Post by klep on Nov 21, 2016 7:47:41 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 11/21: Duck Soup
POST-ELECTION PICK-ME-UP EDITION
Comedy can be a fickle thing. What's hilarious one day can be tired or controversial the next, and what was confusing or off-putting yesterday can be side-splitting today. It takes a special mind to create a comedy that can outlast generations, and in this case we had three (and Zeppo).
Duck Soup is often called a political satire, but that's only true insofar as Airplane is a satire of the airline industry. It's more accurate to say that the film is using the trappings of government and politics as connective tissue and window dressing. Scenes play like sketch comedy, with non-Marx Brother characters delivering lines that are primarily setups for Groucho's quips or serving as straight men for Chico and Harpo's antics. Groucho's snappy delivery and the brothers' knack for physical comedy can't be overstated, and the film is hilarious the whole way through.
It's not a perfect film though; like all sketch comedy there are some rough edges. Some of the humor directed at Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont) is uncomfortably mean, and at times the pacing is a little rough. But that's excusable for the rest of Groucho's incessant cleverness and gags like the mirror routine. After all, you don't always need a movie of great insight and depth. Sometimes, what you really need is a laugh.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 11/21: Addams Family Values
THANKSGIVING EDITION
As we recover from our turkey comas over the weekend, we'll be watching Addams Family Values for our next Movie of the Week. It has people in dancing turkey costumes for a Thanksgiving play, so the theme checks out. Addams Family Values is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, and it is free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 11/22: In The Mood For Love
The next edition of the Next Picture Show podcast deals with two films about unrequited or forbidden love. First up is Wong Kar Wai's In The Mood For Love. We'll have a discussion thread for it on Wednesday. In The Mood For Love is streaming on Filmstruck's Criterion channel.
POST-ELECTION PICK-ME-UP EDITION
Comedy can be a fickle thing. What's hilarious one day can be tired or controversial the next, and what was confusing or off-putting yesterday can be side-splitting today. It takes a special mind to create a comedy that can outlast generations, and in this case we had three (and Zeppo).
Duck Soup is often called a political satire, but that's only true insofar as Airplane is a satire of the airline industry. It's more accurate to say that the film is using the trappings of government and politics as connective tissue and window dressing. Scenes play like sketch comedy, with non-Marx Brother characters delivering lines that are primarily setups for Groucho's quips or serving as straight men for Chico and Harpo's antics. Groucho's snappy delivery and the brothers' knack for physical comedy can't be overstated, and the film is hilarious the whole way through.
It's not a perfect film though; like all sketch comedy there are some rough edges. Some of the humor directed at Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont) is uncomfortably mean, and at times the pacing is a little rough. But that's excusable for the rest of Groucho's incessant cleverness and gags like the mirror routine. After all, you don't always need a movie of great insight and depth. Sometimes, what you really need is a laugh.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 11/21: Addams Family Values
THANKSGIVING EDITION
As we recover from our turkey comas over the weekend, we'll be watching Addams Family Values for our next Movie of the Week. It has people in dancing turkey costumes for a Thanksgiving play, so the theme checks out. Addams Family Values is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, and it is free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 11/22: In The Mood For Love
The next edition of the Next Picture Show podcast deals with two films about unrequited or forbidden love. First up is Wong Kar Wai's In The Mood For Love. We'll have a discussion thread for it on Wednesday. In The Mood For Love is streaming on Filmstruck's Criterion channel.