quiz 5 (peak of parody films of the 1980s and 1990s)

Mel Brooks - To Be or Not to Be (1983) - Benign Violation Theory

-It deals with ideas that go against how we expect the world is and how it ought to be. These violations would be upsetting or distressing if the were to happen to us in real life, however, because they are in fictional contexts, we laugh at the world being wrong or potentially offensive.-It involves an element of Incongruity Theory with its surprise factor, it also explains why we laugh at events that could be viewed as inappropriate to laugh at. 1) not be strongly committed to the norm 2) if it is psychologically distant 3) if there is some alternatiVe that makes the benign violations okay-situations that are purely benign are not funny because they are no threat. mel brooks is sitting in an office sweating and waiting. the man at the desk named col erhandt is on the phone with someone yelling in german. - what? why? when? Arrest him! from now on arrest him arrest him arrest him!then shoot him and interrogate him

charlie chaplins "the great dictator" (1940)

-In Chaplin's, he not only pokes fun at those forces, but also shows how humanity can be a greedy, careless species that relentlessly craves power. One of the more powerful parts is the final speech from the film. the speech shows you that parody and satire can include serious messages and moments, if desired. Watch "The Great Dictator" video and then we will move on to our next snapshot of comedy evolving. elements of satire and parody: summary: I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone - if possible - Jew, Gentile - black man - white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness - not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.... The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men - cries out for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children - victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say - do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. ..... Soldiers! don't give yourselves to brutes - men who despise you - enslave you - who regiment your lives - tell you what to do - what to think and what to feel! Who drill you - diet you - treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don't hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: "the Kingdom of God is within man" - not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power - the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then - in the name of democracy - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world - a decent world that will give men a chance to work - that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will! Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world - to do away with national barriers - to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!

Mel Brooks - Life Stinks (1991) - Benign Violation Theory

-It deals with ideas that go against how we expect the world is and how it ought to be. These violations would be upsetting or distressing if the were to happen to us in real life, however, because they are in fictional contexts, we laugh at the world being wrong or potentially offensive.-It involves an element of Incongruity Theory with its surprise factor, it also explains why we laugh at events that could be viewed as inappropriate to laugh at. 1) not be strongly committed to the norm 2) if it is psychologically distant 3) if there is some alternatiVe that makes the benign violations okay-situations that are purely benign are not funny because they are no threat. a man is speaking to boss at his desk in his bosses office. -well sir we are haing a slight problem in fort lauderdale. in order to make room for the large boat shopping mall we need to tear down the nursing home. the boss says "so?" well there are 180 ery old people living there. and we understand they are invalids and dying. the boss says "so" it would not look good on the paper. the boss says "ohh i get your point... do it late at night." "excellent." the worker walks away and other guys around him start laughing. the boss says "gentleman i hae a little surprise. " shot of shitty houses. "what is this this slum houses" the boss says you are looking at 2 and half square mile of the most section of los angeles.right now i own half of this property. the city owns the other half. by noon tommorow it will all be mine. one of the bosses men pricks his finger on one of the toy men. the boss flicks it. the bosses workers asks why he wants to do this. then the boss anchors down a white propject of land and houses that smashes the slums. the workers are amazed the bosss says "gentleman youll neer know how much this project excites me." the boss then starts getting out of breath.

Superiority

-Superiority Theory1)Jokes that make fun of those more powerful than the joke teller2)Jokes that make fun of those less powerful than the joke tellerex) genders, ethnicities3) Joketeller makes fun of his or her self which positions the audience in a more powerful position

Mel Brooks - Blazing Saddles (1974) - Superiority Theory

-Superiority Theory1)Jokes that make fun of those more powerful than the joke teller2)Jokes that make fun of those less powerful than the joke tellerex) genders, ethnicities3) Joketeller makes fun of his or her self which positions the audience in a more powerful position -taget? - yes sir? -i decided to launch an attack that will reduce rockridge to ashes. -what do you want me to do sir? -i want you to round up all the viscous criminal and gunslinger in the west. i want wrustlers, cut throats, murders, bouty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, dimwits, ipors, snipers, conman, mexican bandits, muggers, bushwagers, (as he talks he gets angrier and loses his voice. - can you repeat that sir?

Mel Brooks - Young Frankenstein (1974) - Superiority Theory

-Superiority Theory1)Jokes that make fun of those more powerful than the joke teller2)Jokes that make fun of those less powerful than the joke tellerex) genders, ethnicities3) Joketeller makes fun of his or her self which positions the audience in a more powerful position video the characters find a secret bookcase and if you lift the candle it will. open and turn into a hidden room. the girl lifts the case and the man goes into the secret room. he gets stuck on the otherside. he tells her to open the bookcase again so he can block the opening with his body. the girl gors in and gets trapped on the otherisde too and she tells him to put the candle back.

Buster Keaton's "Three Ages" from 1923

-a notable parody of d. w griffith film "intolerance" that was known its four parallel stories in different centuries and was marketed as a colossal spectacle showing how humankind has always been intolerant through its existence. -Keaton's parody instead showed men's obsession with women in different time periods. Some parodies are more of a 'one note' idea,

parody vs satire

-although they both poke fun at a target they are not identical -parody is composition that imitates style of another composition for comic effect and by applying style to outlandish or inappropriate subject; satire is intended to improve humanity and institutions by using ridicule to arouse reader's disapproval of object or custom -A parody is any kind of work which mimics a familiar style (of artist, genre, or work) to invoke humor. Like satire, parody relies upon exaggeration to deride its target, but its primary aim is to amuse by aping something which others can recognize. Beyond that, however, there is little deeper motive. Most parodists are focused on ridiculing surface‐level observations for easy (if not deserving) laughs. -A work of satire uses humor (particularly irony and exaggeration) to expose flaws in human behavior. By and large, anyone who writes a satirical story intends to ridicule people's idiocy or vices. When notions of human frailty, indecency, or inadequacy are juxtaposed with other factors—such as societal issues or political commentary—satire can be a powerful tool to provoke and challenge attitudes. It is often by using humor that works of satire can feel very much like a harbinger of change, helping to shape public opinion around a common understanding. -Parody is best regarded as a pathway to satire, or a sort of lightweight facsimile of it. Whereas satire is focused on the bigger picture—intending to satirize deeper issues beyond its chosen literary style—a parody can, in many instances, be a shallow instance of mimicry which has little lasting impact (e.g. Bored of the Rings by Henry Beard and Douglas Kenney). For those seeking laughs, both styles have something to offer, and the similarities between satire and parody certainly remain there to be seen, but in my own personal opinion, parody is a brick, and satire is the wall. What it all boils down to is using your strengths as a writer—if you are more interested in concerns related to human nature, such as how George Orwell was in Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty‐Four, then writing a satire would be more all‐encompassing, vital, and incisive for your readers. If all you want to do is lampoon, or take the mickey out of something specific which annoys you—like a movie or a TV show—then parody is perhaps the best means of achieving that, but I wouldn't expect it to have a particularly long shelf‐life. That's not to say satire can't have parodic elements, or that parody can't have satiric qualities, but it's ambition which ultimately sets the two apart. It's up to writers to define which method to choose when inspiration hits.

why is the The Great Train Robbery memorable

1) It had an all-child cast playing pony-stealing gang members about to hijack a train. And (2) The director of the original also directed the parody. One layer of a parody is that audiences recognize the original and that creates laughter—what better way to have a similar style than have the original director also shoot the parody? This should sound familiar, as in a previous lecture we reviewed "Weird Al" Yankovic who attempts to make his parody songs sound as close to the original as possible, as well as his music videos, to create more humor.

