What is Comedy in the Film World?
Comedy in films is a genre that has a very specific purpose in its films. Comedies are intended to create laughter and high spirits for the viewers as they are watching the film. The genre of comedy was created all the way back to ancient Greece through its literature and theatrical works. The genre of comedy in literature it is very different compared to the one seen in the film industry. The purpose of comedies has changed and evolved. From most comedies we tend to see films that make the viewers laugh and it includes positive endings. The difficulty with the genre of comedy is that it is very subjective, but there are specific techniques that are needed in order for the movie to succeed.
Content
Comedies have many different sub-genres and it is important to know the difference between them. Comedy directors understand the ins and outs of the different sub-genres as it affects every aspect of the film ranging from the tone to the shooting techniques. The most popular types of comedies are: Slapstick, Romantic Comedy, Mockumentary, Parody, and Satire. Below there is a breakdown of each individual sub-genre and film examples.
Slapstick: Slapstick is mainly emphasized through its physical comedy. Most of the earliest comedic films were slapstick. The reason most of the early comedies were slapstick was because of the lack of dialogues and sounds it had. The directors had to rely on physical and visual comedy to deliver its purpose of making the crowd laugh. An example of a slapstick film from the 90’s is The Mask starring Jim Carrey.
Romantic Comedy: In romantic comedies the arc and the plot is based around typically two people in a romantic story that is portrayed in a humorous way. Romantic Comedies normally appeal to large audience and are feel-good films. Lady Bird is a famous example of a romantic comedy.
Mockumentary: The mockumentary genre tells a story through the lens of a documentary. This comedic genre has become very popular through TV Shows like The Office.
Parody: Parody films tend to select well-established genres like horror, action, or thriller and satirize it into a comedy. Scary Movie and A Haunted House are great examples of satires that take a specific genre like horror and turn it into a comedy.
Satire: This style of comedy the director uses comic elements like humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose or criticize a specific section of society or politics. Two famous examples of satires are The Interview and The Campaign.
Production Techniques
In most comedy films, the script is what helps enhance the comedic effect in the actual film. For example a technique that is implemented in lots of comedy scripts is double entendre. Double entendre is when a character says one thing but in fact it has a double meaning. The directors have to keep in mind that the technique can be unfunny if it is over done, but if it is not over done the line can land really well and make the viewers laugh. Another technique that is used lots in comedy scripts is the flawed plan. In the flawed plan, the character tends to come up with a stupid idea and everyone knows its stupid except the character coming up with the plan. Lastly, a technique that is used lots in comedic scripts and is enforced lots by directors is timing. In comedies, the way an actor delivers a line can completely enhance the joke. By taking a small pause, anticipation can be built up and making the joke more humorous.
Marketing
As stated before, comedy is very subjective. In fact, a stat says that comedies is the genre that travels the worst internationally. This may be because of language barriers as some countries may find the jokes completely unfunny and other parts will find it hilarious. Most comedies stay in their home market to capitalize on success. In addition, comedies is one of the genres that its success is determined by the star power the movie has. It was measured that about 31% of a films profitable success was determined by the star power the cast had. A big marketing tool comedies use are the cast itself as many people are drawn to comedies with famous and recognizable actors. Comedy films tend to have that important actor on the entire front poster to attract the viewers.
Samples
The 1993 film Groundhog Day is considered to be one of the best comedy films of all time. The movie has Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell starring. The plot of the movie is a cursed man that is gaining redemption. Murray plays Phil Connors, a self-absorbed TV weatherman caught in a time loop. The character Phil is given an opportunity to relive the same day until he finds his true purpose. The comedy kicks in when he begins to get bored and starts smoking cigarettes and getting drunk in a bowling alley as he believes he cannot die. Phil becomes in love with his producer Rita and every time he gets closer and closer to show his affection and fulfilling his goal he gets slapped in the face. The slapping of the face has comedic effect as the viewer is on their toes waiting with anticipation until it works out but every time he gets slapped by Rita.
The 2004 American comedy-drama film The Terminal deals with the hero Viktor Navorski. He arrived in a American airport just as his nation, Krakozia, has been completely dismantled. Resulting in his passport and visa becoming useless, the eradication of his country, and him not being able to leave the airport. In the movie there is a delicate balance between comedy and sadness. A great comedic effect is added when Narvoski is telling Dixon exactly who he seems to be and claims to be. He does not lie about anything and has no hidden motives. The viewers know he is not lying about anything but it is set up to be like his which leads him to be trapped inside the airport. Him being trapped in the airport creates tons of hilarious moments that engage and hook the viewer to the film.
Examples
His Girl Friday (1940)
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Anchorman (2004)
Superbad (2007)
Borat (2006)
