Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Comedy...A Lost Art?

Yesterday's post focused on everything Oscars, and so does today's. I mentioned this in my previous post but I want to dig a little deeper today. Have you ever watched the Oscars and wondered, where are all the comedy films? I definitely have, and I know a lot of other dedicated fans have had the same thought. So why are the comedies left high and dry? Is The Academy against the art form known to make most people go to the movies? I think when people think of movies, most think of the one that makes them laugh the most. Most movies that are discussed on a lunch break or by the water cooler are the funniest ones that people have seen. At least that is what I find...so why aren't they receiving the high honors?

The first reason is obvious, but lets get it out of the way. The Oscars recognize the best work put into films. The more serious the plot line, character and setting of the film; the more serious a person takes a movie. The Academy is made up of very famous people, but they are still normal at heart. Therefore, the most serious scripts are usually taken into consideration when drafting and voting on nominations.

The second reason plays into the first and it can be summed up in one word (which is also a huge musical hit): Tradition. The fact that the Oscars have been nominating and awarding more serious films throughout history makes it all the more likely that this trend with continue. As a great song states: "...it's all just a little bit of history repeating!" This is true in so many cases in Hollywood, and it especially comes into play here.

The third reason is because most A-lister actors, actresses and directors do not choose to take on the comedic films and roles. Most actors, once established, bite and fight for the solemn roles that portray a character who struggles deeply, or chronicle a life of stardom and inner beauty. The biggest and greatest comedy movies such as: Step Brothers, Knocked Up, Wedding Crashers etc. of this time period are fabulous movies. But at the other end, George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks are not going to jump to partake in these films. The best actors are in turn the ones who are nominated, and well you see how the circle continues.

So, it seems the comedies are always pushed aside when it comes to awarding actors and actresses alike for their performances. Thankfully, this year that is not the entire case. As I mentioned yesterday, Melissa McCarthy has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Bridesmaids. Along with that Bridesmaids was also nominated for several Golden Globes. So comedic films will not always be left in the dust. It just takes the right script, the right people, and most importantly the right actors to make comedy films stand out and join the ranks of dramas on the red carpet.


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