It Happened One Night (1934), Bringing Up Baby (1938), The Philadelphia Story (1940), His Girl Friday (1940), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941); more recent examples include What's Up, Doc? (1972), Rat Race (2001), and Our Idiot Brother (2011).

Science fiction comedy

Science fiction comedy films often exaggerate the elements of traditional science fiction films to comic effect.[53] Examples include Spaceballs, Ghostbusters, Galaxy Quest, Mars Attacks!, Men in Black, and many more.

Sports comedy

Sports comedy combines the genre of comedy with that of the sports film genre. Thematically, the story is often one of "Our Team" versus "Their Team"; their team will always try to win, and our team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption; the story does not always have to involve a team.[54] The story could also be about an individual athlete, or the story could focus on an individual player on a team. The comedic aspect of this super-genre often comes from physical humor (Happy Gilmore - 1996), character humor (Caddyshack - 1980), or the juxtaposition of bad athletes succeeding against the odds (The Bad News Bears - 1976).

War comedy

War films typically tells the story of a small group of isolated individuals who – one by one – get killed (literally or metaphorically) by an outside force until there is a final fight to the death; the idea of the protagonists facing death is a central expectation in a war film.[55] War comedies infuse this idea of confronting death with a morbid sense of humor. In a war film even though the enemy may out-number, or out-power, the hero, we assume that the enemy can be defeated if only the hero can figure out how.[56] Often, this strategic sensibility provides humorous opportunities in a war comedy. Examples include Good Morning, Vietnam; M*A*S*H; the Francis the Talking Mule series; and others.

Western comedy

Films in the western super-genre often take place in the American Southwest or in Mexico, with a large number of scenes occurring outside so we can soak in nature's rugged beauty.[54] Visceral expectations for the audience include fistfights, gunplay, and chase scenes. There is also the expectation of spectacular panoramic images of the countryside including sunsets, wide open landscape and endless deserts and sky.[44] Western comedies often find their humor in specific characters (Three Amigos, 1986), in interpersonal relationships (Lone Ranger, 2013) or in creating a parody of the western (Rango, 2011).