teacher doc

Due June 21 at 11:59 PM Starts Jun 14, 2020 8:00 AM Graded Action items of the week: Take Quiz 05 by the end of the week & Submit one of the Essay Work Sheets (based off of one of the film options discussed at the end of this post).*The Weekly Note: By selecting this content included in the lesson, I am not supporting or promoting any of the actions performed by the comedians, nor supporting any of the opinions expressed in the humor. As this is a comedy-focused class, content included may be deemed as risqué to some people or not acceptable by today's standards. One of the central ideas of comedy is to push boundaries and we must go into this course with the appropriate context, evaluating comedic content in the time it was made. With that said, let's start learning again! Before we get started with this week's content, I would like you to watch a short video series titled Why We Laugh. Though it is split into four parts, we will be watching the first two this week and the last two next week. This series is all based on comedy films and also serves as a review of a number of our comedy theories. So go ahead and watch "Why We Laugh" Parts 1 and 2 while taking notes. This week is all about the peak of parody films of the 1980s and 1990s. I use the word "peak" here because many of the parody films are viewed by critics as comedy classics as compared to the parodies of the last few decades such as the "Scary Movie," "Epic Movie," "Date Movie," etc. We will first cover a brief history leading to this peak and then focus on two forces most known for creating content during this era—Mel Brooks and the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker trio. Before we get there, I have one more video for you about the history of comedy movies that will serve as a quick recap of earlier weeks, as well as introduce us to the comedy movie genre. Please view "Comedy Movies History" clip while taking notes. The films that we are focusing on today fall within the genre of parody and satire. While some people use these words interchangeably, that is incorrect, as both have two different meanings. Let's clear up any confusion regarding those two and read about what they are. Please read the "Parody vs. Satire" pdf and make sure to understand them both before we move on. It is difficult to say what the first official parody or satire film was. However, there are some early films made back when the industry was developing. One of the first was Edwin Porter's "The Little Train Robbery" in 1905. This was a parody of "The Great Train Robbery." This film is notable for two reasons: (1) It had an all-child cast playing pony-stealing gang members about to hijack a train. And (2) The director of the original also directed the parody. One layer of a parody is that audiences recognize the original and that creates laughter—what better way to have a similar style than have the original director also shoot the parody? This should sound familiar, as in a previous lecture we reviewed "Weird Al" Yankovic who attempts to make his parody songs sound as close to the original as possible, as well as his music videos, to create more humor. Another notable early parody was Buster Keaton's "Three Ages" from 1923. This was a parody of the D.W. Griffith film "Intolerance" that was known its four parallel stories in different centuries and was marketed as a colossal spectacle showing how humankind has always been intolerant through its existence. Keaton's parody instead showed men's obsession with women in different time periods. Again, parodies can get a bigger laugh when an audience is familiar with the original, however, a wise parodist will also craft the comedy so that those who have not seen it can still find humor in the narrative. Familiarity with the original should be an added bonus for the observant viewer. Some parodies are more of a 'one note' idea, meaning a play on words or title of the film might be the funniest part and the production likely should not have been made—you will see that occur even when we reach parody's peak. One early example of that is 1924's "The Half-Back of Notre Dame," which, as you may have guessed, is a parody of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." One of the stronger early parodies that also hits the satire level is Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" from 1940. As Chaplin's first talking picture, he went after a big target at the time—Adolph Hitler and the Nazis. (Side note: the first Nazi parody short was The Three Stooge's "You Natzy Spy!" earlier that same year). In Chaplin's, he not only pokes fun at those forces, but also shows how humanity can be a greedy, careless species that relentlessly craves power. One of the more powerful parts is the final speech from the film that I've uploaded for you to see, showing you that parody and satire can include serious messages and moments, if desired. Watch "The Great Dictator" video and then we will move on to our next snapshot of comedy evolving. One important element to parody and satire is comedic exaggeration, known as hyperbole. In order to recognize this, please read the "Hyperbole Comedy" pdf. This fits with an idea of comedy in that attitude is important, and in order to make people laugh, an extreme style or attitude should be included in your comedy. This often means that the plot of parody films does not necessarily matter, as its more or less a means to allow the comedian to string along a series of jokes. Our first deep dive today is with comedian Mel Brooks, who started off as a traditional stand-up comedian and television show writer, but then transitioned into making feature-length films, known for their parody, satire, and hyperbole. First, read through the "Mel Brooks Bio" pdf and then open the "Mel Brooks Films" pdf. What you will want to do is read a film entry and then view a clip from the film that I have uploaded. You will notice that a clip for Spaceballs is missing, but that is because we will be doing something different with that later. For each of the following videos, be on the lookout for hyperbole as well as any of the theories we've discussed thus far (Superiority, Incongruity, Mechanical, & Benign Violation):Mel Brooks - The Producers (1968) - Mechanical TheoryMel Brooks - Twelve Chairs (1970) - Incongruity TheoryMel Brooks - Young Frankenstein (1974) - Superiority TheoryMel Brooks - Blazing Saddles (1974) - Superiority TheoryMel Brooks - High Anxiety (1977) - Incongruity TheoryMel Brooks - History of the World: Part 1 (1981) - Mechanical TheoryMel Brooks - To Be or Not to Be (1983) - Benign Violation TheoryMel Brooks - Life Stinks (1991) - Benign Violation TheoryMel Brooks - Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) - Incongruity TheoryMel Brooks - Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) - Mechanical TheoryMel Brooks - The Producers - Remake (2005) - Benign Violation Theory As you can see from that short selection of clips, hyperbole runs throughout all of them. You can also see Mel Brooks' inspiration from the silent film era. Brooks often referred to creating comedy like playing the drums in that having a rhythm to each scene is extremely important, as the delivery and editing style work together like a song. One other important idea of parody and satire is that, for it to be able to last longer in society and be appreciated by future generations, the parody and satire should not rely on too many topical references. As I'm sure you noticed in some of those clips, there was the occasional reference that didn't 'land' or work because it was only applicable at the time. When I was in Hollywood, we referred to this longer lasting comedy as 'evergreen', meaning it could be appreciated longer. One way to counteract that is to still incorporate characters and frustrations that society will likely always have to deal with, making sure content is relevant to audiences. To gain a better understanding of this theory of comedy, please read the "Relevance Theory" pdf and then view a Ricky Gervais video discussing this idea of writing realism in the "Realism and Relevance Theory" video. Next up for our deep dive is a comedy writing and directing trio known as Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker (ZAZ for short). This was a group that began doing improv and live sketch humor in college and then transitioned into full-length feature films. First, read the "ZAZ Info & Films" pdf. In the second half of that document, I have assembled descriptions of their films. For each one, I have included a video clip (except for the Hot Shots films, that I included 1 clip to represent instead of two. I have also excluded any clips from The Naked Gun films because we will be doing something with those shortly). So please proceed to view all of the following clips, this time looking only for hyperbole and uses of Relevance Theory:ZAZ - Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)ZAZ - Airplane (1980)ZAZ - Top Secret! (1984)ZAZ - Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)ZAZ - High School High (1996)ZAZ - Mafia (1998) As you can see, a great deal of the humor again involved hyperbole, slapstick, and visual gags in the ZAZ collection of films. They, like Brooks, can be connected directly back to comedy's vaudeville roots, designing comedy that uses many classic devices and techniques. They also include much of the silliness and rhythm that we learned about in last week's lesson on comedy music. What I am hoping you are seeing as we progress in this class is that the industry is connected, influencing new forms of comedy as new technologies and new voices begin to emerge. However, to fully appreciate this week's topic, we are going to have to watch a full-length film that I am unable to upload to D2L. So along with this week's Quiz 5, you will be answering a short essay worksheet on one of the two films that you have the choice of watching this week—either Mel Brooks' Spaceballs film from 1987 or ZAZ's The Naked Gun film from 1988. I have uploaded clips of both films so you can judge which one you want to view. Both are available on Amazon to rent for $2.99 each here https://www.amazon.com/Spaceballs-Mel-Brooks/dp/B003UAHIM0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=spaceballs&qid=1558701399&s=gateway&sr=8-3 and here https://www.amazon.com/Naked-Gun-Files-Police-Squad/dp/B001D0BLS6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+naked+gun&qid=1558701485&s=gateway&sr=8-1 , though you can use whatever service or means to view the films that you want. If you have seen one of the films, I'd recommend watching the other so you have more exposure. It would benefit you to watch both though, honestly, but while watching one of the films, you will want to take notes on all of the theories of humor discussed (Superiority, Incongruity, Mechanical, Benign Violation, and Relevance). Afterward, answer the short-essay work sheet for one of the films and submit it to the "Film Short Essay Work Sheet" area on D2L, in the assignment submission section. I only accept pdfs or Word documents on D2L. This will take some time as you will want to watch the film and analyze it in the work sheet, re-watching portions of the film to make your points. This worksheet is due before the end of Sunday as well. You will also want to take Quiz 5 by the end of Sunday, covering all of the content from this week. We only have four days of class next week to cover video game comedy, so I'll be unlocking that shortly. Then, you can begin that content as soon as you finish this week's. I REPEAT, class is over next week at the end of Thursday so you must complete next week's materials by then, rather than Sunday. Good luck!Forever smirking,~Dr. McKeague Download 2.94 %1 of 34 topics complete Show data table for This chart displays the number of completed topics versus the total number of topics within module Week 4.. List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 4 00 - Week 4 Agenda D2LPDF document Why We Laugh in Film_ Part 1 (Incongruity Theory)Video Why We Laugh in Film_ Part 2 (Superiority Theory)Video 02 - Comedy Movies HistoryVideo 03 - Satire vs ParodyPDF document 04 - Charlie Chaplin - The Great Dictator (1940)Video 05 - Hyperbole ComedyPDF document 06 - Mel Brooks BioPDF document 07 - Mel Brooks FilmsPDF document 08a - Mel Brooks - The Producers (1968)Video 08b - Mel Brooks - Twelve Chairs (1970)Video 08c - Mel Brooks - Young Frankenstein (1974)Video 08d - Mel Brooks - Blazing Saddles (1974)Video 08d - Mel Brooks - High Anxiety (1977)Video 08e - Mel Brooks - History of the World Part 1 (1981)Video 08f - Mel Brooks - To Be Or Not To Be (1983)Video 08g - Mel Brooks - Life Stinks (1991)Video 08h - Mel Brooks - Robin Hood Men in Tights (1993)Video 08i - Mel Brooks - Dead And Loving It (1995)Video 08j - Mel Brooks - Producers - Remake (2005)Video 09a - Relevance TheoryPDF document Ricky Gervais - Realism and Relevance TheoryVideo 10a - ZAZ Info & FilmsPDF document 10b - Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)Video 10c - Airplane (1980)Video 10d - Top Secret! (1984)Video 10e - Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)Video 10f - High School High (1996)Video 10g - Mafia (1998)Video 11a - Option 1 - Spaceballs Work SheetWord Document 11b - Option 2 - Naked Gun Work SheetWord Document 11b - Spaceballs (1987)Video 12b - The Naked Gun (1988)Video Quiz 05Quiz Due June 21 at 11:59 PM Starts Jun 15, 2020 8:00 AMEnds Jun 21, 2020 11:59 PM 26 questions total. You will not be able to stop the time once it begins or re-open the quiz, so plan accordingly and study. Good luck!

what was the first nazi parody short

The Tterm-10hree Stooge's "You Natzy Spy!"

