Is Chaplin "dated?"

"James Neibaur" <jneibaur.DeleteThis@wi.rr.com> wrote in message
news:C03A0AEB.6ED72%jneibaur@wi.rr.com...
> mlanoue.DeleteThis@yahoo.com 3/12/06 4:32 PM
>
> > There are lots of great comedies made in the
> > past couple of decades
>
> I like the Anderson-Wilson comedies like Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and
Royal
> Tenenbaums
>
> JN

I agree. They're definitely not to everyone's tastes but I love them,
especially Tenenbaums. One of my friends thinks Tenenbaums was one of the
worst films he's ever seen, but I laugh almost non-stop all the way through.
 >> Stay informed about: Is Chaplin "dated?" 

Richard Carnahan 3/12/06 10:28 PM

> My favorite comedy of recent vintage is Wes Anderson's THE LIFE
> AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU.

shows how tastes differ -- that was the one I didn't like.

I think Bill Murray is just now doing his best work

JN
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"James Neibaur" <jneibaur DeleteThis @wi.rr.com> wrote in message
news:C03A57AD.6EDC4%jneibaur@wi.rr.com...
> Richard Carnahan 3/12/06 10:28 PM
>
> > My favorite comedy of recent vintage is Wes Anderson's THE LIFE
> > AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU.
>
> shows how tastes differ -- that was the one I didn't like.

I agree. I was very let down. I thought he was too laid back; in fact he
almost seemed asleep. I missed the scoundrelly charm of Hackman. Murray
seemed to take his "Lost In Translation" character down another 5 notches.
I also didn't like the concept with the music. Even there it's the first
Wes Anderson film where I didn't like the music.

By the way, apparently Anderson's next project is an animated version of
Roald Dahl's "The Fantastic Mr. Fox." Strange.
 >> Stay informed about: Is Chaplin "dated?" 

James Neibaur (jneibaur@wi.rr.com) writes:
> mlanoue.DeleteThis@yahoo.com 3/12/06 9:20 AM
>
>> Yes, these days "Wayne's World" is probably approaching Classic Comedy
>> status.
>
> Why not? Animal House and Caddyshack have.
>
> JN

I'm surprised you don't like the _Naked Gun_ films, Jim. They're about
as crude as the Stooges, and the first two are actually pretty funny,
though the third is worthless.

Saw _Rushmore_. Thought it was adolescent and unamusing. I am uncomfortable
with most indie films because of their obvious technical deficiencies.
Virtually all of them could be better made if somebody cared to exert
himself, even on a limited budget.

Saw _Animal House_. Ho, hum. Found the Austin Powers films slightly
more interesting, but almost the entire comic output of the last three
decades could be flushed down the toilet as far as I'm concerned. In
fifty years, I expect virtually all of it will have lapsed into obscurity,
along with most of the Keystone comedies.

The Pythons are another matter. I think they'll be around for some
time, sketch comedians or not, because of the quirky intelligence and
originality of their material and their versatility as performers.
They created a distinctive body of work, and that tends to be what
lasts.

Connie K.
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Constance Kuriyama 3/13/06 1:54 PM

> I'm surprised you don't like the _Naked Gun_ films, Jim. They're about
> as crude as the Stooges, and the first two are actually pretty funny,
> though the third is worthless.

They were fun on first viewing, but once you know the jokes they don't hold
up on repeated viewings.

> Saw _Rushmore_. Thought it was adolescent and unamusing. I am uncomfortable
> with most indie films because of their obvious technical deficiencies.
> Virtually all of them could be better made if somebody cared to exert
> himself, even on a limited budget.

I think the maverick, creative filmmakers working within the confines of a
really low budget offer some very interesting things. Rushmore is,
actually, higher budgeted than many films I see.

I thought Rushmore was very clever, actually.

JN
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James Neibaur (jneibaur@wi.rr.com) writes:
> Constance Kuriyama 3/13/06 1:54 PM
>
>> I'm surprised you don't like the _Naked Gun_ films, Jim. They're about
>> as crude as the Stooges, and the first two are actually pretty funny,
>> though the third is worthless.
>
> They were fun on first viewing, but once you know the jokes they don't hold
> up on repeated viewings.

They won't reward repeated viewings the way Chaplin or Keaton do, but if you
give them some time to get cold and then go back to them, especially in
a frivolous mood, they're still funny.

