Giggles - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 04-29-2005, 03:44 PM

I don't think it has anything to do with the difference between comedy (or fiction) and real life. After all, what is 'real life'?

Reality is overrated.

If something is funny in a film then it is funny in everyday life too.

mormegil · 04-29-2005, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

I don't think it has anything to do with the difference between comedy (or fiction) and real life. After all, what is 'real life'?

Reality is overrated.

If something is funny in a film then it is funny in everyday life too.

I have a difficult time accepting that tie you're attempting to create between film and reality. There are plenty of things that are funny on film but would not be so in real life. Take for example the first though that came into my head after reading your post. In Naked Gun at the end we see the character potrayed by OJ Simpson in a wheel chair and he gets a pat on the back, the force sends his wheel chair careening down the stairs of a baseball stadium. He hits the end and goes flipping head over heels onto the field. As a preteen I laughed like mad at that, however if I saw a real person do that (still I might laugh on OJ in real life

) I wouldn't think it a bit funny. While there are many other instances almost any slapstick humor could disprove your theory.

**The Saucepan Man** · 04-29-2005, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

If something is funny in a film then it is funny in everyday life too.

I'm sorry, Eomer, but that is an unarguable proposition. There is much that we will find humorous in fiction (comedy fiction particularly) that we would not find remotely funny in real life. I have already given a few examples.

Having said that, I would probably have snickered had I been a fly on the wall in Theoden's chamber while strategy was being discussed and Gimli belched.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 04-30-2005, 09:10 AM

Well, well, we could just have a standoff here!

Here's a little story for you, one which (by the sounds of things) you will end up despising me for but I'll take the chance anyway. My cousin was telling me of this guy who was hit by a car in the middle of a road. He slowly got up to his feet after a couple of minutes, and was promptly hit by another car. This story provoked the usual chorus of "Oh my god"s and "How terrible!"s but my cousin and I could not help but see the funny side.

Go ahead, shake your head in disgust.

That does sound like a Naked Gun style joke, and it would be hilarious in a comedy film, but I will certainly argue that it is also funny in real life. Of course it is easy for me to say that because I am completely detached from this person, and if it was someone I knew that was hit by the car then I would be horrified. However, the absurdity of the whole episode is funny. You can laugh and cry at something like that.

But I think I've gone off the rails a bit.....

Let's get back to Gimli. I think that even a witty and clever joke would have been slightly out of place in the Theoden-strategy scene, let alone a crude vulgar joke. Does anyone think that there is just too much humour in the films?

mormegil · 04-30-2005, 03:09 PM

I guess we are all rather intransigent on this point. I think in fiction something like that could be humorous but in real life it's tragic.

As far as there being too much humor in the movie I don't think it's there in excess. But the difference I see between us is what we think is meant to be humorous whether we find it so or not is different. So it's entirely dependent upon our perception as to whether or not it's funny. Again I didn't think Gimli's eructation was funny but I also didn't find it crude and vulgar. Could there have been better places to insert a burp? Yes. Could there have been worse? Again yes (i.e. Council of Elrond) but the reality of that is that Gimli did just get done eating and drinking, and despite their long and noble lineage he is a dwarf. What I mean to say is, elves are much more noble and regal than dwarves and therefore are much more likely to burp after dinner. Had I been director I don't think I would have put that in there but I don't see it as point in which PJ's humor is necessarily flawed.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 05-02-2005, 12:25 PM

From what I described, the incident was not tragic. And death is not itself tragic either. Many deaths are comic.

But let's leave that particular scene alone. What about Gimli (yea, him again) trying to blow away the ghosts? I found that painful to watch. Was this comedy? I think it was included as comedy but maybe that's an assumption too far?