mel brooks films pdf

The Works of Mel Brooks The Producers (1968) Theatrical producer Max Bialystock has fallen on hard times. In an attempt to acquire some money, Max and his accountant conspire to select the worst play, the worst playwright, the worst director, and the worst actor to collaborate on a guaranteed flop, entitling them to keep the investors' excess money. The Twelve Chairs (1970) In this farce, a civil servant discovers that he is heir to a vast fortune, which is hidden in one of a set of twelve chairs. Unfortunately, the chairs have been scattered to locations unknown, and the man must compete with a greedy priest in his quest for the riches. Young Frankenstein (1974) In this spoof of Mary Shelley's gothic tale, the grandson of Victor Frankenstein, a neurosurgeon, has spent his life living down the legend of his grandfather, even changing the pronunciation of his name. When he discovers his grandfather's diary, he begins to feel differently, and returns to the family castle to satisfy his curiosity by replicating his ancestor's experiments. In the process, he creates one very unique monster. Blazing Saddles (1974) Vulgar, crude, and occasionally scandalous in its racial humor, this hilarious bad‐taste spoof of Westerns, co‐written by Richard Pryor, features Cleavon Little as the first black sheriff of a stunned town scheduled for demolition by an encroaching railroad. Little and co‐star Gene Wilder have great chemistry, and the delightful supporting cast includes Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, and Madeline Kahn as a chanteuse modelled on Marlene Dietrich. As in Young Frankenstein (1974), Silent Movie (1976), and High Anxiety (1977), director/writer Mel Brooks gives a burlesque spin to a classic Hollywood movie genre; in his own manic, Borscht Belt way, Brooks was a central player in revising classic genres in light of Seventies values and attitudes, an effort most often associated with such directors as Robert Altman and Peter Bogdanovich . Some of this film's sequences, notably a gaseous bean dinner around a campfire, have become comedy classics. Silent Movie (1976) A has‐been comedy director struggles to recruit a group of big Hollywood stars to take part in his comeback project, a modern‐day silent movie. Mel Brooks' cameo‐filled comedy pays loving tribute to the early days of screen comedy through a succession of (almost) entirely silent slapstick sequences. High Anxiety (1977) This is Mel Brooks' spoof of over ten Alfred Hitchcock classics, including Psycho, Vertigo, and The Birds (Brooks actually used the bird trainer from that classic suspense movie in making his film). Brooks plays Dr. Richard H. Thorndyke, a renowned Harvard psychiatrist with a concealed fear of heights, or High Anxiety. Thorndyke takes over as the newest director of the PsychoNeurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous after the last director dies under suspicious circumstances. He soon finds himself to be in the company of some very strange colleagues, including longtime Brooks collaborators Cloris Leachman and Harvey Korman, with Madeline Kahn as Victoria Brisbane, the eccentric daughter of a patient at the institute and Thorndyke's love interest. Korman takes on the role of Dr. Charles Montague, a psychiatrist with a closeted habit of his own. Leachman plays Charlotte Diesel, a charge nurse with a dark sneer and tendency towards domination. As Thorndyke heads to a psychiatry conference, he is faced with saving the Institute, his reputation, and his own sanity. Although the film was not well‐received by critics, it picked up a 1978 Golden Globe nomination for best picture (musical or comedy) and landed Brooks a nomination for best actor. The movie has a number of cameos, from a young Barry Levinson's spot as an unstable bellboy to a small part by Hitchcock's right‐hand special effects man, Albert J. Whitlock, who plays Kahn's father. History of the World: Part 1 (1981) Mel Brooks produced, directed, wrote, and starred in this episodic comedy in the spirit of Monty Python and the 1957 studio travesty The Story of Mankind. The film is divided into five sequences that play like blue‐toned Eddie Cantor vaudeville sketches ‐‐ "The Dawn of Man," "The Stone Age," The Spanish Inquisition," "The Bible," and "The Future." Also included is a Brooksian depiction of The Last Supper and a long‐winded sequence about the French Revolution. The film starts with a 2001: A Space Odyssey parody, narrated by Orson Welles, in which a collection of ape‐men learn to stand erect (in more ways than one). The Stone Age reveals the origins of both the first homo sapien and homosexual marriages. Brooks then appears in an Old Testament sequence as Moses, descending from Mount Sinai with three heavy stone tablets bearing the 15 Commandments; after he drops one of these tablets, the laws of God become 10 Commandments. The Roman period picks up with Brooks as Comicus, attempting to get a gig as a "stand‐up philosopher" at Caesar's Palace. The Spanish Inquisition is a musical production number with monks torturing people to lively Broadway musical strains. The final French revolution section is a broad parody of The Man in the Iron Mask story. To Be or Not to Be (1983) Mel Brooks and his wife Anne Bancroft co‐star in this funny remake of a 1942 comedy of the same title, based on a story by Ernst Lubitsch and Melchior Lengyel about a down‐and‐out Warsaw theater troupe who save the Polish resistance fighters from the SS in World War II. Frederick Bronski (Brooks) leads a struggling theatrical company that offers anything ‐‐ from excerpts of Hamlet to stock vaudeville ‐‐ if it will pull in an audience. Unknown to Frederick, his wife Anna Bronski (Anne Bancroft) starts up an extra‐marital interest in a Polish pilot (Tim Matheson) that could lead to a large‐scale disaster. The pilot unknowingly reveals the names of the Bronskis and several resistance fighters to an SS spy (José Ferrer), and by the time he finds out what he has done, he is in London, so he is forced to return surreptitiously to Warsaw as fast as he can to stop the list of names from landing in the hands of the SS chief (Charles Durning). Once the theater troupe is called in to help on this mission, the comedy begins in earnest with the actors donning the guise of Nazis, and Anna seguing into "seductions" of the SS spy and his chief as a part of their battle plan. SpaceBalls (1987) The evil leaders of Planet Spaceball, having foolishly squandered their precious atmosphere, devise a secret plan to take every breath of air away from their peace‐loving neighbour, Planet Druidia. They send the evil Dark Helmet to kidnap Princess Vespa on the day of her wedding, in the hope of holding Druidia to ransom. But the princess skips town and joins forces with a mercenary named Lone Starr and his sidekick, Barf. It's a great 80's comedy, perfect for its time how it parodied the big sci‐fi movies of the era and the consumer driven culture. Joyfully, wonderfully ridiculous, classic performances and endlessly quotable. Life Stinks (1991) In this Mel Brooks comedy, the writer‐director stars as Goddard Bolt, a land developer who accepts a bet with a rival (Jeffrey Tambor), requiring Bolt to spend a month on the streets of Los Angeles living as a penniless vagrant. Brooks plays the rich man himself. His name is Goddard Bolt, and he intends to buy a large, wretchedly poor area of Los Angeles, tear it down, and start over ‐ at immense profit to himself. His archenemy in business is a predatory capitalist named Vance Crasswell (played by Jeffrey Tambor with oily superiority). They get in a bidding and bluffing war, and it finally all comes down to a bet: The Brooks character bets he can live for 30 days, by his wits, as a homeless bum ‐ without ever stepping foot outside the area. This is a premise Brooks and his writers have borrowed from "Sullivan's Travels," the 1939 Preston Sturges classic in which Joel McCrea plays a Hollywood director who went on the road as a bum. But the streets are a little meaner in 1991 than they were in 1939, and the affluent are stingier. It is sometimes all Brooks can do to make his movie seem like a comedy, when the desperation of the homeless is so evident in every scene, but he pulls it off (Roger Ebert, 1991). Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) Mel Brooks directed and co‐wrote this satiric comedy which lampoons a number of cinematic treatments of the legend of Sherwood Forest, including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and The Adventures of Robin Hood. Robin Hood (Cary Elwes) comes home after fighting in the Crusades to learn that the noble King Richard (Patrick Stewart) is in exile and that the despotic King John (Richard Lewis) now rules England, with the help of the Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees). Robin Hood assembles a band of fellow patriots to do battle with John and the Sheriff, including Asneeze (Isaac Hayes) and his son Ahchoo (Dave Chappelle), the blind watchman Blinkin (Mark Blankfield), Will Scarlet O'Hara (Matthew Porretta), and Rabbi Tuckman (Brooks). The Sheriff is eager to put Robin Hood out of business with the aid of criminal mastermind Don Giovanni (Dom DeLuise), but Robin soon has an ally in the royal palace when he falls for the lovely Maid Marian (Amy Yasbeck), whose minder Broomhilde (Megan Cavanagh) has uncooperatively outfitted Marian with a chastity belt. The cast also includes Tracy Ullman, Robert Ridgely, and Clive Revill. Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) The legend of Dracula and its numerous film adaptations provide the basis for this parody. The famous count, who here happens to be remarkably klutzy, faces off against determined vampire hunter Van Helsing against a background of broadly humorous gags and slapstick comedy. Though not as great as other Mel Brooks films, this film will appeal to horror comedy fans as much as Mel Brooks fans. Leslie Nielson brings great comic charm to the classic horror character. This is Mel Brooks' last original parody work that was not a remake. The Producers - Remake (2005) After transforming his first motion picture into a smash Broadway musical, Mel Brooks brings the story of two would‐be theatrical moguls turned con men back to the screen in this musical comedy. Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) was once one of Broadway's most successful producers, but a string of flops has thrown his career into a tailspin, and now he struggles to raise the cash to stage new shows by playing gigolo to lonely old ladies. While going over his books, accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) notices that Bialystock raised more money than he spent for one show, and points out that if one raised enough money for a show that closed in one night, you could make more off a flop than a hit. This strikes Bialystock as a brilliant scheme, and he decides to give it a try, persuading Bloom to join him in staging the world's greatest flop. After discovering a truly vile script ‐‐ "Springtime for Hitler," a musical set in the Third Reich written by neo‐Nazi pigeon fancier Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell) ‐‐ and giving a key role to the secretary Ulla (Uma Thurman), a drop‐dead gorgeous blonde with only a tenuous understanding of the English language, Bialystock and Bloom are certain they have the disaster they need for their plan to work. But the scheme unexpectedly goes wrong when "Springtime for Hitler" becomes a "so bad it's good" hit. Mel Brooks co‐wrote the screenplay for The Producers as well as producing it, but directorial chores were handed over to Susan Stroman, who also directed the Broadway show; Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick also repeated their roles from the Broadway production.