By country

See also

References

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  2. ^ "Comedy Films". www.filmsite.org. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
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  4. ^ a b "Comedy Films". www.filmsite.org. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  5. ^ "History of Comedy Movies | Vocabulary | EnglishClub". www.englishclub.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  6. ^ Vitale, Micaela Pérez (17 January 2022). "Stand-Up Comedians Who Became Great Actors". MovieWeb. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  7. ^ Williams, Eric R. Screen Adaptation: Beyond the Basics: Techniques for Adapting Books, Comics and Real-Life Stories into Screenplays. doi:10.4324/9781315669410/screen-adaptation-beyond-basics-eric-williams.
  8. ^ Williams, Eric. The Screenwriters Taxonomy: A Collaborative Approach to Creative Storytelling. doi:10.4324/9781315108643/screenwriters-taxonomy-eric-williams.
  9. ^ a b "What was the first comedy film? | Acting Funny | Comedy Film Podcast". Acting Funny. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  10. ^ S, Lea (1 December 2016). "In Defense Of "The Big Four" Of Silent Comedy". Silent-ology. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  11. ^ Blackton, J. Stuart (6 April 1906), Humorous Phases of Funny Faces (Animation, Short, Comedy), Vitagraph Company of America, retrieved 28 November 2022
  12. ^ "motion-picture technology - Introduction of sound | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Film History of the 1930s". www.filmsite.org. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  14. ^ "history of film - The threat of television | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  15. ^ "VistaVision — A History of Widescreen in Hollywood". StudioBinder. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  16. ^ a b "The Comedy Genre: Themes and History Explained - So The Theory Goes". 1 August 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  17. ^ "How Mel Brooks influenced the comedy spoof genre". Far Out Magazine. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  18. ^ "'The Ultimate History of the '80s Teen Movie': It's More Than Just the Brat Pack, PopMatters". PopMatters. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  19. ^ "80s Teen/Comedies". IMDb. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  20. ^ Rosenberg, Josh (28 July 2022). "The 25 Best '90s Comedy Movies Are an Outrageously Good Time". Esquire. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  21. ^ Patches, Matt (18 July 2014). "A Quick and Dirty History of the Raunch-Com". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  22. ^ Keane, Patrick. "Laughs Of The Decades: A History Of Comedy In Film – Media Beat". Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  23. ^ "Absurd Comedy". Allmovies.
  24. ^ Sexton, Timothy. "Anarchic Comedy from the Silent Era to Monty Python". Yahoo! Movies.
  25. ^ "The Best of Gross-Out Comedy". IMDb. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  26. ^ Henderson, Jeffrey (1991). The maculate muse : obscene language in Attic comedy (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-802312-8. OCLC 252588785.
  27. ^ "Comedy of Ideas". writers-corp.net. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  28. ^ "Definition of Comedy of Ideas". Our Pastimes. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  29. ^ a b "comedy of manners | narrative genre | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  30. ^ British dramatists from Dryden to Sheridan. Nettleton, George Henry, 1874-1959, Case, Arthur Ellicott, 1894-1946, Stone, George Winchester, 1907-2000. (Southern Illinois University Press ed.). Carbondale, [Illinois]. 1975. ISBN 0-8093-0743-X. OCLC 1924010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  31. ^ "Black humour". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  32. ^ "Farce | drama". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  33. ^ a b Team, N. F. I. (8 March 2022). "Mockumentary - Everything You Need To Know". NFI. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  34. ^ Iwerks, Ub; Disney, Walt (1 January 1929), Steamboat Willie (Animation, Short, Comedy), Walt Disney Productions, retrieved 30 November 2022
  35. ^ "1970s musical comedy films - FamousFix.com list". FamousFix.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  36. ^ Grable, Tim (24 February 2017). "What is funny about Observational Humor? (Updated for 2019)". The Grable Group. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  37. ^ Mellon, Rory (2016). "A History of the Parody Movie". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  38. ^ McDonald, Tamar Jeffers (2007). Romantic comedy : boy meets girl meets genre. London: Wallflower. ISBN 978-0-231-50338-9. OCLC 813844867.
  39. ^ Dancyger, Ken. (2013). Alternative scriptwriting : beyond the Hollywood formula. Rush, Jeff. (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Focal Press. ISBN 978-1-136-05362-7. OCLC 828423649.
  40. ^ a b Bown, Lesley (2011). The secrets to writing great comedy. London: Hodder Education. ISBN 978-1-4441-2892-5. OCLC 751058407.
  41. ^ a b Matt (5 March 2022). "What Is Slapstick Comedy? The Definitive Guide • Filmmaking Lifestyle". Filmmaking Lifestyle. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  42. ^ "Comedy Films". Filmsite.org. Retrieved 29 April 2002.
  43. ^ "Slapstick | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  44. ^ a b c d e f g Williams, Eric R. (2017). The Screenwriters Taxonomy: A Roadmap to Collaborative Storytelling. New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-10864-3. OCLC 993983488.
  45. ^ a b "Action". The Script Lab. 12 March 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  46. ^ "So what exactly is a comedy thriller?". Unbound. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  47. ^ "Film History of the 1930s". www.filmsite.org. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  48. ^ . Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  49. ^ "Subgenre - Crime Comedy". AllMovie. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  50. ^ "A LOOK AT FANTASY COMEDY FILMS. (In the Entertainment industry.)". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  51. ^ Scripts, Industrial (30 September 2022). "The Comedy Horror Movie: The KEYS to Both Laughs and Scares". Industrial Scripts®. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  52. ^ Williams, Eric R. (2019). Falling in Love with Romance Movies. Audible.
  53. ^ "A LOOK AT SCIENCE FICTION COMEDY FILMS. (In the Entertainment industry.)". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  54. ^ a b Williams, Eric R. Screen adaptation : beyond the basics : techniques for adapting books, comics, and real-life stories into screenplays. Ayres, Tyler. New York. ISBN 978-1-315-66941-0. OCLC 986993829.
  55. ^ Williams, Eric R. (2017). Screen adaptation : beyond the basics : techniques for adapting books, comics, and real-life stories into screenplays. New York: Focal Press. ISBN 978-1-315-66941-0. OCLC 986993829.
  56. ^ Williams, Eric R. (2018). "How to View and Appreciate Great Movies (episode 5: Story Shape and Tension)". English. Retrieved 15 June 2020.

