Thursday, April 30, 2020

Zanyism.

Blogging from A to Z Challenge


Theme: Humor in film -- what makes me laugh:


Zanyism.

Zanyism is buffoonery -- behavior that is ridiculous but amusing. My favorite animated films fit under that category, since most would be ridiculous (and impossible) in real life, but there are also some non-animated movies with cartoonish-like characters that make me laugh.

Here are a few examples...

I linked these to their trailers for an overview of the zany antics.

Jerry Lewis movies (the ones with Dean Martin). Especially The Stooge (1951) and Artists and Models (1955).

The Pink Panther (1963) and its sequels. (The funny trailer features the cartoon Pink Panther.)



Tommy Boy (1995)

Flubber (1997)

And this next one hit me particularly funny (I laughed til I cried!) since it's based on a true story. Were the actual thieves as buffoonish as portrayed in this film about the biggest cash heist in history? Truth can be funnier than fiction...

Masterminds (2016)


Well, that's a wrap on another A to Z Challenge. This was a good month to focus on laughter since I spent over half of it in pain. (My leg is much better now and no longer hurts!!)

I finally posted the letter N... yesterday. Find it here.

Are you a fan of zanyism? What movies come to mind when you consider buffoonery?

12 comments:

  1. A new word for me ;) Like the sound of Zanyism! I'm so glad you feel better, I hope you will find what happens to your leg.
    Take care, stay healthy, and thank you for making us laugh!
    Z is for Zakka

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  2. One that I saw (but didn't hear) was "Her Alibi" with Tom Selleck and Paulina Porizkova. It was on a plane from the West Coast that I planned on sleeping on, but couldn't because everyone else was laughing like an idiot at it. Apparently, she's been accused of murder and Selleck volunteers to be her alibi, and almost gets killed in the process because she's accident-prone...

    Others are "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and "Rat Race." And all the "Naked Gun" movies and all the "Hot Shots!" movies.

    Congratulations on completing the A to Z Challenge! This was very entertaining!

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  3. @Frederique ... Thank you for following along and leaving comments throughout the challenge!

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  4. @John Holton ... Oh my... Her Alibi is sooo funny! I need to add that to my list of movies I want to see again soon.

    Those are all great examples of zanyism. Thanks for your comments!

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  5. Those are usually pretty popular movies. Congratulations on reaching z.

    I hope you and yours are staying safe and healthy during this difficult time.

    J Lenni Dorner~ Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference& Speculative Fiction Author

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  6. Loved the Pink Panther. Great finish to your A to Z. Congrats.

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  7. @J Lenni Dorner ... Thank you! I appreciate all the time you put into the A to Z Challenge!

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  8. @Janet ... Whew... we made it through the challenge again! Thank you for all your comments and encouragement!

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  9. I like the Austin Powers movies for zany, ridiculous behavior.

    Thanks for posting every day. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts and looking at clips of films, my favorite things! Be well.

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  10. @Sue ... It was fun writing about different comedy styles and what makes me laugh. Your comments meant a great deal to me. Thank you!

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  11. Both zanyism and buffoonery are GREAT words. Huge fan of Tommy Boy. I'll have to check out Masterminds. Thanks for the recommendation!

    Congratulations on finishing your A to Z!

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  12. @Lynette Forest ... When I watched the Tommy Boy trailer, it reminded me of so many funny moments in that film, I want to watch it again. I miss Chris Farley!

    Thanks for your comment! I'm glad I made it through the A to Z Challenge this year.

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