zaz info and films pdf

The Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker Director Trio Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker (abbreviated to ZAZ) were an American comedy filmmaking trio consisting of Jim Abrahams and brothers David Zucker and Jerry Zucker who specialized in writing slapstick comedy films during the 1980s. The trio knew each other during their childhood years, growing up in Shorewood, Wisconsin and attending Shorewood High School which is sometimes referenced in their work. While attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the trio founded a small theater known as The Kentucky Fried Theater in 1971 which led to their sketch comedy film The Kentucky Fried Movie. This was followed in 1980 by the trio's breakout hit Airplane!, which remains a revered comedic milestone. Subsequent collaborations include the TV series Police Squad!, its subsequent Naked Gun trilogy and the films Top Secret! and Ruthless People. All of their projects relied heavily on parodies, visual gags and breaking of the fourth wall, and established a strong cult following. The notable stylistic exception is Ruthless People, a more traditional farce that was directed by the trio but unlike their other productions, not written by them. Prominent ZAZ actors and actresses include Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg and Charlie Sheen. The trio's status as a three‐person team of co‐directors is highly unusual, although some of their later projects were directed by David Zucker working solo and with Jerry Zucker and Abrahams credited only as producers and/or writers. Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) Written by the ZAZ Team and directed by John Landis (National Lampoon's Animal House, The Blues Brothers, etc), this is one of, if not the earliest sketch film. There's not really much of a plot, as this is more of an anthology of mostly unconnected sketches that parody various television programs, commercials, and different films, namely of the exploitation and educational varieties. There's also a hilarious jab at cinematic gimmicks, where a man goes to a movie being shown in "feel around"...which results in him being physically accosted by an usher. The film is very politically incorrect, rude, stupid, silly, and goofy. Airplane (1980) This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on ridiculous sight gags, groan‐ inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting ‐‐ a comedy style that would be imitated for the next 20 years. Airplane! pulls out all the clichés as alcoholic pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays), who's developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, boards a jumbo jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend (Julie Hagerty). Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to land the plane, with the help of a glue‐sniffing air traffic controller (Lloyd Bridges) and Striker's vengeful former captain (Robert Stack), who must both talk him down. Along the way, we meet a clutch of stock disaster movie passengers like the guitar‐strumming nun, a sick little girl, and a frightened old lady. Leslie Nielsen portrays the plane's doctor, launching a new phase of the actor's career that carried him through the next two decades in several similarly comedic roles. The trio of directors Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and David Zucker responsible for the film would eventually go on to solo careers, but not before making Top Secret! and Ruthless People. Top Secret! (1984) The second of Zucker‐Abraham‐Zucker's theatrical‐feature spoofs (Airplane was the first, discounting the patchwork Kentucky Fried Movie), Top Secret! lampoons practically every film genre. Specifically, however, this is a hybrid of an "Elvis" movie and a World War II "underground resistance" thriller. In his film debut, Val Kilmer plays Nick Rivers, a Presley‐like American rock idol sent behind the Iron Curtain on a goodwill tour. Before long, he is involved in a complex espionage scheme thanks to beautiful Lucy Gutteridge, the daughter of a scientist (Michael Gough) held captive by the Communists. Also essential to the action is flamboyant resistance leader Christopher Villiers, who behaves like Victor Mature in Betrayed (1954) and talks like James Mason. Adhering to Z‐A‐Z's cheerful disregard for people, places and events, the East Germans are depicted as Nazis, while the Underground is comprised of Frenchmen. The plot is mainly an excuse for the Z‐A‐Z team's fondness for joke‐a‐minute lampoonery, skewering cinematic targets ranging from The Blue Lagoon (1980) to The Wizard of Oz (1939). As in Z‐A‐Z's other efforts, Top Secret! scores its biggest yocks when invoking cliches that we never realized were cliches‐and falls on its face whenever attempting a too‐obvious gag (the biggest clinker: that pigeon statue in the park). Everyone has his or her favorite bits in this film: our faves include the resistance fighter named Deja Vu ("Haven't we met somewhere before?"), Kilmer's horrible nightmare while being tortured (he arrives too late to take final exams), the army‐booted cow, the sensitive Pinto, and the East German National Anthem, sung to the tune of the Shorewood (Wisconsin) High School marching song. But let's say no more: comedy of this nature is designed to be seen, not written or read about (RottenTomatoes, 2019). The Naked Gun (1988) Seeking vengeance when his partner (Simpson) is shot full of holes by drug dealers, Lt. Frank Drebin searches for the Mister Big behind it all. Drebin suspects above‐reproach shipping magnate Vincent Ludwig, but he can't prove a thing. Bumped from the force by the mayor, Drebin, with the unexpected assistance of Ludwig's ex‐girlfriend, manages to nab the bad guy at a baseball game, where Reggie Jackson has been programmed to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. The Naked Gun 2 ½ : The Smell of Fear (1991) The second in a series of three police detective parody films, The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear features the return of Leslie Nielsen to the role of intrepid Los Angeles Police Squad Lieutenant Frank Drebin. This time, Drebin is in Washington, D.C. to investigate a malevolent industrialist (Robert Goulet) who just happens to be the new paramour of Drebin's old flame Jane (Priscilla Presley). Hot Shots (1991) From director Jim Abrahams, one of the minds behind the Airplane! and Naked Gun films, comes another parody. This time around, Abrahams has his sights set on the action‐ adventure genre, specifically Top Gun. Charlie Sheen stars as Topper Harley, a maverick air force pilot who constantly lives in the shadow of his father's legacy. Unable to handle the pressure, Harley has left the Air Force to live among a tribe of Native Americans. But when the United States seeks to destroy some Iraqi nuclear facilities, there's only one man for the job. After being coaxed back into service, Harley soon realizes that in addition to Saddam Hussein, he'll have to contend with a rival pilot, played by Cary Elwes, and a devious aerospace executive. Among the many films lampooned are Dances With Wolves, 9 1/2 Weeks, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and Gone With the Wind. Hot Shots: Part Deux (1993) Movie references, sight gags, silly puns, and double entendres abound in Hot Shots! Part Deux, Jim Abrahams' sequel to Hot Shots ‐‐ only now the object of the skewering is the Stallone Rambo movies instead of Top Gun. Charlie Sheen returns as the lunk‐headed Topper Harley, who has retreated to a Buddhist monastery after being dumped by Ramada Rodham Hayman (Valerie Golino). In this far‐off retreat, the monks have "taken a vow of celibacy, just like their fathers and their fathers before them." But Topper bulks up and goes back into action when his superior officer, Colonel Denton Walters (Richard Crenna) is captured by a Saddam Hussein look‐alike, missing somewhere between "Iraq and a Hard Place." Topper charges into Iraq (after barreling through a Beverly Hills barbecue) along with sexy CIA operative Michelle Rodham Huddleston (Brenda Bakke) in tow, his guns ablazing. The Naked Gun 3 1/3 : The Final Insult (1994) The further misadventures of bumbling Los Angeles police Lieutenant Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) are chronicled in this third installment in the popular Naked Gun comedy series. This by‐the‐numbers entry begins with Drebin as a happily retired house‐husband called back into action when an evil terrorist organization threatens Los Angeles. As in the other Naked Gun films, this plot is merely an excuse for an unhinged, rapid‐fire succession of gags, ranging from satirical lampoons of cop movies to broad slapstick, all played with a perfectly straight face. Nielsen provides his familiar combination of complete witlessness and oblivious dignity as Drebin, and the film attempts to match the earlier Naked Gun films ‐‐ and the Police Squad! television series that inspired them ‐‐ in the number of jokes. High School High (1996) In this comic send‐up of dramas set in urban schools (such as Lean on Me and Dangerous Minds), Jon Lovitz plays Richard Clark, a teacher who is persuaded to give up his position at Wellington Academy, an upscale private school (where the receptionist cheerfully answers calls with the question "Are you white?"), to take over a class at Marion Barry High School in Inner City, U.S.A. Marion Barry High is a far cry from the ivory‐tower atmosphere of Wellington; the statue in the courtyard holds a crack pipe, the Michigan Militia sets up a booth for career day, and there's so much violence on campus that the school has its own graveyard; however, Clark is determined to reach his thick‐headed charges, and he hopes to also make an impression on Victoria Chappell (Tia Carrere), a beautiful woman also on the teaching staff. Clark does battle with Evelyn Doyle (Louise Fletcher), the school's militaristic principal, in an effort to raise standards for the school's star straight‐C students, and he finds that he's getting through to one of the school's toughest students, Grig (Mekhi Phifer). Mafia (1998) Satirist Jim Arahams returned with this comedy spoofing the Godfather trilogy, and other films and TV, including Jurassic Park, Lord of the Dance, and Barney. The opening emulates a Saul Bass sequence with Anthony Cortino (Jay Mohr) in a flight amid flames much like Robert De Niro in the Casino credits. After flashbacks go back in time to Sicily, Coppola/Scorsese references abound. Young Vincenzo (Jason Fuchs) travels to America to later become the clumsy chief of organized crime (with the late Lloyd Bridges as the aging Vincenzo) with his sons ‐‐ short‐fused Joey (Billy Burke) and educated Anthony. Tony's WASP fiancee is Diane (Christina Applegate), recalling Diane Keaton in the Coppola films. During the wedding, assassins try to do away with Don Vincenzo, who's hospitalized, so Tony sets out to gain revenge for the murder attempt. In Vegas, Tony gets involved with showgirl Pepper (Pamela Gidley). When betrayals begin, can violence be far behind? This was Lloyd Bridges' final movie, and the film is dedicated to him.

what was an important element to parody and satire

comedic exaggeration known as hyperbole

hyperbole comedy

This fits with an idea of comedy in that attitude is important, and in order to make people laugh, an extreme style or attitude should be included in your comedy. This often means that the plot of parody films does not necessarily matter, as its more or less a means to allow the comedian to string along a series of jokes. Hyperbole is another word for exaggeration. When using hyperbole to generate laughs, the writer needs to exaggerate not just a little; the writer needs to exaggerate so greatly that the laws of science or reason are violated. This type of comedic hyperbole is the source of a lot of classic one‐liners. Rodney Dangerfield is a good example. So many of his one‐liners used hyperbole. He was the guy who didn't get any respect, so one of his jokes was, "My parents didn't like me. For bathtub toys, they gave me a blender and a transistor radio." Obviously, if he had played with those things in the bathtub, he'd be dead, which defies both science and reason. (This joke has a dash of Benign Violation since it suggests the violent death of a child). Joan Rivers was also well‐known for her jokes that exaggerated comments about society as well as herself, using self‐deprecation comedy with great skill. Hyperbole allows you to get to ridiculous extremes by exaggerating so far behind reality that you're suddenly in a different, impossible reality. Most writers instinctively think that hyperbole is a literary device that only exaggerates what's big or what's negative. However, you can exaggerate small or positive, or any direction. Dikkers, S. (2015). How to Write Funny

who were zaz

Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker This was a group that began doing improv and live sketch humor in college and then transitioned into full-length feature films

what was involved in the zaz collection of films

humor like hyperbole, slapstick, and visual gags

mel brooks bio

mel brooks, original name melin kamisnsky (born june 28, 1926) brooklyn new york, us) american film and teleision, director, producer, writer, and actor whose motion pictures eleated outrageouseness and ulgarity to high comic art. early life and work brooks was an accomplished mimic pianist and drummer by the time he graduated from high school and enlisted in the us army in 1944. as part of his assignment in the us army in 1944. as part of his assignment to the army specialized training program, he recieed instruction at the irginia military institute/ after sering as a combat engineer in europe during world war II, he became a professional entertainer, working as a stand- up comic, an erncee and a social director at resorts in the catskill mountains (the so called borscht belt) in 1949 he joined the writing staff for the admiral broadway reue, a weeklt teleison series starring sid caesr, brooks remianed with caesar until 1958,, contributing material o the comedians subseuqent t efforts, most memorably to the landmark comedy series "your show of shows(1950-54) as part of writing staff that included carl reiner, neil simon, and larry gelbart. in 1967, he won an emmy award for being a cowriter of the ariety show the sid cesar, imogene coca, carl reiner, howard morris special. additionally, brooks collaborated on the librettos for the musicals shinbone alley(1957) and all american (1962) as a preformer, brooks came to prominence in 1960 when he teamed with reiner (who acted as a interiewer) to bring to life "the 2,000 year old man" a mostly improised bit that the duo preformed in teleision appearences and on best- selling comedy record albums. brooks entered the motion picture industry as the writer and narrator of academy award winning animated short the critic(1963) a deestating lampooon of aant garde films. he and buck henry then created get smart (1965-70) a teleision situtation comedy spoofing the espinage genre popularized by the james bond films. all this was but a prelude to his auspicious feature film directorial debut. the producers (1968) which was not a major success at the boc office een though brooks screenplay won an academy award. in the producers, zero mostel starred as a finaciallt troubled stage producer who teams with his accountant (played by gene wilder) to purposefully oersell shares in their upcoming production so obiouslyy bad and offensie that it will quickly bomb and close allowing them to abscond with the inestors money. to their horror, they end up with a hit. despire its initial poor showing at the box office and a mized repsponse from critics, the film had some ardent champions, including actor peter sellers, and brooks won an academy award for his screenplay. moreoer with the passage of time, the producers became a cult faorite and was eentually widely lauded as one of the greatest comedians eer made. its celebrated centrepiece, an absurdely upbeat busby berkely- like musical number (springtime for hitler) and dick shawns bohemian portrayal of the play within the moies protagonist, adolf hilter both typified brooks comedic approach as they shockigly defied audeience expectations. brooks whose artistic sensibilitu had largely been shaped by his sense of being on outsider as a hew in mainstream american society, bodly put the ultimate illain of jewish histiry, hitler at the heart of his comedy and transformed him into a clown. in so doing, he embodied the approach to comedy and transformed him into a clown. in so doing, he embodied the approach to comedy (and more specifically to parody) that film historian gerald mast called the anomalous surprise- the interjection of a character, a situation, or an eent that no sense gein the context, brooks would return to this approach again and again throughout his career as a filmmaker. Brooks followed the producdrs with another broad comedy, the twele chairs(1970) that was set in newly communist russia and conceerned a troe of jewels hidden inside a dining chair leg. a priest, an aristocrat and a confidence man ie to be the first to discoer them, to great comic effecr, through the film was little seen. films of the 1970s it was with his third directorial effort, blazing saddles (1974) that brooks cemented his reputation as hollywoods foremost pureyor of hilarious tastelessness. he collaborated with wrier-director andrew bergman and stand up comedian actor richard pryor, among others on the script for his unhibited berlesque of the western genre, the comic targets of which ranged from racial prejudiced to flatylence. its stellar cast included wilder, cleaon little, harey korman, slim pickens, and madeline khan, who earned an academt award nomination for best supporting actress for her parody of marlene dietrichs saloon singer in the classic western destry rides again (1939) the film reaped a fortune at the box office and earned brooks another academy award nomination, this one for best original song(im tired) equally popular was his next film, a broad but affectinate parody of the uniersal horror films of the 1930s titled young frankestein(1974) which earned brooks and the films star and cowriter, an academy award nomination for best screenplay. young frankenstein was more carefully strcutured than blazing saddles, and its elgant black and white cinematography replicated the look of the 1935 bride of frankestein. brooks reined in his more anarchic impulses(though his trademark lewd jokes are abundant) and many critics found the result more sophisticated than blazing saddles, which had been released less than a year preiously. less successful was silent moie(1976) in which brooks himself starred as a washed up director who persuades th ehead of a motion picture studio(played by caesar) to make a silent picture. without dialogue and loaded with sight gag, silent moie was less a spoof than an affectionate homage to the mack senette directed comedies of the silent era. high anxiety(1977) was a more centered parody, with the films of alfred hitchockk as its target. brooks again starred, this time as pschiatrist whose life is put in jeopardy when he goes to work at the psycho- neurotic institute for the ery ery nerous (the staff of which includes a sinister pair played by cloris leachman and korman) films of the 1980s and 1990s despite the prescence of korman, leachman and seereal other fine actors who were memebers of the loose ensemble that appeared in brooks films, including kahn and caesar, history of the world- -part I (1981) was poorly recieed by most critics and at the box office. similary disapponting were spaceballs (1987) a takeoff on the star wars series, and life stinks (1991) brooks then directed robin hood: men in tights (1993) a send up of robin hood: prince of theiees (1991) in which kein costner had starred (and was generally malignedO as the legendary outlaw hero, brooks final motion picture as a director was the unremarkable dracula: dead and loing it (1995) work as producer and actor as a founder of brooksfilms, an independent moiemaking concern, brooks also engaged in a parallel career as an executie producer of serious quality films, including the elephant an (1980) frances (1982, uncredited) and 84 charing cross road (1987) the last of which starred his second wife, anne bancroft, whom he married in 1964. brooks costarred with bancroft in to be or not to be (1983) a remake of the ernst lubitisch- directed film of the same name, his work as an actor who included regular appearences on the popular t sitcom mad about you in the late 1990s for which he won three emmys, and a guest stint, on the hbo series curb your enthusiasm. in addition, he lent his oice to arious t shows and films. the latter included the animated hotel transylannia series (2015, 2018) during this time he also won a grammy award for the spoken comedy album the 2000 year old man in theyear 2000 (1998) brooks made a spectacular comeback in 2001 as producer, composer, and librettist of the hugely popular broadway stage musical based on the producees. brooks recieed sereral tony awards for the production, and with these wins he became one of the few entertainers to hae earned an EGOT (emmy, grammy oscar, and tony) he followed this in 2007 with a broadway musical based on young frankenstein, brooks, was named a kennedy center honoree in 2009 for his contributions to american comedy.