Bibliography

  • Thomas W. Bohn and Richard L. Stromgren, Light and Shadows: A History of Motion Pictures, 1975, Mayfield Publishing.
  • Horton, Andrew S. (1991). Comedy/Cinema/Theory. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-07040-0.
  • King, Geoff (2002). Film Comedy. Wallflower Press. ISBN 978-1-903364-36-9.
  • Rickman, Gregg (2004). The Film Comedy Reader. Limelight Editions. ISBN 978-0-87910-295-1.
  • Weitz, Eric (2009). The Cambridge Introduction to Comedy. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-83260-1.
  • Williams, Eric R. (2017) The Screenwriters Taxonomy: A Roadmap to Creative Storytelling. New York, NY: Routledge Press, Studies in Media Theory and Practice. ISBN 978-1-315-10864-3

External links

  • Comedy films at IMDB
  • Top 100 Comedy movies from Rottentomatoes

January 13, 2023
comedy, film, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2013, learn, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Comedy film news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor 1 These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement 2 Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending black comedy being an exception 3 1 Comedy is one of the oldest genres in film and it is derived from the classical comedy in theatre 4 Some of the earliest silent films were comedies as slapstick comedy often relies on visual depictions without requiring sound 5 When sound films became more prevalent during the 1930s comedy films took another swing as laughter could result from burlesque situations but also dialogue 4 Comedy compared with other film genres puts much more focus on individual stars with many former stand up comics transitioning to the film industry due to their popularity 6 1 In The Screenwriters Taxonomy 2017 Eric R Williams contends that film genres are fundamentally based upon a film s atmosphere character and story Therefore the labels drama and comedy are too broad to be considered a genre 7 Instead his comedy taxonomy argues that comedy is a type of film that contains at least a dozen different subtypes 8 Contents 1 History 1 1 Silent film era 1 2 Introduction of sound 1 3 Television era 1 4 The modern era 2 Subtypes 2 1 Anarchic comedy 2 2 Bathroom comedy or gross out comedy 2 3 Comedy of ideas 2 4 Comedy of manners 2 5 Black comedy 2 6 Farce 2 7 Mockumentary 2 8 Musical comedy 2 9 Observational humor 2 10 Parody or spoof 2 11 Sex comedy 2 12 Situational comedy 2 13 Straight comedy 2 14 Slapstick films 2 15 Surreal comedy 3 Hybrid subgenres 3 1 Action comedy film 3 1 1 Martial arts films 3 1 2 Superhero films 3 1 3 Buddy films 3 2 Comedy thriller 3 3 Comedy mystery 3 4 Crime comedy 3 5 Fantasy comedy 3 6 Comedy horror 3 7 Day in the life comedy 3 8 Romantic comedy 3 8 1 Screwball comedy 3 9 Science fiction comedy 3 10 Sports comedy 3 11 War comedy 3 12 Western comedy 4 By country 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksHistory EditSilent film era Edit The first comedy film was L Arroseur Arrose 1895 directed and produced by film pioneer Louis Lumiere 9 Less than 60 seconds long it shows a boy playing a prank on a gardener 9 The most noted comedy actors of the silent film era 1895 1927 were Charlie Chaplin Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton 10 The silent film era also implemented animated comedy films such as Humorous Phases of Funny Faces 1906 which is considered the first animated movie by film historians 11 This style led to several iconic animated characters such as Felix the Cat Mickey Mouse Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Betty Boop citation needed Introduction of sound Edit Sound was introduced into film towards the end of the 1920s and became much more prevalent through the 1930s and forward 12 This advancement in technology allowed for comedy acts such as W C Fields the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy to flourish via verbal humor and auditory sounds instead of complete silence 13 Television era Edit When television sets became popular in the 1950s the film industry was forced to make some innovations to compete with at home entertainment Some of these innovations include