Outside Topic The Golden Age of Comedy

Outside Topic The Golden Age of Comedy - Printable Version

+- The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board)
+-- Forum: C-House! (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-4.html)
+--- Forum: The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-5.html)
+--- Thread: Outside Topic The Golden Age of Comedy (/thread-20106.html)

Pages: 1 2

lex24 - lex24 - 07-19-2020

(07-19-2020, 10:28 AM)Spiny_Norman Wrote:
(07-19-2020, 06:59 AM)Hurlburt88 Wrote: Anyone for Monty Python?

Um, yes.

“We’ll call it a draw.”

And of course:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cCI18qAoKq4

He wasnt called “The Great One” for nothing. One of the best 60 Minutes I ever saw was Morley Safer’s segment with Gleason. Two giants. It’s brilliant. I’d post it, but am concerned about copyright. You can google it and watch. I just did. A thoroughly enjoyable 20 minutes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HdffJJcWu8A

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Mick - 07-20-2020

(07-19-2020, 07:01 PM)jonnyss Wrote:
(07-19-2020, 05:08 PM)Phogge Wrote: A Brit comedy, "The Jokers" with Oliver Reed and Michael Crawford.
"Shot in the Dark," the best Clouseau.
"Morgan," another Brit.
"MASH."
mentioning british comedies reminds me of the wonderful irish comic thriller "the guard." super enjoyable. very amusing rather than fall-off-the-chair funny.

going a bit off topic and a bit downer here, but, to refresh my memory, i just looked at lists of best british comedies and saw lots of alex guiness (makes sense) but then was stunned to see brazil and in bruges (say what?) on the lists. both of those movies are well done but among the most depressing, horrifying films i have ever seen. comedies? i think not. those 2 films are comedies like get out and parasite are comedies. brazil is an adaptation of kafka's "the trial." kafka a comic writer? i-don't-think-so!

Agree with you on all points. Outside of Monty Python, I've found British/Irish/Scots comedies to be entertaining and amusing in a wry-grin way rather than side-splittingly funny. And many, many American comedies fall into that category too, perhaps not intentionally.

As for Brazil and In Bruges, I appreciate a well-turned dark comedy. Better Off Dead was about a teen's repeated (failed) suicide attempts until he finds love. It was hilarious.

Interestingly, the star of Better Off Dead (John Cusack) hated the movie and disowned it as soon as he saw it. He walked out of the initial screening 20 minutes into it and told the director "You tricked me. This is the worst thing I've ever seen. I will never trust you as a director again." Cusack wouldn't sign memorabilia about the movie for years. He warmed to it, finally, two decades later. In fact, in the background of 2010's "Hot Tub Time Machine," which Cusack produced, you can hear a kid yell "I want my two dollars" which was a well-turned line from the newsboy in repeated appearances in 1985's Better Off Dead.

Funniest thing about Better Off Dead is that it was autobiographical. The writer's high school girlfriend really did leave him for the captain of the skiing team, among other true-to-life incidents in the film.

Better Off Dead didn't do great at the box office, but made a killing on video...

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75810/13-better-facts-about-better-dead#:~:text=With%20a%20limited%20release%20in,%2C%E2%80%9D%20Holland%20told%20Fast%20Company.

(07-18-2020, 07:47 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Turns out Adam Sandler is a better actor in serious roles. He was great in Uncut Gems.

BC

Still haven't seen that, and I'd really like to do so.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Phogge - 07-20-2020

Hey Lex. Gleason? I shot it.

We spent a magical week in Fort Lauderdale in 1984 with Jackie. He kept calling Morley "Morty." Safer laughed at it but when I called him Morty he got pissed. Shot about 50 Safer segments. Fantastic guy. Gleason was incredibly friendly. A question they didn't use was about the yearly train ride from Florida to Hollywood which the company shot on board for a segment. Safer asked him if there was a bar on the train. Gleason: "The train was a bar." More stories for our next lunch, if ever.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - PalmTree - 07-20-2020

(07-18-2020, 04:27 PM)Genuine Realist Wrote: You omitted 30's screwball comedies.