comedy Movies history

we dig into the quips and gags of a long line of pranksters in hollywoods most mischievous genre. (the comedy) - the comedy is hollywoods oldest most versatile genre involving the mishaps, misfires, and missteps of life. the genres adaptability is endless. open to multiple narraties and styles which usually end good although satire and parody may highlight humors darker aspect. taillored for silent productions , comedys which relied on humorous visuals were prolific in cinemas early days. beggining with short, one reel scenerios. the renoun film inenters agust and louie lumiere included a comedy in their first publics screening in 1895. in the early 20th century the film innovator max sinnette(the king of comedy) founded the keystone studio. the comic powerhouse of early hollywood. in keystone sinnette deeloped the signature comedic style of frantic slapstick. keystones first success came from silent film star roscoe fatty arbuckle. arbuckle and sinnette struck gold with a stream of films spanning a decade until arbuckle fall from grace with a much publicized rape and murder scandal involving three trials. however sinnette had diversified keystones acting career. arbuckle opened the door for the rise of a new star, charlie chaplin. mentored by arbuckle charlie quickly rose the ranks of siness comedy troops. his debut film released in 1914, showcased chaplins brilliant horseplay. A year later chaplin and a burst of creativity produced 15 films for the sna film company including the tramp which showcased the character that would propel chaplin to the peak of not only the comedy genre but all of global cinema. chaplin is best remebered for both his comic genuis and his buisness and artistic influence on early studio hollywood. in 1919 chaplin teamed up with D. w griffith, mary picford and douglas fairbanks to form the united artist studio in order to hae finacial and artistic control oer their projects. through the united artists chaplin produced some of his greatest work. including the gold rush.the film is a perfect introduction to chaplins tramp persona. exemplifying all the slapstick the charcter had to offer. years after gold rush chaplin released city lights( a romantic comedy which showed a softer sentimental side to the tramp. in the film, chaplin falls for virginia sharels charcter. a beautiful blind women who works as a flower girl. after city lights chaplin made a political statement in modern times. a film inoling the tramps struggle with industrialist capitalist society. through humor chaplin satirizes the dehumanizing labor of assembly line production. likeise chaplin released his own talking films including the great dictator. the actors point and jab at hitler and facism the dictator was chaplins most commercially successful picture released beforeamerica inolement in ww2. another important actor of hollywood was buster keaton. originally a audollian actor, keaton is best remebered for his signature expressionless face and acrobatic stunts. his deadpan style led to nickname the great stoneface. though responsible for many great films, keaton is best remembered for his masterpiece the general. like chaplin keaton also began his career with fatty arbuckle. being inducted into cinema with his mentor and keystones the butcher boy. another famous actor in comedys early begginings was herald lyold. although lyyolds films are not as easily rembered as chaplins city lights or keatons the general, his work concludes some of the most sentimal work in the silent era including the famous clock gag in 1923, saftey last. with the newcoming of sound comedy was forced to eole. bridging the gap between comedy and silent film the duo laurel and hardy were both silent slapstick stars and witty conersationalists splitting their career on both silent and sound pictures.the difinitie comedy team of early sound comedy were the marx brothers. each of the 5 brothers had arious roles. the team was primarly lead by 3 of the 5. the pistachio wide crack bistachios italian accented pianists chica, and girl chasing pantimime harpo. the teams success spanned a career of numerous pictures. most notable of these was duck soup and a night at the opera. around the time of the marx brothers a new generation of comedy called the screwball comedy began to emerge. noted for zany plots, rapid fire dialogue and sarcasm the screwball subgenre began with films like it happened one night. the film helped deelop many of the tropes of the subgenre . influencing howard hawks in his screwball masterpiece "his girl friday" his girl is often described is often described at the infinitie screwball picture. all the popualr elements of the genre are embodied in the pictures fresh narratie and excellent preformances by carrie grant and rosylenn russell. another screwball comedy worth mentioning is 1941s the lady eve starring henry fonda as a victim to the femme fatale barabara stan. beggining in the 1940s, abet and costello rose up to become the dominant comedy duo of their time. similar to laurel and hardy abet and costello starred in a number of corky pictures. including abbott and costello go to mars and abbette and costello meet the mummy. beggining in the mid 50s, accomplished studio director billy wilder released a string of successful comedys ranging from dramatic emotional pieces to downright spoofs. the seen year itch (wilders less acclaimed picture) starring marilyn monroe. featuring one of cinemas most popular images with her hand holding down her dress on a vent. monroe and wilder teamed up years later in the ganster spoof some like it hot. the film features monroe, tony curtis, and jack lennon. the films silly plot inoling two out of work muscians, forced to cross dress to join a traelling all female band was so successfully exceutued that the trope of cross dressing is now an often explored plot element in comedy (toostie) a year after some like it hot wilder and lennon took a different direction. they teamed up for something much darker. (the apartment) by the time wilders comedys were released the cultural landscape of comedy had changed. on teleision situational comedys or sitcoms (like the life or rileys). satisfied most of publics needs for comedic content. hollywood had to adapt and change in demands. in order for hollywood comedy to flourish, each film released had to offer something uniquely cinematic (the graduate) a racy narratie about a young teenager who is seduced by the attractie miss robbinson. the film embodies the spirit of its time. it could ae only been produced by the big screen. around the time of the graduates release one of the cinemas greatest parodis mel brooks made his directorial debut with the producers a cleer pic about suto producers deliberatly attempting to produce a box office flop to con the studios. brooks furthered his absurdist style with western parodies blazing saddles, horror lampoon young frankestein, and spaceballs. around the same time, new york stand up comic that turned ateur, woody allen released his classic indiosyncratic pictures including best picture winner annie hall. annie hall was innoatie in numerous ways is a refreshing spin on romantic comedys. it turned down many cinematic conventions and een broke down the sacred 4th wall and showed the paranoid ramblings and usings of the angst witten protagonists. another allen classic manhattan showcased the directors unique take on new york city. (in b &w) much in contrast to woody allen comedy team composed of the zucker brothers and abraham struck a different kind of success with zany pun written slapstick parodies (like airplane) a film which employs eery gag in the book and includes wesley nilson in one of the most memorable roles. wilson joined many additional roles including a spoof of cop crime flicks like naked gun and its sequels. at the time of filmmakers like brooks and zucker teleision was making perhaps the single greatest contribution to the film genre with late night comedy sketch show saturday niight lie. snl proided the world with the renaissance of young comedian actors and new comedic styles standing as the crews earliest star. john bulluci embodied the east. coast spririt (in animal house) of snl with director john landez bulluci would shine with comedy classics national lampoon, longhouse, and the blues brothers. bullucis tragic death from an oerdose of heroine and cocaine marked a shocking end to a rising star. sadly history repeated itself with a similar death by chris farley. another snl upstart that is famous for his bombastic goofball character in films such as thommy by. howeer the lies of snl alumini were not always tragic. stee martin a frequent guest star of saturday night lie formed in many innotable comedys like planes, trains, and automobiles with costar jhon candy. as well as his other film the jerk. likewise martins snl costar has had an incredibly successful career. alongside dan akro and herald murry starred in cultural landmark ghostbusters. an academy award nominated adenture comedy following a gang of paranormal exterminators. this also struck gold years later with groundhog day. (an introspectie and existential film) raymous also directed murray along chubby chase in caddy shack comedy that inoles equal parts inoles ` golf and gofer. in the same year another snl star eddie murphy teamed up with dan acro in trading places. it puts a twist on the nature s nurture debate. a year later murphy struck gold with bockbuster comedy beerly hills cop together with ghostbusters which was released in the same year, beerly hills cop defined the comedic style of the decade. two decades later, murphy would star in another defining comedy, shrek.as a donkey sidekick to an orgre by mike myers. myers another snl preformer had a also a successful comedic career by the time of shrek playing the slacker rocker wayne in waynes world. (a spinoff from a snl skit) also myers had also written and starred as both hero and illian in his austin powers film: the spy who shagged me which spoofed james bond and spies films. and finally adam sandler another snl graduate starred in his own string of films under happy madison productions. (the waterboy) its true that films centered around snl casts hae domnated the comedy drama after the teleision shows debut howeer the work of other notable directors and actors stands out at this time. perhaps the most sucessful non- snl director of his time rob ryner had critical and commercial success with arious comedies. (the spinal tap) a highly notable mocumentary about the pitfalls of a washed up hair band comeback. ryner than directed a fairytale romcom called the princess bride. based on william goldman fantasy noel the same name. right after princess bride, ryner directed when harry met sally. another notable director of his time was john hues who specialized in coming of age teen comedies. beggining with sixteen candles, hues again teamed up with a group of actors called the brat pack and the breakfast club which was perhaps hollywoods most piotol coming of age highschool comedy. after breakfast club, hues realeased another coming of age high school film called ferris buellers day off. a surey of the 90s and turn of the mellienial in comedy would be incomplete without mentioning the work of comedian will ferrell. beggining his career in snl, ferrell had minor roles until he hit it big with his party boy preformance as frank the tank in frat party film called old school. the cast of old school beloged to a loosely tied comdic group sometimes referred to as the frat pack which were featured in seeral comedies at the time. the fratpack teamed up in anchor man: the legend of ron burgundy. which stars will ferrel as his now iconic newsman that catipulted his career to the peak of hollywood comedies. after anchorman, ferrel had an almost unstoppable run at the box office with successes such as talledega knights, step brothers, and blades of glory. one of the leading filmmakers to make this style of comedy possible was producer jud appatow. appotow produced seeral influential films at the time including highesr grossing high school comedy of all time superbad. he also directed a few notable ones as well including the 40 year old irgin, kocked up starring seth rogan a stoner character that would later redefine his career. his stoner role was celebrated further in the film pinapple express. the weed centric narratie where rogan and costar james franco channel the chiche and chong energy in a comedy adenture. rogan and franco would eentually become their own comedic team. building their own style of comedy in moies like this is the end. wes anderson is like woody allen is that his artistic highly stylized comedy transcend just laughs and gas truly standing as works of art. andersons elaborate set designs and costumes, unique dialogue a typical plots highlight the films of his career. anderson masterfully directed large casts and films like the royal tennembaums, moonrise kingdom, and the grand budapest hotel. borat cultural learnings of america for make benefit glorious nations of kazakstan. the film stars sasha beret coen as t host who is sent to america to learn the culture and spread kazak greatness. the film blends lie action shots where coens character plays boret in real life situations strung together by loosely filmed narratie. the film innoatie for its structrue is a comical landline for making blatant political statements about american uniculturalists and ignorance of international people. from chaplin all the way to today comedy makes us rethink what is culturally acceptable.