the use of color in film widescreen formats Cinerama CinemaScope VistaVision 3D and surround sound 14 While these innovations impacted the film industry as a whole many comedies utilized these technological advancements that were not available on television sets at the time 3 Ring Circus and Funny Face are two of many comedy films that implemented some of these new technologies 15 The modern era Edit From the 1960s until present comedy film has adopted numerous different styles sub types and sub genres The 1960s welcomed a more mature darker humor known as black comedy such as Stanley Kubrick s Dr Strangelove 16 Comedy moved towards more parody and satirical humor in the 70s and 80s with directors like Woody Allen Mel Brooks and the Monty Python comedy troupe thriving 17 16 Teen comedies like The Breakfast Club Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller s Day Off also became popular in the 1980s 18 19 In the 1990s over the top wacky characters succeeded in the comedy scene Notable actors that played these types of characters include Jim Carrey Adam Sandler and Mike Myers 20 From the 2000s until recent comedies have leaned towards the trend of incorporating more vulgar or raunchy humor with films like the American Pie series The 40 Year Old Virgin and Superbad 21 Overall comedy film has moved away from traditional joke telling and now leans more towards eccentric characters finding themselves in unexpected situations 22 Subtypes EditThis section s tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia See Wikipedia s guide to writing better articles for suggestions August 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Anarchic comedy Edit The anarchic comedy film as its name suggests is a random or stream of consciousness type of humour which often lampoons a form of authority 23 The genre dates from the silent era Notable examples of this type of film are those produced by Monty Python 24 Other examples include Duck Soup 1933 and Caddyshack 1980 Bathroom comedy or gross out comedy Edit Gross out films are a relatively recent development and rely heavily on vulgar sexual or toilet humor 25 They often contain a healthy dose of profanity 26 Examples include Animal House 1978 and Freddy Got Fingered 2001 Comedy of ideas Edit This sub type uses comedy to explore serious ideas such as religion sex or politics 27 Often the characters represent particular divergent world views and are forced to interact for comedic effect and social commentary 28 Some examples include both Ferris Bueller s Day Off 1986 and Swing Vote 2008 Comedy of manners Edit A comedy of manners satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class 29 The plot of a comedy of manners is often concerned with an illicit love affair or some other scandal However the plot is generally less important for its comedic effect than its witty dialogue 29 This form of comedy has a long ancestry which dates back at least as far as Much Ado about Nothing created by William Shakespeare published in 1623 30 Examples for comedy of manners films include Breakfast at Tiffany s 1961 and Under the Tuscan Sun 2003 Black comedy Edit The black comedy film deals with taboo subjects including death murder crime suicide and war in a satirical manner 31 Examples include Dr Strangelove 1964 and Shallow Grave 1994 Farce Edit Farcical films exaggerate situations beyond the realm of possibility thereby making them entertaining 32 Film examples include Sleeper 1973 Mockumentary Edit Mockumentary comedies are fictional but use a documentary style that includes interviews and documentary footage along regular scenes 33 Examples include This Is Spinal Tap 1984 33 and Reboot Camp 2020 Musical comedy Edit Musical comedy as a film genre has its roots in the 1920s with Disney s Steamboat Willie 1928 being the most recognized of these early films 34 The subgenre resurged with popularity in the 1970s with movies such as Bugsy Malone 1976 Grease 1978 and The Blues Brothers 1980 gaining status as enduring cult classics 35 Observational humor Edit These films find humor in the common practices of everyday life 36 Some film examples of observational humor include Knocked Up 