Comedy versus Stupidity
Old movies are wonderful, specifically, old comedies.
I hate to say this, but they just don't make 'em like they used to.
Who're the biggest names in comedy movies these days? Ben Stiller, Will Ferrel, and that whole gang.
The movies are stupid. Let's be honest here. Dodgeball? A movie where the main joke revolves around people being hit with random objects. Anchorman. A movie where the main joke revolves around bad 70's cliches. They're just...brainless. A monkey could watch these movies, and laugh like mad.
Where's the wit? The snappy dialogue?
Where's the comedy?
Yes, there is a place for slapstick comedy. If it's done right, a guy getting hit in the (insert genital slang here) is funny. If it's done right, jokes about a time period can be great.
Just watch the Wedding Singer. In that movie they used the time period jokes to good effect, and it was funny, because when that movie came out, it hadn't been done to death.
What I'm saying is that comedies today can't even compare to a lot of older movies.
Take, for instance, the Philadelphia Story.
It's brilliant. The dialogue is witty and snappy, the premise is funny, and the actors don't have to resort to crotch-knocking to get laughs.
Some quotes:
Macaulay Connor (Jimmy Stewart): Doggone it, C.K. Dexter Haven. Either I'm gonna sock you or you're gonna sock me.
C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant): Shall we toss a coin?
Macaulay Connor (Jimmy Stewart): I'm testing the air. I like it but it doesn't like me.
C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant): Sometimes, for your own sake, Red, I think you should've stuck to me longer.
Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn): I thought it was for life, but the nice judge gave me a full pardon.
C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant): Aaah, that's the old redhead. No bitterness, no recrimination, just a good swift left to the jaw.
Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn): You're too good for me, George. You're a hundred times too good. And I'd make you most unhappy, most. That is, I'd do my best to.
Macaulay Connor (Jimmy Stewart): (drunk, to driver) Well, this is where Cinderella gets off, now you hurry back to the ball before you turn into a pumpkin and six white mice, goodbye.
It's wonderful stuff. You can't even compare the belch, burp, fart, fall, disgusting, and bad-fashion jokes that seem to be the only way to get laughs anymore.
Is it the movies themselves that are going downhill, or are they dumbing it down because they have to, in order to hit the average person's humor?
I don't know.
(Incidentally, I also suggest watching Bringing Up Baby, the Court Jester, any of the Rock Hudson/Doris Day movies, and a movie with Don Knotts called the Love God.
...and a million others.)
posted by Corgan Dane @ Tuesday, October 19, 2004
6 Comments:
Oh completely right mah dear, the old movies are the best ones. They were the fresh ideas, not these twelve movies about dying in twenty four hour days we have going on right now.
Major Strasser: What is your nationality?
Rick Blaine: I'm a drunkard.
Captain Louis Renault: That makes Rick a citizen of the world.
*winks* gotta love Casablanca
Jimmy: (prayer before the game) Oh, Lord! Hallowed be Thy name. May our feet be swift; may our bats be mighty; may our balls... be plentiful. Lord, I'd just like to thank you for that waitress in South Bend. You know who she is – she kept calling your name.
A newer old movie, A League Of Their Own
:P Not movies that are that horribly old, but still kickass movies.
Arliss Coates :What's Papa gonna sell our steers for?
Travis Coates : For money, of course.
Arliss Coates : What's money?
Travis Coates : That's what you buy things with.
Arliss Coates : What do you mean by buy things?
Travis Coates : Well when you have money, you give it to people for stuff. They say you can get anything for money.
Arliss Coates : Anything? What's it look like?
Travis Coates : I never seen but one piece. A dollar bill Papa had.
Arliss Coates : What'd Papa buy with his dollar?
Travis Coates : Nothing that wasn't no good.
Arliss Coates : But you just said you could get anything with money.
Travis Coates : But Papa's was confederate.
Arliss Coates : What's confederate money?
Travis Coates : Confederate money? Well, it's...
Arliss Coates : Well?
Travis Coates : Don't you ever run out of questions?
Okay.. Now I'm done :P
Bringing Up Baby is one of my most favorite movies ever. But you forgot a very, very important one on your list. Uh huh.. Arsenic and Old Lace.
I <3 Cary Grant.
And don't knock all fart jokes. Look at what Blazing Saddles did for them. The campfire scene still cracks me up. Mel Brooks does brilliant comedy. Just look at High Anxiety, Young Frankenstein (another favorite), The Producers, and Spaceballs, too.
I also <3 Mel Brooks, but in a different way.
Since I brought up Spaceballs, an 80s movie, I shall mention a few more modern "classics" (or movies that make me giggle till I wheeze and snort like a stampeding elephant). Better Off Dead (HUGE favorite of mine), One Crazy Summer, and Grosse Pointe Blank. Ok, the last wasn't an 80s movie, but it also had Jon Cusack in it.
I <3 Jon Cusack...well, until he dated Neve Campbell, then I lost respect for him.
I could go on all day, but I'm sure no one wants that. Right then, I'm done.
Oh, wait.. Monty Python movies! Wha? Ok, ok! I'm done!
whoa missoura boy, this is a pretty nice blog ya got here! seein as i'm the newest reviewer gun on the weblog review block, i thought i'd stroll on by and take a peek atcha tonight, since yer up there on the 'must review' list...
actually, i'm way impressed! i started back in yer august archives and you've entertained me for almost an hour. i still have more reading to do here, but i plan to write ya a pretty dang good ole review... tomorrow, after my buddy Weiser goes home. Hang tough in school: you have the makings of a most memorable novelist. i'll be back tomorrow... regards, magz
Damned right it's an awesome blog! And I take all the credit for it. *Smiles* ... *the silence is overwhelming* .... *coughs*....Okay...so I can take no credit for it :( *wiggles...reaches out and pinches Corgy's Hiney...cackles and trips away*
nice blog enjoyed it :)
Keep up the excellent work! and i bookmarked u!
so cant wait for ur next post! :)
Thanks!!
Drop on by and browse through a huge archive of joke
This is one of the many jokes i found amongst the many joke categorys:
A man walks into his favorite bar and saw a bum panhandeling. The bum asked if the man could spare a dollar. The man replied "If I give you money are you going to use it to buy liquor?" The bum said he would not, so the man asked "If I give you money are you going to use it for gambling?" Again the bum said he would not, so the man asked "Would you come home with me so I can show my wife what happenes to someone who doesnt gamble or drink?"
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