Have B-Movies Replaced Comedies For You?

[KINGDINOSAUR]

Growing up I use to watch anything that was a comedy movie (or passed for comedy).  An endless stream of MA & PA KETTLE, FRANCIS THE TALKING MULE, W.C. FIELDS, ABBOTT & COSTELLO, LAUREL & HARDY, MARX BROS., RITZ BROS., JERRY LEWIS (with DEAN MARTIN usually), LUCILLE BALL, JACK BENNY, ROWAN & MARTIN, OUR GANG a.k.a. LITTLE RASCALS, etc.  So much comedy that I burnt myself out at a very early age.  By 14 I'd become jaded towards everything said to be funny.  There are a handful of actual comedies that still entertain me, but not many.

It seems low-budget genre movies filled the void created by overdosing on comedies.  I'm wondering it any other lovers of B-movies had similar experiences?

Scott
MOTAZart.com

[-=NiGHTS=-]

Not here, though it's a rare comedy nowadays that actually makes me laugh, so maybe I am pretty jaded.

Might I ask what movies still do it for you?

[KINGDINOSAUR]

-=NiGHTS=- wrote:> > Might I ask what movies still do it for you?> >

I still enjoy the early I LOVE LUCY episodes (prior to the hour-long ones and with as little of "Little Ricky" as possible).  The Paramount releases of the Marx Brothers like DUCK SOUP, HORSE FEATHERS, MONKEY BUSINESS and the MGM release A NIGHT AT THE OPERA.

Of the comedies I'd purchased on Beta videotape, VHS videotape, and DVD only WHAT'S UP, TIGER LILY?, THIS IS SPINAL TAP, FATHER GOOSE, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL GUNFIGHTER, MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL, and THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO were bought in all three formats.  Although I admit FATHER GOOSE DVD has been in its shrinkwrap for a year now.  I'd definitely buy the W.C. Fields movie IT'S A GIFT if it ever came out on DVD.

I enjoyed DOGMA, but the rest of Kevin Smith's movies are lacking.  I'd seen LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION and BAD SANTA in December and was bored by both.  BAD SANTA insisted on sneaking in too much pathos.  Most of W.C. Fields movies were edgier when it came to kids.  

Sample:
[preteen son]: "Don't you love me anymore, Pop?"
[Fields]: *raising the back of his hand* "Of course I still love you."
[mother]: "Don't you DARE strike that child!"
[Fields]:  "Well, he's not going to tell me I don't love him!"

Scott
[http://www.motazart.com]MOTAZart.com[/b]

[Ash]

Question....how do you type in that bold print?

[KINGDINOSAUR]

ASHTHECAT wrote:> Question....how do you type in that bold print?> >

Go to the HELP section on this messageboard.  It'll tell you how to create text variations and clickable links.

Scott
MOTAZart.com

[Colt M1991A1]

I've never really enjoyed old comedies- in fact, there aren't many films that make me laugh out loud any more (But if Family Guy or Futurama ever become feature films, I'll be first in the queue to see them!).

My favourite comedy films are Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Kung Pow: Enter The Fist, The Big Lebowski, the Kevin Smith films, The Naked Gun films, and Fargo...

[AndyC]

Yep, if I want to laugh, I'll usually try to find something really cheesy rather than an intentionally funny movie.

Few new comedies interest me. That's probably because they're either too hip or too lowbrow. Most are aimed at the lowest common denominator. Actually, even comedy geared toward a more intellectual crowd can be pretty crappy. It's a rare comedy that has really clever humour, not aimed too high or too low.

The other problem is the need to give every comedy a serious side. What's wrong with simply going for laughs? It seems like every halfway decent comedy since the 70s or 80s has needed to throw in a serious subplot, or a point where something bad happens, and characters must be serious for a while. Occasionally, this adds to the movie, but most comedies don't have a strong enough plot for it to work. Unless the drama is well integrated, it just clashes with the comedy. It's an unnecessary downer when I'm looking for a laugh.

A good comedy does need a strong plot, or it becomes nothing but a string of gags, but it is possible to advance the plot without getting dramatic. Some of the best comedies manage to stay funny, even when things are going badly for the characters.

Off the top of my head, the comedies that make me laugh include the old Marx Brothers pictures, Support Your Local Sheriff, Smokey and the Bandit and Cannonball Run, a few of the John Hughes comedies from the 80s, the Christopher Guest mockumentaries, Airplane!, the Naked Gun Movies, Animal House, Vacation, Christmas Vacation, and any of the Monty Python films.