2007 and The Intern 2015 Parody or spoof Edit A parody or spoof film 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 37 Examples of this form include Blazing Saddles 1974 and Spaceballs 1987 Sex comedy Edit The humor in sex comedy is primarily derived from sexual situations and desire 38 as in Bachelor Party 1984 and The Inbetweeners Movie 2011 Situational comedy Edit Humor that comes from knowing a stock group of characters or character types and then exposing them to different situations to create humorous and ironic juxtaposition 39 case in point Planes Trains and Automobiles 1987 and The Hangover 2009 Straight comedy Edit This broad sub type applies to films that do not attempt a specific approach to comedy but rather use comedy for comedic sake 40 Chasing Amy 1997 and The Shaggy Dog 2006 are examples of straight comedy films Slapstick films Edit Slapstick films involve exaggerated boisterous physical action to create impossible and humorous situations 41 Because it relies predominantly on visual depictions of events it does not require sound Accordingly the sub genre was ideal for silent movies and was prevalent during that era 42 Popular stars of the slapstick genre include Harold Lloyd Roscoe Arbuckle Charlie Chaplin Peter Sellers and Norman Wisdom 41 Some of these stars as well as acts such as Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges also found success incorporating slapstick comedy into sound films 43 Modern examples of slapstick comedy include Mr Bean s Holiday 2007 and Get Smart 2008 Surreal comedy Edit Although not specifically linked to the history of surrealism these comedies includes behavior and storytelling techniques that are illogical including bizarre juxtapositions absurd situations and unpredictable reactions to normal situations 40 Some examples are It s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 1963 and Space Jam 1996 Hybrid subgenres EditAccording to Williams taxonomy all film descriptions should contain their type comedy or drama combined with one or more subgenres 44 This combination does not create a separate genre but rather provides a better understanding of the film Action comedy film Edit Films in this type blend comic antics and action where the stars combine one liners with a thrilling plot and daring stunts 45 The genre became a specific draw in North America in the eighties when comedians such as Eddie Murphy started taking more action oriented roles such as in 48 Hrs 1982 and Beverly Hills Cop 1984 45 Sub genres of the action comedy labeled macro genres by Williams include 44 Martial arts films Edit Slapstick martial arts films became a mainstay of Hong Kong action cinema through the work of Jackie Chan among others such as Who Am I 1998 Kung Fu Panda is an action comedy that focuses on the martial art of kung fu The Paper Tigers is another example of a Kung Fu Comedy Superhero films Edit Some action films focus on superheroes for example The Incredibles Hancock Kick Ass and Mystery Men Other categories of the action comedy include 44 Buddy films Edit See also Buddy film Films starring mismatched partners for comedic effect such as in Midnight Run Rush Hour 21 Jump Street Bad Boys Starsky and Hutch Booksmart The Odd Couple and Ted Comedy thriller Edit Comedy thriller is a type that combines elements of humor and suspense 46 Films such as Silver Streak Charade Kiss Kiss Bang Bang In Bruges Mr and Mrs Smith Grosse Point Blank The Thin Man The Big Fix and The Lady Vanishes Comedy mystery Edit See also List of comedy mystery films Comedy mystery is a film genre combining elements of comedy and mystery fiction Though the genre arguably peaked in the 1930s and 1940s comedy mystery films have been continually produced since 47 Examples include the Pink Panther series 48 Scooby Doo films Clue 1985 and Knives Out 2019 Crime comedy Edit A hybrid mix of crime and comedy films examples include Inspector Palmu s Mistake 1960 Oh Brother Where Art Thou 2000 Take the Money and Run 1969 and Who Framed Roger Rabbit 1988 49 Fantasy comedy Edit Fantasy comedy films use magic supernatural or mythological figures for comedic purposes 50 Some fantasy comedy includes elements