Benign Violation

-It deals with ideas that go against how we expect the world is and how it ought to be. These violations would be upsetting or distressing if the were to happen to us in real life, however, because they are in fictional contexts, we laugh at the world being wrong or potentially offensive.-It involves an element of Incongruity Theory with its surprise factor, it also explains why we laugh at events that could be viewed as inappropriate to laugh at. 1) not be strongly committed to the norm 2) if it is psychologically distant 3) if there is some alternatiVe that makes the benign violations okay-situations that are purely benign are not funny because they are no threat. - humor influences your choices- it makes you happy.- moral iolations causes anger- it builds on work by tom Veech- humor occurs when 3 conditions are satisfied 1) a situation is a violation, the situation is benign, both of those appraisals occur simultaneously-VIOLATIONS are anything that threatens the way you think the world has to be.-they are a range of Violations from physical to moral.-BENIGN VIOLATIONS 1) not be strongly committed to the norm 2) if it is psychologically distant 3) if there is some alternatiVe that makes the benign violations okay-situations that are purely benign are not funny because they are no threat. ex) one cant tickle themself- malign Violation: falling down a flight of stairs & getting badly hurt- benign Violation: falling down a flight of stairs & not getting hurt- pay attention to audience- consider the situation (distance)- silVerman strategy which says things less funnier up close than far away.- transforms violations into benign violations. by turning ethnic jokes in a cute non violating way- not all violations are funny by being less distant- mark twaine said humor is tragedy + time. but no one says humor is a mild mistep + time- the seinfield strategy transforms normal everyday situations(brings humor up close) into something funny by highlighting what is wrong with them- this highlights the violationsto make things funny, you must create a benign violations

Mel Brooks - The Producers - Remake (2005) - Benign Violation Theory

-It deals with ideas that go against how we expect the world is and how it ought to be. These violations would be upsetting or distressing if the were to happen to us in real life, however, because they are in fictional contexts, we laugh at the world being wrong or potentially offensive.-It involves an element of Incongruity Theory with its surprise factor, it also explains why we laugh at events that could be viewed as inappropriate to laugh at. 1) not be strongly committed to the norm 2) if it is psychologically distant 3) if there is some alternatiVe that makes the benign violations okay-situations that are purely benign are not funny because they are no threat. hitler is on stage at a singing in an american, gayish oice. "heil myself. im the crout whose out to change history. heil myself. raise your hand. theres no greater dictator in the land. eerything i do, i do for you, if your looking for a war heres world war two.heil myself " the crowd is dressed really fancy and laughing and clapping. then he gets really sentimental. " i was just a paper hanger. https://kud2l.kutztown.edu/d2l/le/content/2857219/viewContent/21571007/View

what were the zaz connected to like brooks?

vaudeville roots, designing comedy that uses many classic devices and techniques. They also include much of the silliness and rhythm that we learned about in last week's lesson on comedy music. T he industry is connected, influencing new forms of comedy as new technologies and new voices begin to emerge.

Incongruity

Incongruity Theory 1. says that people laugh at things that surprise them or at things that violate an accepted pattern- with a difference close enough to the norm to be non threatening but different enough from the norm to be noticeable2.the bodies reaction to the brain in confusion is laughterwhen you nod, you are saying no3. timeshifting which is making someone think one thing and at the last minute thinking something new

Mel Brooks - Twelve Chairs (1970) - Incongruity Theory

Incongruity Theory 1. says that people laugh at things that surprise them or at things that violate an accepted pattern- with a difference close enough to the norm to be non threatening but different enough from the norm to be noticeable2.the bodies reaction to the brain in confusion is laughterwhen you nod, you are saying no3. timeshifting which is making someone think one thing and at the last minute thinking something new video In 1920s Soviet Russia, a bunch of villagers of in their town at the daily market. they are riding horses and petting sheep, buying clothing. Hope for the best, expect the worstSome drink champagne, some die of thirstNo way of knowing which way it's goingHope for the best, expect the worst!Hope for the best, expect the worstThe world's a stage, we're unrehearsedSome reach the top, friends, while others drop, friendsHope for the best, expect the worst!I knew a man who saved a fortune that was splendidThen he died the day he'd planned to go and spend itShouting "Live while you're alive! No one will survive!"Life is sorrow—here today and gone tomorrowLive while you're alive, no one will survive—there's no guaranteeHope for the best, expect the worstYou could be Tolstoy or Fannie HurstSo take your chances; there are no answersHope for the best expect the worst!I knew a man who saved a fortune that was splendidThen he died the day he'd planned to go and spend it,Shouting "Live while you're alive! No one will survive!"Life is funny—Save your worries! Spend your money!Live while you're alive, no one will survive—there's no guaranteeHope for the best; expect the worst.The rich are blessed; the poor are cursedThat is a fact, friend, the deck is stacked, friendHope for the best, expect the...Even with a good beginning, it's not certain that you're winning.Even with the best of chances, they can kick you in the pantsesLook out for the- Watch out for the worst!Hey!

Mel Brooks - High Anxiety (1977) - Incongruity Theory

Incongruity Theory 1. says that people laugh at things that surprise them or at things that violate an accepted pattern- with a difference close enough to the norm to be non threatening but different enough from the norm to be noticeable2.the bodies reaction to the brain in confusion is laughterwhen you nod, you are saying no3. timeshifting which is making someone think one thing and at the last minute thinking something new a photographer takes a picture of dr. thorndite. a man goes up to him and asking "dr. thordite! i heard you are leaving this afternoon." then dr. thordite pulls a gun out and shoots the man asking in the stomach and in the head. dr thordite (the real one) comes out of the elevator. The fake dr thordite says "dr. thordite?" the real dr. thordite says "yes?" and the fake dr. thordite gies the real dr thordite the murder gun and takes off his mask, laughing and goes down the elevator . the real dr thordite is confused. the photographer develops the film of the fake dr. thorndite developing film of him killing the man. in the picture the real doctor is seen behind the fake doc in the elevator. he enlarges the print to see the docs face. he enlarges the print four times. by the fourth enlargement he says "oh thats the doc!"

Mel Brooks - Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) - Incongruity Theory

Incongruity Theory 1. says that people laugh at things that surprise them or at things that violate an accepted pattern- with a difference close enough to the norm to be non threatening but different enough from the norm to be noticeable2.the bodies reaction to the brain in confusion is laughterwhen you nod, you are saying no3. timeshifting which is making someone think one thing and at the last minute thinking something new two men come out of a porty potty. the blonde men fixes his pants as he says well lets face it "you gatta be a man to wear tights eerytime" he gies the other guy a high fie and then suddenly a group man jumo out of nowhere and they all start singing "were men. were wearing tights. we roll around the forest looking for fights. were men. were men in tighs. " lalallalalalalallalalall "were men. manly men. were men in tights. we may look like pantsys. were men defending peoples rights.

what is an example of one note parodies

One early example of that is 1924's "The Half-Back of Notre Dame," which, as you may have guessed, is a parody of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

releVance theory pdf

One other important idea of parody and satire is that, for it to be able to last longer in society and be appreciated by future generations, the parody and satire should not rely on too many topical references. As I'm sure you noticed in some of those clips, there was the occasional reference that didn't 'land' or work because it was only applicable at the time. When I was in Hollywood, we referred to this longer lasting comedy as 'evergreen', meaning it could be appreciated longer. One way to counteract that is to still incorporate characters and frustrations that society will likely always have to deal with, making sure content is relevant to audiences. To gain a better understanding of this theory of comedy, please read the "Relevance Theory" pdf and then view a Ricky Gervais video discussing this idea of writing realism in the "Realism and Relevance Theory" video.Relevance Theory Relevance refers to the theory that individuals find humor in people or situations they can easily identify with. According to Topher Bellavia (2006), "people want to see themselves on stage, and they want to see people they know on stage. When they see that, it resonates with them and it causes them, for some reason, to laugh." By establishing relevance to a given set of stimuli, the observer is able to derive a heightened sense of context with minimal cognitive effort. This effect is relatively simple to achieve given even a generically common frame of reference, as human cognition strives to establish the highest level of relevance possible by default. Relevance can be established directly by leveraging common experiences, or indirectly by making use of stereotypes or tropes. This theory characterizes defining the stimulus as a shared responsibility between the presenter and the observer. Because the observer has more of a vested interest in the stimulus, any sense of tension is heightened and the desire to resolve that incongruity or release that tension takes on additional urgency. As a consequence, the positive feelings associated with resolution are likewise magnified (Why We Laugh, 2014). One would be hard pressed to find an individual who, at some time in their life didn't feel unjustly put upon by a boss. In 2011, New Line Cinema provided the downtrodden masses with cinematic piece of cathartic relief: Horrible Bosses. Borrowing heavily from Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, this film centers on three hapless everymen driven to desperation by their excessively unreasonable bosses, with each player vowing to murder another's boss for them. While there are elements here that very nearly bring this film into the realm of Superiority Theory, the ineptitude exhibited by the protagonists is still relatable to the audience as equals. Not many, thrown into a similar situation, would just instinctively know how to go about planning and executing a murder. Director Seth Gordon manages to walk a tightrope such that his characters' incompetence never reaches a level that would inspire derision. Ultimately, the fact that they are inept as criminals prevents them from reaching a threat level that might inspire hostility from the audience and thus diminish their appeal as sympathetic characters. According to Katherine Monk (2011), "disenfranchised and frequently oppressed by superiors with less knowledge, fewer skills and cutthroat corporate ambitions, the working man and woman needs movies about bad bosses, because we have few other forms of purgative expression, other than the tragedy of "going postal" (Why We Laugh, 2014).