'It Happened One Night' and Bringing Up Baby', for openers.

My wife's great-granddad, Cliff Reid, produced Bringing Up Baby. Loved the 30's and 40's comedies - especially with Cary Grant who was crazily prolific in those 2 decades.

Other favorites from back then were My Man Godfrey, the first 2 of Thin Man series & The Philadelphia Story. To Be or Not To Be and The Great Dictator were pretty brilliant too, in their own way - great satires for tough times.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Phogge - 07-20-2020

Jack Benny: "So they call me Concentration Camp Erhard, eh?"

Arsenic and Old lace: "Charrrrrrrge!" "Would you like some elderberry wine?"

ED Wood: "Karlov is a British **********."

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - BobK - 07-20-2020

The Producers
Sir Crazy
Silver Streak
And one of the best ever Young Frankenstein

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - qwerty49 - 07-20-2020

(07-19-2020, 07:08 PM)PVTree Wrote: Good thing Clockwork Orange was not amongst the listed comedies.

Nah, anything with "singin in the rain" would be a musical comedy.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - cctop - 07-20-2020

(07-20-2020, 05:31 AM)Mick Wrote: Better Off Dead was about a teen's repeated (failed) suicide attempts until he finds love. It was hilarious.

Mick, you are the first person I have ever heard (besides myself) to recommend Better Off Dead.

I loved that movie in high school. On the other hand, my girlfriend's parents never took another movie recommendation from me again.

I even recently searched for a 1967 Camaro SS because of that film.

I want to show it to my own teenagers, but oddly it's not available on any streaming service. I wonder if there are some right issues. I may need to break down and buy the DVD.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - oregontim - 07-20-2020

(07-19-2020, 03:15 PM)CowboyIndian Wrote: The Great Race with Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk
The In-Laws (original) with Alan Arkin and Peter Falk
Little Big Man (not exclusively a comedy but some very funny lines and scenes) with Dustin Hoffman

I have to mention one of the best specific scenes, The In-Laws, "serpentine, serpentine"

And also 'A New Leaf,' Elaine May wrote and stars and Walter Mathau, 1971.

lex24 - lex24 - 07-20-2020

(07-20-2020, 08:49 AM)Phogge Wrote: Hey Lex. Gleason? I shot it.

We spent a magical week in Fort Lauderdale in 1984 with Jackie. He kept calling Morley "Morty." Safer laughed at it but when I called him Morty he got pissed. Shot about 50 Safer segments. Fantastic guy. Gleason was incredibly friendly. A question they didn't use was about the yearly train ride from Florida to Hollywood which the company shot on board for a segment. Safer asked him if there was a bar on the train. Gleason: "The train was a bar." More stories for our next lunch, if ever.

I knew you shot that but didn’t want to steal your story!

(07-20-2020, 01:51 PM)cctop Wrote:
(07-20-2020, 05:31 AM)Mick Wrote: Better Off Dead was about a teen's repeated (failed) suicide attempts until he finds love. It was hilarious.

Mick, you are the first person I have ever heard (besides myself) to recommend Better Off Dead.

I loved that movie in high school. On the other hand, my girlfriend's parents never took another movie recommendation from me again.

I even recently searched for a 1967 Camaro SS because of that film.

I want to show it to my own teenagers, but oddly it's not available on any streaming service. I wonder if there are some right issues. I may need to break down and buy the DVD.

Didn’t see it. Sounds a bit like a Harold and Maude, without the age thing. Harold and Maude has some terrific dark humor.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Brickcity - 07-20-2020

I highly recommend the book, "Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story." Yes, the majority of the book is about behind-the-scenes happenings during production. But, the first few chapters address the history of the some of the key guys who created National Lampoon, Animal House, etc. And, of course, Caddyshack. The last chapter - re Bill Murray - is reason enough to read it. As the New York Times' reviewer put it, “I opened this book thinking, 'Why Caddyshack?' I closed it completely exhilarated by the way it answers that question. This is a tough, sharp history of comedy and competitiveness, of rising stars and brilliant upstarts. Of difficult egos, awful behavior, fragile friendships, bursts of inspiration, and blizzards of cocaine―told by the survivors and shaped by Chris Nashawaty's welcome insight and perspective.”