of parody or satire such as the hero becoming a cowardly fool or the princess being a klutz Examples of these films include Big Being John Malkovich Ernest Saves Christmas Ernest Scared Stupid Night at the Museum Groundhog Day Click and Shrek Comedy horror Edit Comedy horror is a genre type in which the usual dark themes and scare tactics attributed to horror films are treated with a humorous approach 51 These films either use goofy horror cliches such as in Scream Young Frankenstein The Rocky Horror Picture Show Little Shop of Horrors The Haunted Mansion and Scary Movie where campy styles are favored Some are much more subtle and don t parody horror such as An American Werewolf in London Another style of comedy horror can also rely on over the top violence and gore such as in The Evil Dead 1981 The Return of the Living Dead 1985 Braindead 1992 and Club Dread 2004 such films are sometimes known as splatstick a portmanteau of the words splatter and slapstick It would be reasonable to put Ghostbusters in this category Day in the life comedy Edit Day in the life films takes small events in a person s life and raises their level of importance The small things in life feel as important to the protagonist and the audience as the climactic battle in an action film or the final shootout in a western 44 Often the protagonists deal with multiple overlapping issues in the course of the film 44 The day in the life comedy often finds humor in commenting upon the absurdity or irony of daily life for example The Terminal 2004 or Waitress 2007 Character humor is also used extensively in day in the life comedies as can be seen in American Splendor 2003 Romantic comedy Edit Romantic comedies are humorous films with central themes that reinforce societal beliefs about love e g themes such as love at first sight love conquers all or there is someone out there for everyone the story typically revolves around characters falling into and out of and back into love 52 Amelie 2001 Annie Hall 1977 Charade 1963 City Lights 1931 Four Weddings and a Funeral 1994 It 1927 The Lobster 2015 My Wife the Director General 1966 My Favorite Wife 1940 Pretty Woman 1990 Some Like It Hot 1959 There s Something About Mary 1998 and When Harry Met Sally 1989 are examples of romantic comedies Screwball comedy Edit A subgenre of the romantic comedy screwball comedies appear to focus on the story of a central male character until a strong female character takes center stage at this point the man s story becomes secondary to a new issue typically introduced by the woman this story grows in significance and as it does the man s masculinity is challenged by the sharp witted woman who is often his love interest 44 Typically it can include a romantic element an interplay between people of different economic strata quick and witty repartee some form of role reversal and a happy ending Some examples of screwball comedy during its heyday include It Happened One Night 1934 Bringing Up Baby 1938 The Philadelphia Story 1940 His Girl Friday 1940 Mr amp Mrs Smith 1941 more recent examples include What s Up Doc 1972 Rat Race 2001 and Our Idiot Brother 2011 Science fiction comedy Edit Science fiction comedy films often exaggerate the elements of traditional science fiction films to comic effect 53 Examples include Spaceballs Ghostbusters Galaxy Quest Mars Attacks Men in Black and many more Sports comedy Edit Sports comedy combines the genre of comedy with that of the sports film genre Thematically the story is often one of Our Team versus Their Team their team will always try to win and our team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption the story does not always have to involve a team 54 The story could also be about an individual athlete or the story could focus on an individual player on a team The comedic aspect of this super genre often comes from physical humor Happy Gilmore 1996 character humor Caddyshack 1980 or the juxtaposition of bad athletes succeeding against the odds The Bad News Bears 1976 War comedy Edit War films typically tells the story of a small group of isolated individuals who one by one get killed literally or metaphorically by an outside force