Comedy Unit

Miss. HallfordMotion Picture

Spring 2007

What is Comedy?

• In your notes, please describe what comedy is to you.– Give examples of things that you find

funny, and describe why they are funny.

Definition of comedy

• Miriam-Webster: – a drama of light and amusing

character and typically with a happy ending

– humorous entertainment.

Types of Comedy

• Dramatic Comedy• Satire• Black Comedy• Slapstick• Romantic Comedy• Comedy of Manners

Dramatic Comedy• A successful drama film relies on in-depth

character development, character interaction, and highly emotional themes.

• Using elements of humor, dramatic comedies challenge stereotypes and generalizations about people and bring them down to a more personal level. – It helps show how characters deal with problems,

challenges, or issues so that the viewer can relate to them.

Little Miss Sunshine

• A dramatic comedy about a dysfunctional family on a road trip to bring the youngest daughter to a beauty pageant in California.

• $8 million budget- filmed in 30 days.• 4 Academy Award nominations, 2 wins:

– Best Original Screenplay– Best Supporting Actor

Satire• Satire is the use of humor or sarcasm to

criticize.– Makes fun of human foolishness, politics,

social, or moral problems. – “Although satire is usually witty, and often

very funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily humor but criticism of an event, an individual or a group in a clever manner.”

Examples

• The Simpson's, The Onion, South Park, Family Guy, American Dreamz, Monte Python and the Holy Grail

• The Simpson’s:– A parody of the middle American lifestyle.

They are a one income, working class family.– Each family member represents a

stereotypical person in society.

Black Comedy

• Also known as dark humor. • A type of comedy that utilizes topics that

are usually treated seriously- death, murder, suicide, rape, sickness…

• Began in America in the 1950’s and 60’s – Dr. Strangelove: How I Learned to Stop

Worrying and Love the Bomb. (1964)– Harold and Maude. (1971)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/91/Harold%26Maude.jpg

Slapstick

• Exaggerated physical violence or activities. – Characters being hit in the face with a frying

pan, running full speed into a wall… – Timing, perfect calculation of execution,

character reaction- considered among the more difficult tasks facing a live performer.

Examples

Romantic Comedies

• Light-hearted stories surrounding romantic clichés:– Perfect Couple, True Love, Love at 1st Sight

* 2 people meet and then part ways due to an argument or other obstacles, while apart they realize that they are perfect for each other.

*Meet Cute*

Examples

• The true secret to comedy is timing and performance.

• Comedy depends on conflicts between strong characters.

Terms

• Farce: A humorous play that depends more on the skillfully exploited situation rather than character development.

• Parody: To imitate for the purpose of ridicule; to make fun of.

• Comedy and Drama• The universal symbol for theatre. • The origins stem from ancient Greece

when actors always wore masks on stage.