Category Kings: Comedy

Chaplin's comedic flair comes into conjunction with his cinematic prowess to produce a picture of audacity and hilarity where the entertainers qualities are proven both in front and behind the camera. The film lays the framework of a cityscape undergoing major societal changes and our leads magnify this quality through their hardships. Chaplin's bumbling, clumsy character of uncertainty almost acts as a reflection of these uncertain times; an incompetent man in an incompetent world. This is a time where work was thin, depression was looming, and the family unit was constricted.

But the film also tends to audaciously poke the film industry at the same time. Modern Times courageously sticks true to Chaplin's abstinence from sound and utilizes many scenes, most notable the quick flicker of a sound radio in a police station, to prove Chaplin's will to deliver his entertainment how it has been proven to be done best. The visual comedy of the actor has never been more precise and well thought out, and the visual eye of the director in Chaplin has taken a tight gaze at a time of depression but with the sparkle of light that seemed to be lacking in the historical context.

Where the film tends to truly excel, however, comes through its ability to never wane in its rythm and to never falter in its jesting deliverance. Where many silent films, in comparison to the progressions of cinema, tend to prove slow, Modern Times instead entertains at a constant stream. The framing is still and rarely pivots, allowing the on screen antics and chemistry to take hold and give focus to these surroundings.

In many ways, the title 'Modern Times' refers to many things. It could allude to the industrial changes and the work shortage of this depression, or it could reflect the director's sly provocations of a modernising film industry. Regardless of the film's underlying intentions, it remains a piece of cinema that highlights the comedic genre and proves as an example of humour that is untarnished, constantly reinvigorating, and simply timeless.

A near perfectly made film with timeless and picturesque tonal qualties; The Graduate is a supreme example of film that showcases just how broad an audience demographic can become.

In many ways, this is a very deceptive film in what it is saying. It may look to be an entertaining, albeit stylistic, romp to be enjoyed. But, thanks to a deep screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry and even deeper cinematography by Robert Surtees, we are given insight into a portion of life that every single person faces - the faded years. Benjamin Braddock is the embodiment of the confusion and isolation of people of this age. Are we considered adolescent still? Or are we adults? Really, we're in between, and this is showcased through the (what many people will look at as being pointless) scene where Braddock is forced into a reclusive state in his pool while his 21st birthday turns into a joke at his direction.

Then along comes Mrs. Robinson, played to the point of being the inventor of the seducing woman cliche' by the wonderful Anne Bancroft, who gives Braddock the opportunity to walk past that gate and enter the adult dominion. Her offer - sex. But the screenplay continues down it's devious path with it's subliminal humour as we inexorably move through Braddock's following adult encounters - love; the force to wash away his confusion and tedious stage in life.

Dustin Hoffman made a huge impact in the circle with his portrayal of this complex, yet hollow, character in a performance that proves as a fine example of one of actings most difficult aspects - reacting to others performances. The reaction of Braddock are priceless throughout this piece about the coming of age.

Mention should also be made to the Simon and Garfunkle songs which not only help with the film's tonal qualities, but also give stark insight into the film's proceedings through some meaningful lyrics.

Director Mike Nichols has crafted a near masterpiece of a film that has the only single downpoint of leaving the audience wanting more of this hectic life displayed to us. The Graduate is a film that gives meaning through words, imagery, music, and even silence, and coupled with it's audience potential it is a film to be remembered for a very, very long time to come.

Noted as being one of the greatest comedies ever to grace the silver screen. Does it live up to that hype? For the most part, yes, otherwise though this is just a very fine film from a masterful director. Kubrick seems to shine with every one of his films, in all of the respective genre's, and his inclusion of Dr. Strangelove into the comedy genre adds to the man's solid repertoire in a near masterpiece. This is a film that derives itself on quick wit and satirical analysis of very serious subject matter, the Cold War and Nuclear arms, but with a brilliant script and fantastic characters- Dr. Strangelove manages to win over the audiences with it's sheer quirkiness with it's humour. "Nuclear warhead: handle with care", "I'm capable of being just as sorry as you are", and of course "Gentleman, you can't fight in here, this is a the war room", are some examples of the gems that Kubrick had infused in this sharp screenplay. However, this is a comedy that forces the viewer to watch, listen, and concentrate as their are many subtleties in the film's making, and, for the humour to take full effect - the viewer should have some knowledge of this era in history. The only other fault with the film is it's length, it could easily have done with an extra 15 minutes. Peter Sellers and George C. Scott shine in their roles and truly steal every one of their scenes; Sellers also masterfully handles his three very contrasting roles with a sense of stark difference in each. Dr. Strangelove may not be the best comedy ever made, but it is certainly up there with them.

