I was talking with a friend recently about the ebb and flow of comedy in the cinema – how it changed with each passing decade. It’s truly interesting to note how comedy was fairly nonexistent during the 1970’s, and came back with gangbusters right before the start of the 1980’s. Let me explain…
Gritty realism thrived in the 1970’s – this was the era of hard core pornography becoming acceptable in the mainstream. Horror movies demonstrated a level of taboo shattering violence that had never been seen before, and haven’t been seen since. Godforsaken horrors like The Exorcist and The House on the Edge of the Park knew no boundaries – they served only to shock and horrify at all costs.
Beyond horror and porn, dramas also exhibited a gritty nihilism. The Deer Hunter, Midnight Cowboy, Dirty Harry, Dog Day Afternoon, etc. were real and they were raw. So where does the comedy movie fit into this rather bleak environment? The answer: it doesn’t.
Comedies in the 1970’sl had a jaded edge, a certain lack of carefree humor. Woody Allen can probably be considered the king of comedy during the 70’s, but his movies are full of neuroses and philosophical confusion. M*A*S*H* was funny…. then again, not really – it was more of a bitter statement against war, harshly reflected in Vietnam. Mel Brooks maybe comes closest to frivolous comedy with Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles (however, you could argue that even these had a bit of cynicism, considering they were mocking older movie genres).
I could sit here and list comedies of the seventies all day: Paper Moon, Harold & Maude, What’s Up Doc?, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Smile, etc… but none of these are going to have you rolling on the floor. They might even leave you a bit depressed.
Now, you know that I have a very special appreciation of the 1970’s (some might call it a maniacal obsession), so I’m not criticizing, just commenting. It’s interesting to examine, especially considering that at the tail end of the decade and early 80’s comedy absolutely EXPLODED. All of the sudden, you had The Jerk, Animal House, Caddyshack, Airplane, Vacation, Sixteen Candles, Meatballs, Porky’s, Night Shift, Up in Smoke, Police Academy, etc. What the hell happened?
You can’t really blame the lousy economy or Vietnam for the 70's lack of comedy. For one, comedies have thrived during economic depression. And for another, Vietnam was over by 1973. Plus, comedy was alive and well on the boob tube. So what gives?
I think it would be interesting to take a look at how comedy has changed from one time period to another, and why. I’m not sure how I’d classify the comedies of the latter half of the eighties: Plains, Trains, and Automobiles, License to Drive, Good Morning Vietnam, Coming to America, Ferris Beuller, etc. They were pretty funny, but not exactly raucous and gut busting. Maybe they were a little too polished and tame.
The 1990’s was the era of big laughs via ridiculous behavior: Austin Powers, Dumb and Dumber, Tommy Boy, There’s Something About Mary, Ace Ventura, etc. Lot’s of physical humor and lots of potty humor… not exactly high brow stuff, but guys like Jim Carey laughed all the way to the bank.
This all begs the question, what kind of comedy is popular right now? I’d be curious to read your opinions on the subject.
