Last week was a fun topic and I got a lot of great feed back from people about different films they would have included and why I suck. (teehee) Anyway, I wanted to make a list w/ some of the great films I didn't have on my straight forward 80's comedy list from last week. I call these 80's Comedy Sub -Genres because to me they are not just about the comedy. They have action and in some cases Sci-fi/ Mystery and are even a little more serious at times. Here are some of the ones that I personally don't consider all comedy... They are very funny and definitely mostly comedy, but not all comedy!
1.) Ghostbuster : I feel like this is pretty clear... Yes it is very funny and has lots of comedy present in the film, but this film to me transcends the comedy genre. It is simply a great film. It has action, comedy, questions about life and death and it is at times a bit creepy. Even the music has a looming quality as if something like the end of the world is going to happen in the film. And these are some of the reasons it wasn't on my Comedy list.
2.) Beverly Hills Cop : Hilarious film... But plain and simple it is an Action Comedy! Many people die and are beaten up and the main story is about a cop trying to find the people who killed his friend. Pretty cut and dry.
3.) The Breakfast Club : This is a Dramedy! In my opinion this is a film genre John Hughes perfected and basically created! No one has managed to capture the feeling a movie like The Breakfast Club gives you! Funny and intense all at the same time!
4.) Uncle Buck : I love this film! It is a great movie! It is so funny and perhaps John Candy's finest role! But it is another John Hughes Dramedy! It is in many ways as sad as it is funny and that is why I love it! It has such a great balance. Hughes was great at walking the line between comedy and tragedy!
5.) Planes, Trains and Automobiles : Sure this film is over the top at times, but again... Dramedy! Both Steve Martin and John Candy play their parts perfectly! Classic straight man and the song and dance man... But both of them are so vulnerable have scenes that will definitely tug at your heart strings and making the people in your life even more. The Hughes Dramedy is a very special genre in film and we should respect it by not writing it off as just a comedy... They are so much more!
6.) Fletch : This a classic. Very funny plays to Chevy Chase's strengths, but it isn't a straight comedy film. There's mystery and action as well! It really is silly at times, but over all it is just a cool film similar in tone to Beverly Hills Cop.
7.) Stripes : This movie is hilarious and definitely mostly a comedy... But if you watch It again and really pay attention you will notice that it is masterfully split into two types of film... comedy and war/action! The first part of the film is mostly one gag or one-liner after the other, but the relationship and even hatred between Sgt Hulka and John (Bill Murray) is very uncomfortable at times and not very funny. Then by the end of the film they have stolen the military's secret weapon and are basically at war killing people left and right. Yeah there is comic relief, but it is all pretty intense when you think of the first part of the film. War-Comedy seems pretty fitting. And honesty I think just calling Stripes a comedy is selling it a little short as a film.
8.) The Money Pit : This film falls into a the category of NOT FUNNY Comedy genres because it isn't funny. That is all. ;)
So those are a few films that were mentioned on the FB page or throughout this past week when people have tried to fight me. I hope this clears up why some of these didn't make my list or why others I didn't name didn't make it either. Either way at the end of the day it is all just opinion... that is the fun of being a film fan! Be kind to each other!
1.) Ghostbuster : I feel like this is pretty clear... Yes it is very funny and has lots of comedy present in the film, but this film to me transcends the comedy genre. It is simply a great film. It has action, comedy, questions about life and death and it is at times a bit creepy. Even the music has a looming quality as if something like the end of the world is going to happen in the film. And these are some of the reasons it wasn't on my Comedy list.
2.) Beverly Hills Cop : Hilarious film... But plain and simple it is an Action Comedy! Many people die and are beaten up and the main story is about a cop trying to find the people who killed his friend. Pretty cut and dry.
3.) The Breakfast Club : This is a Dramedy! In my opinion this is a film genre John Hughes perfected and basically created! No one has managed to capture the feeling a movie like The Breakfast Club gives you! Funny and intense all at the same time!
4.) Uncle Buck : I love this film! It is a great movie! It is so funny and perhaps John Candy's finest role! But it is another John Hughes Dramedy! It is in many ways as sad as it is funny and that is why I love it! It has such a great balance. Hughes was great at walking the line between comedy and tragedy!
5.) Planes, Trains and Automobiles : Sure this film is over the top at times, but again... Dramedy! Both Steve Martin and John Candy play their parts perfectly! Classic straight man and the song and dance man... But both of them are so vulnerable have scenes that will definitely tug at your heart strings and making the people in your life even more. The Hughes Dramedy is a very special genre in film and we should respect it by not writing it off as just a comedy... They are so much more!
6.) Fletch : This a classic. Very funny plays to Chevy Chase's strengths, but it isn't a straight comedy film. There's mystery and action as well! It really is silly at times, but over all it is just a cool film similar in tone to Beverly Hills Cop.
7.) Stripes : This movie is hilarious and definitely mostly a comedy... But if you watch It again and really pay attention you will notice that it is masterfully split into two types of film... comedy and war/action! The first part of the film is mostly one gag or one-liner after the other, but the relationship and even hatred between Sgt Hulka and John (Bill Murray) is very uncomfortable at times and not very funny. Then by the end of the film they have stolen the military's secret weapon and are basically at war killing people left and right. Yeah there is comic relief, but it is all pretty intense when you think of the first part of the film. War-Comedy seems pretty fitting. And honesty I think just calling Stripes a comedy is selling it a little short as a film.
8.) The Money Pit : This film falls into a the category of NOT FUNNY Comedy genres because it isn't funny. That is all. ;)
So those are a few films that were mentioned on the FB page or throughout this past week when people have tried to fight me. I hope this clears up why some of these didn't make my list or why others I didn't name didn't make it either. Either way at the end of the day it is all just opinion... that is the fun of being a film fan! Be kind to each other!