ZAZ - High School High (1996) relevance theory and hyperbole

Relevance Theory Relevance refers to the theory that individuals find humor in people or situations they can easily identify with. a white lady at a podium is speaking to a black crowd. - does anybody know mr.... our assistant principal is still missing. and also dont forget in less than two months the state will adminster the academic proffeciency test. anyone planning on going to college is required to take these exams. " the crowd is not happy. "dont forget career day on friday. the united states marines and militia will hae recruiters here on campus. Alright now listen up we hae a new teacher his name is richard carr its his first day gie at least a week before you do something horrible to him. mr. carr do you hae anything to say... the teacher goes to the podium "actually yes." the teacher starts talking. " i was asked a while back what teaching meant to me. its too mold young minds likes yours. someday you will be leaders. a guy is writing die scum in his arm with a knife. i see you as the future of america. The school libraian says YOU SUCK the teacher says "jesus talk about low moral.

ZAZ - Mafia (1998) relevance theory and hyperbole

Relevance Theory Relevance refers to the theory that individuals find humor in people or situations they can easily identify with. it references the poor family in scrooge. (littleanthony the disabled boy) a little boy comes into a store with cruches and says "papa papa. good news i sold the other dasie to senior bisio" the dad smiles at him and says "ah tiny anthony. come. come. the boy says "its joys bday papa!" the dad says "yes, yes i know. we will try to find him something nice on the way home. " the boss woking there says "well i guess you will be needing your pay." he gets out one penny, cuts it in half and gies him the bigger half. the dad says "gracious you are too good." meaningfully. the dad puts tiny anthony on his shoulders and as they are waking out of the store. the kid bumps his head on the doorframe. The dad does not notice. when they get home. the kid is hanging down the dad back as the dad holds onto his ankles. the dad puts his jacket up but the hook is gone because his wife had to sell it. they sit at the table to eat dinner. the dad says " i saw a man today rosa whose sucks his people dry." the wife says "ohh like in those moies you make me watch" ( porn) the dad says "in another way. They sit down at the table and the wife shows a shoe in the stew for dinner. They gie the son a rat for his birthday. The boy says "ew its. a rat!" the mom says "dont argue with your fateher. The wife says "it must hae cost you a fortune" he says "yes. but look how happy he is" (hes not happy)

ZAZ - Airplane (1980) relevance theory and hyperbole

Relevance Theory Relevance refers to the theory that individuals find humor in people or situations they can easily identify with. This fits with an idea of comedy in that attitude is important, and in order to make people laugh, an extreme style or attitude should be included in your comedy. This often means that the plot of parody films does not necessarily matter, as its more or less a means to allow the comedian to string along a series of jokes. two men sit together in an airplane. next to a guy (a foreigner) talking. the foreign guy poors gasoline all oer him. "when they built those roads they had no thought of drainage in mind. " the guy next to him then lights a match and then stops when a pretty women comes up. " excuse me sir. theres a problem in the cockpit. do you know anything about planes? could you go up please?" the guy goes up. the foreigner next to him just nods his head. theres old an old guy in the cockpit already when the brunette gets there. the old guy says " can you fly this plane and land it?" the brunette says "surely you cant be serious." the old man says " i am serious.and dont call me surely" the pretty women comes back in. "doctor ie checked. hes the only flyer we got." the old man says "what flying experience hae you got? " " i flew single engine fighters in the air force but this plane has 4 engines, its an entirely new type of flying altogether." the old man and the pretty women say at the same time "its an entirely new type of flying altogether." the old man says " mr striker. i know nothing about flying. but there is one thing about flying i do know. your the only chance we got. shot of all the manual controls that keep panning for a really long time as the brunette is looking at the them.

ZAZ - Top Secret! (1984) relevance theory and hyperbole

Relevance Theory Relevance refers to the theory that individuals find humor in people or situations they can easily identify with. This fits with an idea of comedy in that attitude is important, and in order to make people laugh, an extreme style or attitude should be included in your comedy. This often means that the plot of parody films does not necessarily matter, as its more or less a means to allow the comedian to string along a series of jokes. a guy standing on a moing scooter is trying to jump into a jeep next to it. the drier in the jeep gets out a gun but the scooter guy wrestles it out of his hand. the jeep guy punches the scooter guy multiple times in the face. the girl in the back of the jeep is scared. the scooter guy comes in a changes the radio and turns it up and then the jeep guy does the same. they both fall out and jump oe a bridge into the water. they start punching eachother underwater. the jeep guy picks up a chair and throws it at the scooter guy. then the jeep guy bumps into a bar. the bar owner gets out a gun and gies it to jeep guy. jeep guy shoots at scotter guy. scooter guy and jeep guy start fighting again. scooter guy shuffles his feet back and forth. there is a bunch of people at a table playing cards. its supposed to be a saloon. the jeep guy wins the fight and puts a coyboy hat on. a young pretty saloon lady says goodbye. on the land the girl that was in the back of the jeep is riding through the woods. she stops and sees the jeep guy as he comes out of the lake. hes wet. the shot cuts back to the girl happy and then back to him and hes saying hi and hes dry.

ZAZ - Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) relevance theory and hyperbole

Relevance Theory Relevance refers to the theory that individuals find humor in people or situations they can easily identify with. This fits with an idea of comedy in that attitude is important, and in order to make people laugh, an extreme style or attitude should be included in your comedy. This often means that the plot of parody films does not necessarily matter, as its more or less a means to allow the comedian to string along a series of jokes. charlie cheen and a chinese man are about to combat. the chinese guy dips his knuckles in a buch of sharp shit. charlie sheen sticks his knuckles in cchocolate and a bunch of sweets. there are a bunch of different choices so hes takes his time anxiously to choose the rights sweets. the chinese man looks mad. the crowd is excited to see them fight and betting money. the start fighting. a bunch of chinese cheerleaders come out. charlie accidently puches the referee. the chinese guy and charlie both keep hurtig the referee on accident. in the croad a army guy is eating a sandwhich with a pigs head in it. the chinese guy runs up to kick charlie in the face but his leg doesnt reach so he just falls. Charlie raises his hands and the crowd horrys because he won.

ZAZ - Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) relevance theory and hyperbole

Relevance Theory Relevance refers to the theory that individuals find humor in people or situations they can easily identify with. This fits with an idea of comedy in that attitude is important, and in order to make people laugh, an extreme style or attitude should be included in your comedy. This often means that the plot of parody films does not necessarily matter, as its more or less a means to allow the comedian to string along a series of jokes. with us today judy morton from the wildlife presere. today i brought an australian gerbal its one of the few left in captiity. his name is oscar. they make a great pet put they need a wild to run around in. she doesnt een look as she throws it against the wall behind her. now the next one is back stage. let me go get him. she brings back a gorilla named dino. dont let dinos looks fool you hes as gentle as a lamb. wee matched dino up withs eeral candidates the problem is that all efforts of reproduction hae been unsucessful. were not sure what the trouble is with dino. it could be shyness or... suddenly the gorilla gets annoyed and stands up he pushes the guy talkshow host and wrips off her shirt. the gorilla throws the guy through a wall and then the back stage crew the shot cuts to a newsgirl. and men suddenly the gorilla cuts through the green screen and pushes the newsguy. the shoot cuts to a newsguy outside and he gets shot with an arrow. a new shot of a gorilla running towards the camera

Mechanical theory

asserts that the individual on screen will be going through the motions of their day by not paying attention to their surroundings. The comedy of a character can be equalized by the ignorance of themselves. There is a certain absentmindness to their mechanical doings. This failure to adapt to oneself is due to people being disengaged with other what needs to be engaged with at hand.

Mel Brooks - History of the World: Part 1 (1981) - Mechanical Theory

asserts that the individual on screen will be going through the motions of their day by not paying attention to their surroundings. The comedy of a character can be equalized by the ignorance of themselves. There is a certain absentmindness to their mechanical doings. This failure to adapt to oneself is due to people being disengaged with other what needs to be engaged with at hand. SUMMARY: - the stone age the greatest calamity that could befall any man is the loss of fire.fire. the mysterious phenomenon that cooked his food. if he could not start a fire he and his would surely die. he is striking rock and trying to start a fire with the sparks on the hay. then a man hands him a stick flame. he tries to light the rock on fire instead of directly on the hay and throws the rock on the hay. then he gets annoyed when nothing happens. the guy with the flame stick walks away and the rest of the people sigh. the old testament. moses went to the mountain and god spoke to him. MOSES THIS IS THE LORD THY GOD COMMANDING YOU TO OBEY MY LAW DO YOU HEAR ME? -yes i hear you i hear you (moses mutters something under his breath) WHAT? god says - nothing nothing. This is funnny because god hear ertything. this is unrealistic. -what did you he me do for you? ILL SHARE MY LAWS AND YOU SHALL TAKE THEM TO THE PEOPLE. yes lord!lord i shall gie these 15 laws unto the people. he then drops one of the three stones. there were 5 commandments on each stone so when he drops one of them there are only 10 left. THE ROMAN EMPIRE 2 men are speaking. a waiter and boss. a man walks up to another man. - sir. the man incharge says -now tonight. we hae a private party. the man following orders then starts to repeat all the orders gien. -a priate party. -be correct - be polite -push the mold wine with the man in charge says dont write it now! the waiter walks into the room and its jesus and his deciples at the last supper. - jesus says "now one of you will betray me" the waiter interupts and says eerybody want soup. one of the deciples gets mad that he interrupted and says "this might be our last supper!" the waiter says "hey its my first order! hey one little question for you, are you all together or seperate check?" this is funny because back then they didnt hae a waiter at the last supper. also the waiter is acting ignorant to the fact that hes interupting. - they all get mad at the waiter at the same time and say "go away" this is funny because they were all supposed to be saintly and calm people. "jesus continues and says the one who sits at this table has already betrayed me." they say who?? the waitress interupts and says "judas" (which is funny because eeryone turns and thinks its him ) and then the waiter continues to say "do you want a beerage? try the mold wine, its terrific!" _ judas answers and says "No leae us alone!"they all say go the waiter says "alright! Jeusus!" Jesus answers "yes." the waiter says "what?" Jesus says "yes" the waiter says "jesus!" and. they ramble like this confused for a while. then leonardo dainci comes in. he assses where eeryone is sitting and makes grunts. he says "this is no good.i forgot the backs... Ok eeryone want to be in the picture. go to the other side of the table. " they all do what he says. he then starts to paint them. and says"perfect" we see eeryone perfectly positioned as they are in leonardos painting. this is funny because it references the painting. this is funny because he painted the a famous painting called last supper and he was alie at the time of jesus.