Amrod the Hunter · 05-02-2005, 01:18 PM

Well,some humour in the movie was inaprotiate,and Tolkien wouldn't be happy if he saw that,but remember,it's a movie.
And every good movie director doesn't make a movie only good-he puts in something that will attract people to the cinemas.
Battle scenes were for those who love action,Aragorns dreams about Arwen (which became boring-he dreams of her and he's back from dead if needed

) are for those who love romantics,and PJ made Gimli way he made him only to attract people who love comedy.
And,well...I find that some of his actions are funny,but not all of them,but that's ok.
The only thing that I dislike is the way PJ made Legolas-he is a street-skater.Both in TTT and ROTK he has to skate on something.
See,that's what I noticed to be bad.You noticed too much humour,so it's a matter of personal taste,and we can't argue about that.
(If we continue this tread I will have to add Eomer to the Buddy list-he's so good in defending his opinions

)

04-29-2005, 03:44 PM	#1
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	I don't think it has anything to do with the difference between comedy (or fiction) and real life. After all, what is 'real life'? Reality is overrated. If something is funny in a film then it is funny in everyday life too. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

04-30-2005, 09:10 AM	#4
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	Well, well, we could just have a standoff here! Here's a little story for you, one which (by the sounds of things) you will end up despising me for but I'll take the chance anyway. My cousin was telling me of this guy who was hit by a car in the middle of a road. He slowly got up to his feet after a couple of minutes, and was promptly hit by another car. This story provoked the usual chorus of "Oh my god"s and "How terrible!"s but my cousin and I could not help but see the funny side. Go ahead, shake your head in disgust. That does sound like a Naked Gun style joke, and it would be hilarious in a comedy film, but I will certainly argue that it is also funny in real life. Of course it is easy for me to say that because I am completely detached from this person, and if it was someone I knew that was hit by the car then I would be horrified. However, the absurdity of the whole episode is funny. You can laugh and cry at something like that. But I think I've gone off the rails a bit..... Let's get back to Gimli. I think that even a witty and clever joke would have been slightly out of place in the Theoden-strategy scene, let alone a crude vulgar joke. Does anyone think that there is just too much humour in the films? __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

04-30-2005, 03:09 PM	#5
mormegil Maundering Mage Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,651	I guess we are all rather intransigent on this point. I think in fiction something like that could be humorous but in real life it's tragic. As far as there being too much humor in the movie I don't think it's there in excess. But the difference I see between us is what we think is meant to be humorous whether we find it so or not is different. So it's entirely dependent upon our perception as to whether or not it's funny. Again I didn't think Gimli's eructation was funny but I also didn't find it crude and vulgar. Could there have been better places to insert a burp? Yes. Could there have been worse? Again yes (i.e. Council of Elrond) but the reality of that is that Gimli did just get done eating and drinking, and despite their long and noble lineage he is a dwarf. What I mean to say is, elves are much more noble and regal than dwarves and therefore are much more likely to burp after dinner. Had I been director I don't think I would have put that in there but I don't see it as point in which PJ's humor is necessarily flawed. __________________ “I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

05-02-2005, 12:25 PM	#6
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	From what I described, the incident was not tragic. And death is not itself tragic either. Many deaths are comic. But let's leave that particular scene alone. What about Gimli (yea, him again) trying to blow away the ghosts? I found that painful to watch. Was this comedy? I think it was included as comedy but maybe that's an assumption too far? __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

05-02-2005, 01:18 PM	#7
Amrod the Hunter Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dol Amroth Posts: 54	Well,some humour in the movie was inaprotiate,and Tolkien wouldn't be happy if he saw that,but remember,it's a movie. And every good movie director doesn't make a movie only good-he puts in something that will attract people to the cinemas. Battle scenes were for those who love action,Aragorns dreams about Arwen (which became boring-he dreams of her and he's back from dead if needed ) are for those who love romantics,and PJ made Gimli way he made him only to attract people who love comedy. And,well...I find that some of his actions are funny,but not all of them,but that's ok. The only thing that I dislike is the way PJ made Legolas-he is a street-skater.Both in TTT and ROTK he has to skate on something. See,that's what I noticed to be bad.You noticed too much humour,so it's a matter of personal taste,and we can't argue about that. (If we continue this tread I will have to add Eomer to the Buddy list-he's so good in defending his opinions ) __________________ Shadows of unactivity,be gone!