I like the unintentional irony of OJ playing a cop who gets punished for
doing his job--reality turned inside out.

>> Saw _Rushmore_. Thought it was adolescent and unamusing. I am uncomfortable
>> with most indie films because of their obvious technical deficiencies.
>> Virtually all of them could be better made if somebody cared to exert
>> himself, even on a limited budget.
>
> I think the maverick, creative filmmakers working within the confines of a
> really low budget offer some very interesting things. Rushmore is,
> actually, higher budgeted than many films I see.
>
> I thought Rushmore was very clever, actually.
>
> JN

All I remember of it now is that the hero was distasteful and that nothing
of any consequence happened in it.

But evidently it has something that clicked with you and not with me.

Connie K.
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Constance Kuriyama 3/14/06 2:21 AM

>> They were fun on first viewing, but once you know the jokes they don't hold
>> up on repeated viewings.
>
> They won't reward repeated viewings the way Chaplin or Keaton do, but if you
> give them some time to get cold and then go back to them, especially in
> a frivolous mood, they're still funny.

of the Zucker Abrams films I probably like their first, Kentucky Fried
Movie, best, despite how disjointed it was.

JN
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James Neibaur wrote:

> of the Zucker Abrams films I probably like their first, Kentucky Fried
> Movie, best, despite how disjointed it was.

Have you seen it lately? I loved it back when. But I watched ithe
DVD a couple of years ago and it seemed like the world's longest UCLA
student film.
 >> Stay informed about: Is Chaplin "dated?" 

Richard Carnahan wrote:

> Have you seen it lately? I loved it back when. But I watched ithe
> DVD a couple of years ago and it seemed like the world's longest UCLA
> student film.

It seemed that way to me twenty years ago! THE GROOVE TUBE is the
same way. But if someone were to take both those films, cut out all the
material that doesn't work and splice together what's left, you'd have
a pretty solid hour.

The best film of this genre I've seen is AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON.
It too needs to be cut down, but when it's good it's great, much better
than KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, even though nobody went to see it.



--Shush--
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"Constance Kuriyama" <do481 RemoveThis @FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message
news:dv5uf7$f84$1@theodyn.ncf.ca...
> James Neibaur (jneibaur@wi.rr.com) writes:
> > Constance Kuriyama 3/13/06 1:54 PM
> >
> >> I'm surprised you don't like the _Naked Gun_ films, Jim. They're about
> >> as crude as the Stooges, and the first two are actually pretty funny,
> >> though the third is worthless.
> >
> > They were fun on first viewing, but once you know the jokes they don't
hold
> > up on repeated viewings.
>
> They won't reward repeated viewings the way Chaplin or Keaton do, but if
you
> give them some time to get cold and then go back to them, especially in
> a frivolous mood, they're still funny.

I thought the original series, Police Squad was a million times funnier.
Was played deadpan instead of the silly, over-the-top of the movies. I wish
the series would come out on DVD.
 >> Stay informed about: Is Chaplin "dated?" 

James Neibaur wrote:
> Richard Carnahan 3/14/06 11:58 AM
>
> > Have you seen it lately? I loved it back when. But I watched ithe
> > DVD a couple of years ago and it seemed like the world's longest UCLA
> > student film.
>
> So it holds up as poorly as Blazing Saddles, eh?
>
> JN

BLAZING SADDLES still works for me.
 >> Stay informed about: Is Chaplin "dated?" 

James Neibaur wrote:
> Richard Carnahan 3/14/06 2:22 PM
>
> >>> Have you seen it lately? I loved it back when. But I watched ithe
> >>> DVD a couple of years ago and it seemed like the world's longest UCLA
> >>> student film.
> >>
> >> So it holds up as poorly as Blazing Saddles, eh?
> >>
> >> JN
> >
> > BLAZING SADDLES still works for me.
>
> Then I guess I'll have to see Kentucky Fried Movie again (and it was U of
> Wisc Madison, not UCLA)
>
> JN

No I meant it >looked< like a UCLA student film. I saw a lot of them
(as well as USC films) during the sixties and early seventies.
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Richard Carnahan 3/14/06 11:58 AM

> Have you seen it lately? I loved it back when. But I watched ithe
> DVD a couple of years ago and it seemed like the world's longest UCLA
> student film.

So it holds up as poorly as Blazing Saddles, eh?

JN
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