Mel Brooks - Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) - Mechanical Theory

asserts that the individual on screen will be going through the motions of their day by not paying attention to their surroundings. The comedy of a character can be equalized by the ignorance of themselves. There is a certain absentmindness to their mechanical doings. This failure to adapt to oneself is due to people being disengaged with other what needs to be engaged with at hand. two men come into a shrine and see a ampire that is sleeping. " omg shes dead. - no shes not "she alie!? shes nosfratu "she italian? "no it means the undead. shes cursed to spend eternity in misery. hunting the liing. like a wild animal. for the sake of her eternal soul, we must destroy her. the only way is drie a wooden stake through her heart. " "oh thats horrible. is there no other way? " "one other. we could cut off her head. stuff her mouth with garlic, and cut off her ears." "gie me the steak" " i cant do it, you do it" "i only liked her" place the point of the stake directly oer her heart. blood goes flying all oer him and the room. "omg theres so much blood." "she just ate" "she still alie! "hit her again" he hits her and more blood goes eeryhere. "shes still alie!" " you hae released her my boy. now she sleeps in peace for eer. he gies him a handkerchief to wipe of the blood and hands it back to him. mel says "keep it"

Mel Brooks - The Producers (1968) - Mechanical Theory

asserts that the individual on screen will be going through the motions of their day by not paying attention to their surroundings. The comedy of a character can be equalized by the ignorance of themselves. There is a certain absentmindness to their mechanical doings. This failure to adapt to oneself is due to people being disengaged with other what needs to be engaged with at hand. summary summary: As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by fraudulently overselling interests in a Broadway flop. Complications arise when the show unexpectedly turns out to be successful. The humor of the show draws on ridiculous accents, caricatures of homosexuals and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes. After 33 in the video BLOOM Ahhhhhh! But that's where you made your error. You didn't go all the way. You see, if you were really a bold criminal, you could have raised a million. BIALYSTOCK But the play only cost $60,000 to produce. BLOOM Exactly. And how long did it run? BIALYSTOCK Script provided for educational purposes. More scripts can be found here: http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/library One night. 21. BLOOM See? You could have raised a million dollars, put on a sixty thousand dollar flop and kept the rest. BIALYSTOCK But what if the play was a hit? BLOOM Oh, you'd go to jail. If the play were a hit, you'd have to pay off the backers, and with so many backers there could never be enough profits to go around, get it? BIALYSTOCK Aha, aha, aha, aha, aha, aha!! So, in order for the scheme to work, we'd have to find a sure fire flop. BLOOM What scheme? BIALYSTOCK What scheme? Your scheme, you bloody little genius. BLOOM Oh, no. No. No. I meant no scheme. I merely posed a little, academic accounting theory. It's just a thought. BIALYSTOCK Bloom, worlds are turned on such thoughts! BIALYSTOCK STARTS MOVING IN ON BLOOM. BIALYSTOCK Don't you see, Bloom. Darling, Bloom, glorious Bloom, it's so simple. Step one: We find the worst play in the world -- a sure flop. Step two: I raise a million Script provided for educational purposes. More scripts can be found here: http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/library dollars -- there's a lot of little old ladies in this world. Step three: You go back to work on the books. Phoney lists of backers -- one for the government, one for us. You can do it, Bloom, you're a wizard. (MORE) 22. BIALYSTOCK (CONT'D) Step four: We open on Broadway and before you can say 'step five' we close on Broadway. Step six: We take our million dollars and fly to Rio de Janiero. BIALYSTOCK GRABS BLOOM IN HIS ARMS AND BEGINS TO LEAD HIM IN A WILD TANGO AROUND THE ROOM. BIALYSTOCK (sings) "Ah, Rio, Rio by the seao, meo, myo, meo ... " BLOOM (afraid of the scheme, afraid of the dance, afraid of Bialystock) Mr. Bialystock. No. Wait. Please. You're holding me too tight. I'm an honest man. You don't understand. BIALYSTOCK (leading Bloom as he talks) No, Bloom, you don't understand. This is fate, this is destiny. There's no avoiding it. AT THIS POINT, BIALYSTOCK SWEEPS BLOOM INTO AN ELABORATE DIP. BLOOM (the back of his head practically touching the floor) Mr. Bialystock, not more than five minutes ago, against my better judgment, I doctored your books. That, sir, is the ultimate extent Script provided for educational purposes. More scripts can be found here: http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/library of my criminal life. BIALYSTOCK RAISES HIS FISTS TO THE HEAVENS IN DESPAIR. BLOOM, EXPERIENCING A DEFINITE LACK OF SUPPORT, GOES CRASHING TO THE FLOOR. BIALYSTOCK OOOOOHH! OOOOOHH! OOOOOHH! OOOOOHH! I WANT THAT MONEY! CAMERA ON BLOOM AS HE LIES STRICKEN ON THE FLOOR. 23. BLOOM (to himself) Oh, I fell on my keys. (he shifts slightly to make himself more comfortable) I've got to get out of here. BIALYSTOCK (angrily hovering over Bloom) You miserable, cowardly, wretched little caterpillar. Don't you ever want to become a butterfly? Don't you want to spread your wings and flap your way to glory? BIALYSTOCK FLAPS HIS ARMS LIKE A HUGE PREDATORY BIRD. BLOOM (his eyes widened in terror) You're going to jump on me. BIALYSTOCK STARES AT HIM INCREDULOUSLY. BLOOM You're going to jump on me. I know you're going to jump on me -- like Nero jumped on Poppea. BIALYSTOCK (nonplussed) What??? BLOOM (by now he is shrieking) Poppea. She was his wife. And she Script provided for educational purposes. More scripts can be found here: http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/library was unfaithful to him. So he got mad and he jumped on her. Up and down, up and down, until he squashed her like a bug. Please don't jump on me. BIALYSTOCK (shouting and jumping up and down next to Bloom) I'm not going to jump on you! BLOOM (rolling away in terror) Aaaaaaaaaa! 24. BIALYSTOCK (hoisting Bloom to his feet) Will you get a hold on yourself. BLOOM (up on his feet and running for cover) Don't touch me! Don't touch me! HE RUNS TO A CORNER OF THE ROOM. TRAPPED! HE TURNS. BIALYSTOCK What are you afraid of? I'm not going to hurt you! What's the matter with you? BLOOM I'm hysterical. I'm having hysterics. I'm hysterical. I can't stop. When I get like this, I can't stop. I'm hysterical. BIALYSTOCK RUSHES TO THE DESK. PICKS UP A CARAFE OF WATER AND SHOSHES ITS CONTENTS INTO BLOOM'S FACE. BLOOM I'm wet! I'm wet! I'm hysterical and I'm wet! BIALYSTOCK IN A DESPERATE MOVE TO STOP BLOOM'S HYSTERICS, SLAPS HIM ACROSS THE FACE. Script provided for educational purposes. More scripts can be found here: http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/library BLOOM (holding his face) I'm in pain! And I'm wet! And I'm still hysterical! BIALYSTOCK RAISES HIS HAND AGAIN. BLOOM No! No! Don't hit. It doesn't help. It only increases my sense of danger. BIALYSTOCK What can I do? What can I do? You're getting me hysterical. BLOOM Go away from me. You frighten me. (he indicates the sofa) Sit over there

realism and releVance theory Video

do different mediums require different personalities? - of course. Its still based on the same principals of whats comediess about. i think they is a difference between comedy and a sense of humor. a comedians job shouldnt just be to make people laugh. thats easy that could be a reflex. they could een throw in a fake punchline and they would get a laugh. comedy is about empathy. i cant laugh at people i dont like. i think you should neer be aboe the audience. theres nothing funny about seeing handsome people come out and tell you why there brilliant. you always hae to see that humanistic struggle. eerything you do has to hae persona. you still present and hae your guard up (theres a difference between doing comedian act and being with your friends) ricky gerais usually presents a brasher ersion of himself and then the guy who says the wrong thing. the target of his standup is the audiences own middle class prejudice and himself(his igornace) for ex) nelson meldela, ex) the characters he plays are ariations of eachother.they all are wisecrack in the face of adersity. he says he casts himself. great actors play ersions of themseles. realism is important to him.

why we laugh part 1

in order I think that the author is saying that if you have to have a joke explained to you in order to understand the humour in it. The joke will no longer be funny. Like the frog. If you have to cut it up to see how it works, it will no longer be a frog. follow in the footsteps of aristotle why we watch moies is because humans like watch problems be soled in front of their eyes. if the moie suceeds the audience is left with the impression that it has learned eerything important to know concerning the action depicted. this structure is proided for humans innate need for structure. when this is applied to comedy you get incongruity theory. this is the idea thatt humor arises when people discoer that theres an inconsitency between what expects to happen and what actually happens. this explanation fits best with clear set up punclines "when i was a kid before i was born i wish the first word i said was quote and the next word i said was unquote" -3 scenes going to a parole. each assessors says you served 20 years of a life sentence. you served 30 years of a life sentence/ you served 40 years of a life sentence. twice he says the exact words trying to proe he should be freed. " im a changed man" on the third time he says "rehabilitated its just a changed word" cause to tell you the truth, i dont gie a shit the humor in this scene comes from the disruption of expectation, wrong words lead to the right resolution this creates a cognitie shift. the puzzle of wether the rat will be released is soled in a way that is both surprising and perfectly fitting in forms of narrative. that theory explains a big chunk of humors moments in cinema

one note parodies

meaning a play on words or title of the film might be the funniest part and the production likely should not have been made. —you will see that occur even when we reach parody's peak.

familiarity in parodies

parodies can get a bigger laugh when an audience is familiar with the original, however, a wise parodist will also craft the comedy so that those who have not seen it can still find humor in the narrative. Familiarity with the original should be an added bonus for the observant viewer.

why we laugh part 2

the incongruity resolution theory is when humor arises from subverting expectations its the same kind of pleasure we get from question and answer structure in conventional hollywood movies like free willy, jesse james the diner orgasm scene from harry met sally is funny because summary is harry cannot beliee that a women cannt willingly fake an orgasm. sally sets out to proe him wrong. she does. but even in that conventional romantic comedy, when most pleasures questions derive from the question and answer structure, here the humor does not come from the quote on quote answer.yes the will they wont they delimma is closer to a resolution and yes sally proed that women can fool men and women alike but if that was enough, the scene could be much much shorter. one or two moans, a couple of reaction shots(puzzled), and a random women saying " ill hae what shes haing" (sold) instead the scene goes on for minutes with the focus on sallys verbal gymnastics and the puzzled reation of the people in the diner. one explanation for the humor here can be found in the superiority theory. thomas hobbs argued that "the passion of laughter is nothing else but a sudden glory arising from sudden conception of some eminency in ourseles but comparison with the infirmities of others or with our own formerly" in other words we laugh because we feel superior to others. here we not only find the situation amusing but we laugh at harry first hes loosing the argument to sally and secondly hes increibly uncomftorable at the whole thing. this theory holds that humor can be explained as a relatiely noniolent and therefore docially acceptable form of agression toward others or correction of social deiancy. "the pleasure of humor, in this theory stems from ego affirmation humor makes us feel part of a priledged in group or otherwise superiorto those at whom our laughter is directed." its explains why we feel pleasure laughing at someone especially in socially awkward situations. like the diner scene or in slapstick films. we laugh because we part of an elite group of people who are not being humiliated or falling on the face.

Mel Brooks and the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker trio.

two most powerful forces when creating content in this era