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Spiny_Norman - 07-20-2020

With a screen name and avatar from Monty Python, you better believe that I consider the 1970s and 80s to be a goldmine of movie humor.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

And Mel Brooks too.

The Producers
Young Frankenstein
Blazing Saddles (the first R rated movie I was allowed to see; I had very cool parents)
History of the World, Part I (even as a Jew, I still can sing the Inquisition song. It's brilliant.)

Christopher Guest's mockumentaries are gems.

This Is Spinal Tap
Best In Show
Waiting For Guffman

The Coen Brothers movies are not generally considered comedies, but Fargo, Raising Arizona and A Serious Man have some great comedic set ups and scenes.

Also more recently - Bad Santa is my kind of dark humor. I laugh myself silly every time I watch the scene where they are all rolling on the boxing mat after punching each other in the nuts. I love love love Matt Stone and Trey Parker, including South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut and Team America.

And in my family you had better be familiar with Old School and Anchorman which get quoted a lot. But nothing, nothing gets quoted as much as Stripes.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Mick - 07-20-2020

(07-20-2020, 01:51 PM)cctop Wrote:
(07-20-2020, 05:31 AM)Mick Wrote: Better Off Dead was about a teen's repeated (failed) suicide attempts until he finds love. It was hilarious.

Mick, you are the first person I have ever heard (besides myself) to recommend Better Off Dead.

I loved that movie in high school. On the other hand, my girlfriend's parents never took another movie recommendation from me again.

I even recently searched for a 1967 Camaro SS because of that film.

I want to show it to my own teenagers, but oddly it's not available on any streaming service. I wonder if there are some right issues. I may need to break down and buy the DVD.

https://youtu.be/AnOn-67-LAU?t=47

(07-20-2020, 04:00 PM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: And in my family you had better be familiar with Old School and Anchorman which get quoted a lot. But nothing, nothing gets quoted as much as Stripes.

In our family, it's Wedding Crashers...before Wedding Crashers, it was Stripes.

(07-20-2020, 03:19 PM)Brickcity Wrote: I highly recommend the book, "Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story." Yes, the majority of the book is about behind-the-scenes happenings during production. But, the first few chapters address the history of the some of the key guys who created National Lampoon, Animal House, etc. And, of course, Caddyshack. The last chapter - re Bill Murray - is reason enough to read it. As the New York Times' reviewer put it, “I opened this book thinking, 'Why Caddyshack?' I closed it completely exhilarated by the way it answers that question. This is a tough, sharp history of comedy and competitiveness, of rising stars and brilliant upstarts. Of difficult egos, awful behavior, fragile friendships, bursts of inspiration, and blizzards of cocaine―told by the survivors and shaped by Chris Nashawaty's welcome insight and perspective.”

Great book. Very entertaining. Some borderline criminal stuff, particularly w/respect to the actress in both Animal House and Caddyshack.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Phogge - 07-20-2020

One more, “Topper” with Cary Grant and Constance Bennett.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Brickcity - 07-21-2020

(07-19-2020, 07:08 PM)PVTree Wrote: Good thing Clockwork Orange was not amongst the listed comedies.

Ha! I haven't read through this whole thread, so in case no one mentioned it, one Kubrick movie that IS one of the greatest (dry) comedies of all time: Dr. Strangelove.

(07-20-2020, 09:27 PM)Mick Wrote:
(07-20-2020, 01:51 PM)cctop Wrote:
(07-20-2020, 05:31 AM)Mick Wrote: Better Off Dead was about a teen's repeated (failed) suicide attempts until he finds love. It was hilarious.

Mick, you are the first person I have ever heard (besides myself) to recommend Better Off Dead.

