Comedy
Comedy can emerge from a body, dialogue or image composition. Compare the physical rhythm of Modern Times with the geometry of The Grand Budapest Hotel. Laughter may coexist with a serious view of the world.
Use these works as starting points and compare their pace, viewpoint and form. Genres overlap: one work may offer several experiences. We retain a main category to simplify navigation.
Modern Times
Charles Chaplin
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson
Ted Lasso
Jason Sudeikis / Bill Lawrence / Brendan Hunt / Joe Kelly
PlayTime
Jacques Tati
Safety Last!
Fred Newmeyer / Sam Taylor
What to watch for
Describe a gag’s setup before its payoff. What expectation does gesture or editing overturn?
Frequently asked questions
Where does a gag come from?
In Modern Times and Safety Last!, watch body and obstacle. In The Grand Budapest Hotel, add composition and dialogue: one category does not imply one rhythm.