(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/7581...%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.