until there is a final fight to the death the idea of the protagonists facing death is a central expectation in a war film 55 War comedies infuse this idea of confronting death with a morbid sense of humor In a war film even though the enemy may out number or out power the hero we assume that the enemy can be defeated if only the hero can figure out how 56 Often this strategic sensibility provides humorous opportunities in a war comedy Examples include Good Morning Vietnam M A S H the Francis the Talking Mule series and others Western comedy Edit Films in the western super genre often take place in the American Southwest or in Mexico with a large number of scenes occurring outside so we can soak in nature s rugged beauty 54 Visceral expectations for the audience include fistfights gunplay and chase scenes There is also the expectation of spectacular panoramic images of the countryside including sunsets wide open landscape and endless deserts and sky 44 Western comedies often find their humor in specific characters Three Amigos 1986 in interpersonal relationships Lone Ranger 2013 or in creating a parody of the western Rango 2011 By country Edit source source source source source source Watch Brideless Groom Country Comedy film US American comedy films UK British comedy films FRA French comedy films IND Indian comedy films ITA Italian comedy filmsSee also EditAFI s 100 Years 100 Laughs 1924 1998 list made in 2000 References Edit a b c Comedy The Script Lab 26 March 2011 Retrieved 30 November 2022 Comedy Films www filmsite org Retrieved 30 November 2022 COMEDY www uvm edu Retrieved 30 November 2022 a b Comedy Films www filmsite org Retrieved 30 November 2022 History of Comedy Movies Vocabulary EnglishClub www englishclub com Retrieved 30 November 2022 Vitale Micaela Perez 17 January 2022 Stand Up Comedians Who Became Great Actors MovieWeb Retrieved 30 November 2022 Williams Eric R Screen Adaptation Beyond the Basics Techniques for Adapting Books Comics and Real Life Stories into Screenplays doi 10 4324 9781315669410 screen adaptation beyond basics eric williams Williams Eric The Screenwriters Taxonomy A Collaborative Approach to Creative Storytelling doi 10 4324 9781315108643 screenwriters taxonomy eric williams a b What was the first comedy film Acting Funny Comedy Film Podcast Acting Funny Retrieved 17 November 2022 S Lea 1 December 2016 In Defense Of The Big Four Of Silent Comedy Silent ology Retrieved 17 November 2022 Blackton J Stuart 6 April 1906 Humorous Phases of Funny Faces Animation Short Comedy Vitagraph Company of America retrieved 28 November 2022 motion picture technology Introduction of sound Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 28 November 2022 Film History of the 1930s www filmsite org Retrieved 28 November 2022 history of film The threat of television Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 29 November 2022 VistaVision A History of Widescreen in Hollywood StudioBinder 20 June 2021 Retrieved 29 November 2022 a b The Comedy Genre Themes and History Explained So The Theory Goes 1 August 2022 Retrieved 29 November 2022 How Mel Brooks influenced the comedy spoof genre Far Out Magazine 28 June 2021 Retrieved 30 November 2022 The Ultimate History of the 80s Teen Movie It s More Than Just the Brat Pack PopMatters PopMatters 31 May 2019 Retrieved 30 November 2022 80s Teen Comedies IMDb Retrieved 30 November 2022 Rosenberg Josh 28 July 2022 The 25 Best 90s Comedy Movies Are an Outrageously Good Time Esquire Retrieved 30 November 2022 Patches Matt 18 July 2014 A Quick and Dirty History of the Raunch Com Rolling Stone Retrieved 30 November 2022 Keane Patrick Laughs Of The Decades A History Of Comedy In Film Media Beat Retrieved 30 November 2022 Absurd Comedy Allmovies Sexton Timothy Anarchic Comedy from the Silent Era to Monty Python Yahoo Movies The Best of Gross Out Comedy IMDb Retrieved 30 November 2022 Henderson Jeffrey 1991 The maculate muse obscene language in Attic comedy 2nd ed New York Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 802312 8 OCLC 252588785 Comedy of Ideas writers corp net Retrieved 30 November 2022 Definition of Comedy of Ideas Our Pastimes Retrieved 15 June 