Hammersmith 1
Film Research Paper
Andrew Hammersmith
COM 320, Sec. 1.
Dr. Neuendorf
10/15/15
Outline
Introduction
Marx Brothers were a major early 20th century comedic force
Among the people inspired by them was Mel Brooks. (Use quote from book).
Both served to promote a specific style of comedy filmmaking.
Thesis: The extent of the Marx Brothers influences on Mel Brooks lies within their roots in vaudeville, emphasis on multiple forms of comedy, and overall anarchic attitude towards filmmaking.
Roots in Vaudeville and Theater
The Marx Brothers started as a vaudeville act that transitioned to Broadway and then films. (Destabilizing Vaudeville Source).
They honed their craft and developed a wide array of comedic talent.
Mel …show more content…
(Brooks, 2014). In the Academy Award winning short, he plays the ornery narrator who complains about a series of abstract images and artistic animations (Parish, 2007). The wise cracking narration of anything and everything no doubt follows in the vain of Groucho. His anarchic spirit translates through the production of ?Springtime for Hitler? in ?The Producers.? No more apparent is Mel Brook?s penchant for pushing the envelope then when he decides to turn Blazing Saddles into an insider?s look at the film industry. As mentioned by Beth E. Bonnstetter in ?Mel Brooks Meets Kenneth Burke: Comedy and Burlesque in Satiric Film? the townsfolk of Rock Ridge fight with the anachronistic enemy forces of Hedley Lamarr and end up bringing down the walls of the sets themselves (2011). In the spirit of ?A Night at the Opera,? entire sets are torn apart and even bleed into other productions, culminating in the characters of ?Blazing Saddles? running off the movie lot (Bonnstetter, 2011). It is in the ceremonial escape of these actors that Brooks makes the ultimate fourth wall break and anarchic …show more content…
Without the Marx Brothers inspiration, the likes of Mel Brooks or any other anarchic comedic force may have not come to fruition. If one thing is for sure, the pressing need for progressive and boundary pushing comedy would have lacked a vital ingredient. In the pantheon of classic American comedy there is Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd. Whereas those three opened the door for film comedy, it would be fair to say the Marx Brothers broke the door from its hinges and Mel Brooks demolished the doorframe. The thirteen Marx Brothers films serve as a testament to the masters at work, and the eleven Mel Brooks films serve as another vessel for their particular brand of off the wall comedy. Without the Marx Brothers serving as comedic guides, the likes of Mel Brooks would not have been able to pass the torch off to their modern day filmmaking
Film Research Paper
Andrew Hammersmith
COM 320, Sec. 1.
Dr. Neuendorf
10/15/15
Outline
Introduction
Marx Brothers were a major early 20th century comedic force
Among the people inspired by them was Mel Brooks. (Use quote from book).
Both served to promote a specific style of comedy filmmaking.
Thesis: The extent of the Marx Brothers influences on Mel Brooks lies within their roots in vaudeville, emphasis on multiple forms of comedy, and overall anarchic attitude towards filmmaking.
Roots in Vaudeville and Theater
The Marx Brothers started as a vaudeville act that transitioned to Broadway and then films. (Destabilizing Vaudeville Source).
They honed their craft and developed a wide array of comedic talent.
Mel …show more content…
(Brooks, 2014). In the Academy Award winning short, he plays the ornery narrator who complains about a series of abstract images and artistic animations (Parish, 2007). The wise cracking narration of anything and everything no doubt follows in the vain of Groucho. His anarchic spirit translates through the production of ?Springtime for Hitler? in ?The Producers.? No more apparent is Mel Brook?s penchant for pushing the envelope then when he decides to turn Blazing Saddles into an insider?s look at the film industry. As mentioned by Beth E. Bonnstetter in ?Mel Brooks Meets Kenneth Burke: Comedy and Burlesque in Satiric Film? the townsfolk of Rock Ridge fight with the anachronistic enemy forces of Hedley Lamarr and end up bringing down the walls of the sets themselves (2011). In the spirit of ?A Night at the Opera,? entire sets are torn apart and even bleed into other productions, culminating in the characters of ?Blazing Saddles? running off the movie lot (Bonnstetter, 2011). It is in the ceremonial escape of these actors that Brooks makes the ultimate fourth wall break and anarchic …show more content…
Without the Marx Brothers inspiration, the likes of Mel Brooks or any other anarchic comedic force may have not come to fruition. If one thing is for sure, the pressing need for progressive and boundary pushing comedy would have lacked a vital ingredient. In the pantheon of classic American comedy there is Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd. Whereas those three opened the door for film comedy, it would be fair to say the Marx Brothers broke the door from its hinges and Mel Brooks demolished the doorframe. The thirteen Marx Brothers films serve as a testament to the masters at work, and the eleven Mel Brooks films serve as another vessel for their particular brand of off the wall comedy. Without the Marx Brothers serving as comedic guides, the likes of Mel Brooks would not have been able to pass the torch off to their modern day filmmaking