With a raw authenticity and a striking establishment of a forgotten icon, Lenny is a film that holds true to it's source and the tonal qualities that were pressed and needed to be presented. Bob Fosse, with a short directorial career, has crafted a gem of a film that has become sadly misplaced in the years, but his work here outshines even the very monoliths of 1974 that had beat this film into submission.

Structurally, Lenny is a very rare piece. The film tends to hold an undergarment of a docudrama, through it's usage of direct interviews and lack of musical composition. For most projects, this aspect could have drearily downgraded the film by severely stilting the pacing. Here though, it tends to accompany the soft yet unyielding nature of the visual qualities. At the same time, the film tends to overlay those fabrics with the facade of being a biographical picture that aims to strike with the same maneuvers as it's leading man, a comedian who seemingly ushered in a new age of public acceptance towards the "obscene" and the fight against censorship.

Lenny is a film that holds many truisms to it as we listen with an understanding of the comedian's stance on his material. The public of this era sees only provocative obscenities, but the audiences of the later years are able to see the reality in what Lenny Bruce is saying. His harsh comments speak with an integrity and truth that identifies the flaws in the defenses of prejudice's and social acceptances. And through Hoffman's brilliant performance, we are able to see layers to a man who was destined to reach his self-destruction along his followed path; a man who morphed his life with the morphing of his material and critiquing of society and it's people.

Through a fine screenplay, Lenny is a film that brings a high volume of laughs, but allows itself to be balanced with a care for the progression of these character's. Hoffman gives inflictions of a true character of ambivalence from the audience. There are many points to question the man's morals, yet his stance is ever so powerful that a strange fade comes into focus between his life and his comedy. We laugh at his jokes, but the personal qualities behind the microphone provoke questions. Valerie Perrine gives the performance of her career as the wife of confusion and need. The real star, however, is director Bob Fosse, who has focused his attention on select film departments to get the most out of this film.

A rare feat for the film is that it succeeds in portraying the look, feel, and details of a 1950's America, slowly coming to terms with a generational gap that will shake the societal evolution like never before. The film is picturesque in it's tone - it is serious, but holds an overbearing cynicism and wry smirk that it shares with it's laughter hound. But the cinematography is able to take a further leap through the execution of some astonishing editing, where a vast amount of shots are compiled to add that final layer of visual complexity to an already meaningful film.

Tragic and moving, Lenny is a picture that will stay with you for quite a while. Have the patience to stick with it, and the rewards will be reaped. The only downpoint is that at times the film tends to bring some subtle contradictions to the table. Otherwise, this is perfect filmmaking.

Very much a cult classic that has had the luck of spreading it's wings to other film communities. The Holy Grail is one of the Monty Python crew's better films and that comes through it's witty dialogue and subtleties in character interaction. This is a comedy not to be missed.

Infectious and catching, Singin' in the Rain combines the vibrancy of song, the flamboyance of vaudeville, and the authenticity of broadway into a motion picture that is sure to kick the heels of each audience member. What sets the film apart from many others, however, is the ingenuity in it's screenplay and undertones that stand out just as much as the scintillating dance numbers given to us.

...more soon.

I don't like to give out too many five star movies, simply because there aren't many of those films so close to perfection and to be honest I wasn't expecting much of this either. However, this fable of wit, of humour, and ultimately of love has the rare balance of comedy, true character relationship, and wittifull action to thoroughly appeal to both the young, the old, and the young at heart.

Back to the Future works on many levels, one of those being the level of cool, which is also one of it's main themes. Marty McFly and the Doc come across very alienated to the rest of society and it works very well.
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EDIT: I had forgotten just how good this film actually is. My half-hearted review of above seems ridiculously insignificant in the terms of this film. There is next to nothing wrong with this picture and seems that EVERY role in this piece was tailor made to each actor. This is also a very, very smart film in the sense that it truly does make you think, but also allows itself to bring about a HUGE level of sheer entertainment. The ONLY thing about this film that may drag it down from the 5 stars is replay value - though a few more viewings could change that. A truly great film that has just made it onto my list of Greatest Films Of All Time.