Download - Silent Film Comedy
Silent Film ComedyA Content Analysis Diane Fitzpatrick
A slapstick from the Commedia dell’artefrom the Commedia dell’arte
Slapstick comedyPhysical comedy that Physical comedy that employs…employs… Broad humor Broad humor Absurd situationsAbsurd situations Vigorous, usually violent actionVigorous, usually violent action Often includes chasesOften includes chases
slapstickslapstick. (2010). In . (2010). In Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November 21, 2010, . Retrieved November 21, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/548077/slapstickhttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/548077/slapstick
Slapstick comedyHas become used to describe Has become used to describe most comedies of the silent era most comedies of the silent era even as they evolved toward even as they evolved toward more character/story-based more character/story-based humorhumorWith the more violent stuff termed With the more violent stuff termed “knockabout”“knockabout”
……A couple of examples…A couple of examples…(please don’t try this at home, kids)(please don’t try this at home, kids)
Oranges & Lemons1923
Barney Oldfield’s Race for a Life1913
The CodebookUnit of Analysis
Unit of Analysis The Laugh PointThe Laugh Point – the point during – the point during
a comic bit at which the audience a comic bit at which the audience laughslaughs
The Laugh RegionThe Laugh Region – a series of – a series of laughs that come so closely laughs that come so closely together as to be somewhat together as to be somewhat indistinguishable from one indistinguishable from one anotheranother
The CodebookMain Elements
The CodebookActing Style
Stage Acting Not naturalisticNot naturalistic Over-emphatic gestures and facial Over-emphatic gestures and facial
expressionsexpressions Derived from legitimate theater Derived from legitimate theater
and vaudevilleand vaudeville To be seen from a distance, orTo be seen from a distance, or Exaggerated for comic effectExaggerated for comic effect
Be My Wife1925
Pantomime & Transformation
Pantomime – The use of actions Pantomime – The use of actions and gestures to convey meaning and gestures to convey meaning without wordswithout words
Transformation – When an object Transformation – When an object known for one purpose/function is known for one purpose/function is treated as if it holds another treated as if it holds another purpose/functionpurpose/function
The Gold Rush1925
The CodebookPhysicality
Stunts & Danger PH7.PH7. StuntStunt.. Did an action Did an action
that contributed to the laugh point that contributed to the laugh point occur that would require such skill occur that would require such skill or coordination of movement that or coordination of movement that a professional would be needed to a professional would be needed to design or implement it? design or implement it?
PH8.PH8. DangerDanger. Did the above . Did the above stunt involve apparent danger to stunt involve apparent danger to the character?the character?
Our Hospitality1923
The CodebookLaugh Point Motivation
Story motivation
LP2: Story.LP2: Story. Was the action at Was the action at the laugh point caused by the laugh point caused by something NOT clearly motivated something NOT clearly motivated by the story?by the story?
Get Out & Get Under1920
The CodebookEffects
The CodebookHumor Theory
Some sample codingThe Freshman, 1925
The Freshman1925
Discussion Does anything from the codebook Does anything from the codebook
stick out as…stick out as… unclear, unclear, ambiguous, or ambiguous, or needing refinement?needing refinement?
Help!I need two people interested in I need two people interested in coding a 20-minute segment of coding a 20-minute segment of The The FreshmanFreshman..
Any takers?Any takers?
The End.