2020 a b comedy of manners narrative genre Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 30 November 2022 British dramatists from Dryden to Sheridan Nettleton George Henry 1874 1959 Case Arthur Ellicott 1894 1946 Stone George Winchester 1907 2000 Southern Illinois University Press ed Carbondale Illinois 1975 ISBN 0 8093 0743 X OCLC 1924010 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Black humour Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 15 June 2020 Farce drama Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 15 June 2020 a b Team N F I 8 March 2022 Mockumentary Everything You Need To Know NFI Retrieved 30 November 2022 Iwerks Ub Disney Walt 1 January 1929 Steamboat Willie Animation Short Comedy Walt Disney Productions retrieved 30 November 2022 1970s musical comedy films FamousFix com list FamousFix com Retrieved 30 November 2022 Grable Tim 24 February 2017 What is funny about Observational Humor Updated for 2019 The Grable Group Retrieved 15 June 2020 Mellon Rory 2016 A History of the Parody Movie Retrieved 15 June 2020 McDonald Tamar Jeffers 2007 Romantic comedy boy meets girl meets genre London Wallflower ISBN 978 0 231 50338 9 OCLC 813844867 Dancyger Ken 2013 Alternative scriptwriting beyond the Hollywood formula Rush Jeff 5th ed Burlington MA Focal Press ISBN 978 1 136 05362 7 OCLC 828423649 a b Bown Lesley 2011 The secrets to writing great comedy London Hodder Education ISBN 978 1 4441 2892 5 OCLC 751058407 a b Matt 5 March 2022 What Is Slapstick Comedy The Definitive Guide Filmmaking Lifestyle Filmmaking Lifestyle Retrieved 30 November 2022 Comedy Films Filmsite org Retrieved 29 April 2002 Slapstick Definition History amp Facts Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 30 November 2022 a b c d e f g Williams Eric R 2017 The Screenwriters Taxonomy A Roadmap to Collaborative Storytelling New York NY Routledge ISBN 978 1 315 10864 3 OCLC 993983488 a b Action The Script Lab 12 March 2011 Retrieved 30 November 2022 So what exactly is a comedy thriller Unbound Retrieved 30 November 2022 Film History of the 1930s www filmsite org Retrieved 15 June 2020 The Pink Panther Inspector Clouseau arrives the Navhind Times Archived from the original on 6 July 2020 Retrieved 5 July 2020 Subgenre Crime Comedy AllMovie Retrieved 30 November 2022 A LOOK AT FANTASY COMEDY FILMS In the Entertainment industry www linkedin com Retrieved 30 November 2022 Scripts Industrial 30 September 2022 The Comedy Horror Movie The KEYS to Both Laughs and Scares Industrial Scripts Retrieved 30 November 2022 Williams Eric R 2019 Falling in Love with Romance Movies Audible A LOOK AT SCIENCE FICTION COMEDY FILMS In the Entertainment industry www linkedin com Retrieved 30 November 2022 a b Williams Eric R Screen adaptation beyond the basics techniques for adapting books comics and real life stories into screenplays Ayres Tyler New York ISBN 978 1 315 66941 0 OCLC 986993829 Williams Eric R 2017 Screen adaptation beyond the basics techniques for adapting books comics and real life stories into screenplays New York Focal Press ISBN 978 1 315 66941 0 OCLC 986993829 Williams Eric R 2018 How to View and Appreciate Great Movies episode 5 Story Shape and Tension English Retrieved 15 June 2020 Bibliography EditThomas W Bohn and Richard L Stromgren Light and Shadows A History of Motion Pictures 1975 Mayfield Publishing Horton Andrew S 1991 Comedy Cinema Theory University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 07040 0 King Geoff 2002 Film Comedy Wallflower Press ISBN 978 1 903364 36 9 Rickman Gregg 2004 The Film Comedy Reader Limelight Editions ISBN 978 0 87910 295 1 Weitz Eric 2009 The Cambridge Introduction to Comedy Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 83260 1 Williams Eric R 2017 The Screenwriters Taxonomy A Roadmap to Creative Storytelling New York NY Routledge Press Studies in Media Theory and Practice ISBN 978 1 315 10864 3External links EditComedy films at IMDB Top 100 Comedy movies from Rottentomatoes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Comedy film amp oldid 1133238879, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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