Comedy of menace

THE MODERN HAMLET Breaking Bad is widely considered one of the best TV shows of all time and for a good reason. It has one particular plot that resonates with Hamlet - tragedy. The hook of this TV show is it’s brilliant deviation from a basic storyline and hero to one where it makes the viewer question their own values and make judgement calls. Walter White is debated heavily as being either a hero, an anti-hero, or just a faulty hero. To set the scene, he is a high school chemistry teacher who…

bring awareness. Satire isn’t an unfamiliar subject to most performers and comedians. Comedian Dave Chappelle used satire, that usually dealt with racial identity and politics in America in most of his comedy bits in his comedy hit, The Chappelle Show. The use of satire in Dave Chappelle’s comedy sketches draws attention to politics through the eyes of a black man in America. Dave Chappelle is able to use his platform to spread his experiences among anyone who’ll listen, including people of…

his voice to discuss social issues regarding race, sexuality, identity, and civil rights. Under the guise of comedy, Kondabolu is able to raise awareness and share his stance on the subjects, while maintaining real humor that people can laugh along and relate to. Kondabolu cites his identity as the catalyst for the beginning of his career, as the lack of Asian representation in the comedy business was, and still is, quite scarce. His identity as an Indian-American was prominent in most of his…

sadness, there is no happiness; without comedy tragedy loses impact. A genre so potent with sorrow surrounding the main character could be reduced to nothing if not for lighthearted comedy. The law of necessary contrast has been true for all of history, both in reality and literature, and has been captured through the works of remarkable authors such as William Shakespeare. He held a healthy balance between the two extremes, with slapstick such as The Comedy of Errors to the deep pain of Julius…

Famous authors and artists are often lauded for the madness that lurks behind their works. They were allowed to freely express themselves through a variety of media, whether it was music, art, or even through narrative. Their popularities stemmed from their abilities to envision new, imaginative ideas that had not been thought of before, at least by any ‘sane’ person. However, their situations would not be the same had someone stifled their creativity; their creativity was even an outlet for…

Ignorant New World Why do people laugh? Is it an effect from a witty joke, a nervous tic, or perhaps a humorous accident? Whatever the reason is, laughter is a contagious and social occurrence. In the book, Brave New World, there are many circumstances where laughter takes place. However, the people in the book are not necessarily aware of what they are laughing about. It is not that they are replacing thinking with laughter, instead, they do not have the ability to comprehend what they are…

Within the first five minutes of Worst Possible Illusion: The Curiosity Cabinet of Vik Muniz, Vik Muniz and his comedic personality come onto the scene. Worst Possible Illusion is a biography as well as a brief look at the variety of unorthodox techniques Muniz has used while not delving into specific detail about individual pictures. Muniz’s artistic process reflects his history and his personality. In the biographical part of the film, Muniz states that he was born in Brazil during a time of…

Everything is political. Even when looking at a light hearted comedy, there are political elements that engulf the film. “Cinema/Ideology/Criticism” by Cornolli and Narboni explains this. An example is women’s representation in the film. If a director and writer follow the norms of female characters, it shows that they agree with the status quo of how a pop culture sees women. They did not make a political statement, but it is shown in their actions. A political theme across our films and…

“La Luna” and “Paperman” are both great short films. These short films try to convey a message throughout the whole production. Some of the ideas that can be seen is to be daring or think differently. It is amazing to see how a work that is relatively short can produce such a huge message. “La Luna” and “Paperman” are impressive because they try to deliver people a positive message that can be used in life. “La Luna” has a great underlying message. One idea it shows is that families can argue…

the painful reality and raw ugliness that can come with being in a relationship. And in this case even more so when you're in a relationship with someone who suffers from a mental-illness. I find it a bit reductive to class the show as a romantic-comedy when it consistently brings to life, very dark and raw emotions that are often made invisible in television. What makes it even cooler is how they manage to do so while still carrying a humorous tone…