Comedy Genre Analysis

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            Comedy Genre

1.         The comedy film is created solely for humor. Many techniques are implemented to make the audience laugh, and most comedies have a happy ending, except for black comedy. Comedies, in comparison with other films, focus on individual stars as many stand-up comedians have been given movie roles due to their popularity. The genre generally revolves around a basic, easy to follow plot with a generic underlying theme such as the importance of friendship and family.

2.               Although the comedy genre seems lighthearted and simple, it takes quite a bit of effort as well as specific production techniques in order to evoke laughter from the audience. A staple in comedy is the “Rule of Three” as proposed by David Lean, a successful British director. According to this rule, a film must tell the audience what they are going to do, do it, and then announce that they have done it. Lean also emphasizes that comedy comes down to the rhythm. A director must find the source of humor in a scene and find which stylistic technique will best communicate this humor.

            Many film techniques can be implemented in order to create a successful comedy film. For example, shooting “wide and close” with the implementation of a bonus camera in order to make the shot wider seemed to evoke the most laughter in Home Alone, a classic comedic film. Another common technique is when the camera lingers in a shot after the scene has ended, allowing a joke to transpire. Viewers typically see this when a character goes one way when they were supposed to go the other way. The quick zoom is also very common as it sarcastically adds suspense to a film. The quick zoom is usually used with funny characters or insignificant objects.

            The setting in a comedy film usually involves bright and upbeat colors with bright and upbeat characters, such as in the comedy The Mask. Soundtracks will also bring with them positive connotations, as opposed to the mysterious and fear-inducing sounds associated with the horror genre

3.       Film Analysis 1 - Superbad  One comedy film that greatly represents the comedy genre is Superbad, a film directed by Greg Motalla in 2007. The plot in the film is relatively simple: three high school boys try to have a good time at a large house party and try to have fun before they go off to college, where they will inevitably be separated. This lighthearted plot makes way for a rather comedic story to unfold. Furthermore, costume design plays a key role in adding to the comedic aspect of the film. The main character’s fashion choices are questionable, and the classic “nerd” representation is taken advantage of as well. The use of exaggerative film techniques as well as casting famous comedians such as Seth Rogan and Jonah Hills also adds to the fact that the movie Superbad is a perfect example of a comedy movie.

4.       Film Analysis 2 - 21 Jump Street  The film 21 Jump Street, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, deals with two undercover cops who were assigned to pose as high schoolers in order to prevent the outbreak of a new synthetic drug. It can first be noted that the movie casts Jonah Hill And Channing Tatum as the main characters of the film, and Ice Cube as their boss. These characters are iconic in comedy films. The film also implements many elongated shots, as the camera lingers when it seems as if the scene should have cut. This is accompanied by a silence, adding to the awkwardness and humor of the film. The movie also has a theme about the importance of friendship, which is ironic considering that the film is about the rather “serious” topic of drug dealing. The film showcases the ability of comedy film directors to put a humorous spin on what seem to be serious topics.


5.         More Comedy Films

                                                  
 Image result for the hangover poster                          Image result for ghostbusters 1984 poster                           Image result for home alone poster
The Hangover (2009                          Ghostbusters (1984)                             Home Alone(1990)

                           Image result for back to the future poster                         Image result for meet the fockers poster          
  Back To The Future (1985)               Meet the Fockers (2004)



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