The Evolution of the Movie Comedy

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published August 27, 2008 at 12:11 PM PDT

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

Comedy is one of the oldest genres in film, going back to the silent film days where comedians like Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin made their mark. We'll trace the broad lines of cinema's relation

Tom Fudge: Great movie comedies seem to me to be among the rarest of films. The ones from the past, live in the memories of film buffs. Duck Soup by the Marx Brothers. Dr. Strangelove. Blazing Saddles. Most great comedies rely on great comic acting performances. This is why movies starring the Marx Brothers or Buster Keaton are still cherished today.
Scott Marks is a film critic and a regular guest on our own Film Club of the Air. He's been thinking about funny movies lately, and so he joins me in studio this hour to talk about the art of film comedy. We'll discuss the films of Buster Keaton, the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields and Mae West, Jerry Lewis, and Albert Brooks.

Guest:

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Scott Marks is author of the film blog Emulsion Compulsion and regular guest on KPBS' Film Club of the Air.