The Art Of The Comical Film

Comedy is a discretionary endeavor. The common pitfall of those who chase it is to either go too far or not go far enough. The compromise between these that will appeal to a wide audience is a goal not attained by many.

The history behind the genre known as comedic film is as diverse as the performers who have delighted us through the years. Film has now been around long enough to classify it as an old art form, not some young, silly upstart with no experience under its belt. And as a respectable institution, it's history can now be dissected and marveled at.

The general public first started to recognize films en masse in the early part of the twentieth century. Film makers quickly grasped the scope of what could be done with the medium, and veered away from producing only dramatic works. Realizing the appeal of laughter as a worthy form of entertainment, they gave birth to what we now know and love as the comedic film.

The moviegoer's preference has always been a personal and ever-changing matter. This applies not just to comedic releases, but to all genres. As a result of this, all genres have to adapt from one moment to the next, resulting in a level of sophistication that waxes and wanes.

Limitations of technology through the years have also most certainly played a part in the resulting films that have come out of any given era. The first films were silent, therefore the stars of that era had to work with what they had. Timing and physical comedy held a major role in the show. Consider the slapstick humor made famous by people such as Charlie Chaplin.

The innovation of sound in film brought the performers whole new ways of practicing their craft. One of the first to perfect an act centered around this new style of entertainment was The Three Stooges. They are responsible for 190 short films, many of which are beloved to this day.

The next technological innovation to come along and change the way things were done was the television. The 1950s saw many films being turned into episodes to accommodate a weekly television schedule. Who among us who grew up in that era doesn't fondly remember "The Honeymooners?"

The next shake-up of the status quo came not of technology, but simply through a fresh voice. Woody Allen, whose style was that of incomparable wit, has produced a seemingly endless amount of films. In this day and age, we are all too used to this method of storytelling, but there was little that resembled it before his appearance.

As a result of the hard work and dedication of all these masters of the art, and the popularity that they achieved, the modern film connoisseur can track down all sorts of comedic films in their local video store. An endeavor I recommend for anyone, if not for the enjoyment of the film itself, then for a look into the times they were filmed in. There really is so much we can learn by watching films from different eras.

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Joseph Pope enjoys surfing the internet in his spare time. He sometimes writes articles about the sites that he finds. This one is courtesy of a site that is brimming with funny junk.