I loved that movie in high school. On the other hand, my girlfriend's parents never took another movie recommendation from me again.

I even recently searched for a 1967 Camaro SS because of that film.

I want to show it to my own teenagers, but oddly it's not available on any streaming service. I wonder if there are some right issues. I may need to break down and buy the DVD.

https://youtu.be/AnOn-67-LAU?t=47

(07-20-2020, 04:00 PM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: And in my family you had better be familiar with Old School and Anchorman which get quoted a lot. But nothing, nothing gets quoted as much as Stripes.

In our family, it's Wedding Crashers...before Wedding Crashers, it was Stripes.

(07-20-2020, 03:19 PM)Brickcity Wrote: I highly recommend the book, "Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story." Yes, the majority of the book is about behind-the-scenes happenings during production. But, the first few chapters address the history of the some of the key guys who created National Lampoon, Animal House, etc. And, of course, Caddyshack. The last chapter - re Bill Murray - is reason enough to read it. As the New York Times' reviewer put it, “I opened this book thinking, 'Why Caddyshack?' I closed it completely exhilarated by the way it answers that question. This is a tough, sharp history of comedy and competitiveness, of rising stars and brilliant upstarts. Of difficult egos, awful behavior, fragile friendships, bursts of inspiration, and blizzards of cocaine―told by the survivors and shaped by Chris Nashawaty's welcome insight and perspective.”

Great book. Very entertaining. Some borderline criminal stuff, particularly w/respect to the actress in both Animal House and Caddyshack.

BTW, one of the great books I've read about behind the scenes happenings in Hollywood is this gem: Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - CowboyIndian - 07-21-2020

(07-20-2020, 04:00 PM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: Life of Brian

If anyone of you took Latin in private (Catholic, especially) school, the scene with John Cleese as the centurion correcting the graffiti grammar is genius.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Mick - 07-21-2020

(07-21-2020, 12:42 PM)CowboyIndian Wrote:
(07-20-2020, 04:00 PM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: Life of Brian

If anyone of you took Latin in private (Catholic, especially) school, the scene with John Cleese as the centurion correcting the graffiti grammar is genius.

John Cleese, Centurion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAfKFKBlZbM

Ditto the scene in Tombstone where Johnny Ringo and Doc Holliday insult each other in Latin:
https://youtu.be/frrJn6esbSU?t=120

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Phogge - 07-21-2020

Harry Carey Jr., "We don't want any trouble, not in any language."

But my favorite line from Tombstone is from Ike Clanton, "He ain't bluffing." Respone to, "I'll turn your head into a canoe."

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - gailtate - 07-22-2020

W. C. Fields, the Marx Bros. and Jerry Lewis between 1961-63 (with Kathleen Turner and Del Moore supporting; Turner played "the penguin" in Blue Brothers.)

Fields in It's a Gift and You Can't Give A Sucker an Even Break is incomparable. The Marx Bros. in Animal Crackers, Horsefeathers (filmed on USC campus) and Duck Soup go beyond comedy and into total anarchy. I watch those three flicks every time they're on. Lewis, in the original Nutty Professor, is masterful. His role remains my favorite in any comedy I've ever seen.

RE: The Golden Age of Comedy - Spiny_Norman - 07-22-2020

(07-22-2020, 11:00 AM)gailtate Wrote: W. C. Fields, the Marx Bros. and Jerry Lewis between 1961-63 (with Kathleen Turner and Del Moore supporting; Turner played "the penguin" in Blue Brothers.)

Fields in It's a Gift and You Can't Give A Sucker an Even Break is incomparable. The Marx Bros. in Animal Crackers, Horsefeathers (filmed on USC campus) and Duck Soup go beyond comedy and into total anarchy. I watch those three flicks every time they're on. Lewis, in the original Nutty Professor, is a masterful and remains my favorite actor in any comedy I've ever seen.

The Nutty Professor remake is notable for one of the single funniest movie scenes I have ever seen. Eddie Murphy is just brilliant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koTVfm31QUY