Exaggeration

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

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

Exaggeration

My husband claims he and his cousin saw a four-foot jack rabbit when they were young. Both declare it is no exaggeration, but I still tease him, "Sure you did!"

It reminds me of the well-known phrase, "I once caught a fish this big..." which takes on even more humor in the movie Dave (1993) when Dave (Kevin Kline) demonstrates the size of a fish while his arms control enormous mechanical arms spanning across a factory.

Exaggeration in movies can make me laugh.

I get a kick out of a scene in Elf (2003) when Buddy (Will Ferrell) sees a sign in a diner window: World's Best Cup of Coffee! Most of us realize that's a hyperbolic phrase--an exaggeration--but Buddy takes it literally. He enters the shop and congratulates them on their success. (Here's a clip.)

In Kung Fu Panda (2008) Po's (voice of Jack Black) dream of a legendary warrior is full of humorous exaggerations... "He is so deadly, in fact, that his enemies would go blind from over-exposure to pure awesomeness." ... "Never before had a panda been so feared ... and so loved."

Movieclips: Kung Fu Panda - The Legendary Warrior Scene

What's your favorite exaggerated phrase or scene?

Deadpan delivery.

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

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

Deadpan delivery.

Buster Keaton is my favorite silent film comedian. Known as The Great Stone Face, his deadpan expression speaks volumes.

Comedians Bob Newhart, Bill Murray, and Hugh Grant, also come to mind when I think of deadpan delivery, and I had planned to share scenes of their work, but a reader, Frédérique (blog found here), mentioned John Cleese when commenting on my previous post and that reminded me of a hilarious scene in The Great Muppet Caper (1981).

For back story to this clip... Miss Piggy gave Kermit an address--not hers--where he can pick her up for a date. She needs to get into the residence in order to pretend she lives there, so she is trying to find an open window.

Meanwhile, inside the home, Neville (John Cleese) dines with his wife. She hears a noise and inquires about it. Neville looks at the window and matter-of-factly tells her, "Um, er, a pig...climbing up the...outside of the house." Then they go back to eating as though that is nothing unusual. Their whole conversation is dry and yet makes me laugh! It's found here.

Confusion.

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

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

Confusion.

One Sunday morning as we traveled in our car during a Utah winter, I shivered and complained about the frigid temperature. My husband said, "Don't worry, it'll be plenty hot where you are going."

I thought he meant I was going to hell!

But as it turned out, he was referring to the care center where we were headed to visit elderly residents with their thermostats cranked high.

Confusion makes for great comedy!

Many of the movies with Jerry Lewis use confusion for laughs. For one example, in Artists and Models (1955) his character, Eugene, sees a woman who's been modeling as The Bat Lady--the heroine in his favorite comic book--and is so flabbergasted he hurries back to the apartment to tell Rick (Dean Martin). In his confusion, he goes to the wrong floor, enters the wrong door and awakens a heavy-set woman. When he finally reaches his apartment and rapidly tells Rick about the happenings, it gets confusing... is he talking about the Bat Lady or the Fat Lady? Click here for that funny scene.

The confusing mix-ups throughout Oscar (1991) make me laugh every time! Angelo "Snaps" Provolone (Sylvester Stallone) promises his dying father that he will quit the gangster business and lead an honest life. Hilarity races through this movie and it's hard to keep up with who is who and what is what. One of Snaps' thugs, Connie (Chazz Palminteri), experiences frequent confusion. Watch this 41-second clip and you'll get what I mean.... I think.

Do you have a favorite movie or scene with a confused character?

Breaking the fourth wall.

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

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

Breaking the fourth wall.

When a character in George of the Jungle (1997) argues with the narrator, that's breaking the fourth wall, and it cracks me up. (See the short clip.)

I think I first learned about the "fourth wall" while watching Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. In one sketch (as I recall, and not verbatim), Jerry was in a jail cell. Dean was on the outside, talking to someone when suddenly Jerry was next to him. Dean asks, "How did you get out?" And Jerry responds, "Easy, I went through the fourth wall!"

Filmmakers generally keep the camera, lighting, crew and the process of filmmaking behind the scenes... creating an illusion. But in some comedies, ignoring the imaginary wall between the characters and the audience--breaking the fourth wall--creates a great comedic surprise.

Mel Brooks uses that method in several of his films, but my favorite is High Anxiety (1977) with the hilarious use of the camera making the audience remember this is a movie. For instance, a scene where the camera position begins with an exterior shot where the audience can see from a distance towards glass French doors of a building. The camera moves closer... nothing unusual for a film viewing experience... so the audience gets a better look at a group of people around a dining table. But the camera moves even closer and breaks through the glass of the door! The characters turn to see what happened, and then resume their meal as the camera backs slowly away. Such a funny scene! (Click here for the clip.)

For fun, you can browse through an IMDb list of movies that break the fourth wall (found here). It's not all-inclusive, but it might remind you of those funny moments when the movie reminded you it was just, well... a movie.

Is there a funny breaking-the-fourth-wall scene you'd like to share?


(P.S. ... I wrote an academic essay about the comedic use of the camera in High Anxiety for a Comedy Film class. I shared it on this blog several years ago. You can find it here.)