Well I thoroughly enjoyed that. It seems to me that animation always has never been able to combine comedy and pathos successfully too often; it always is done in a clunky fashion, as in too many animated features to name. The only two exceptions that come to mind are DUMBO and FEED THE KITTY.
And while I disagree with his dismissal of BELOW ZERO, I'm sure Stan Laurel would have agreed with his negative assessment. Laurel was always negative over comedians trying to evoke 'something more' in their work, absolutely despising things of Chaplin's like THE GREAT DICTATOR.
me no read well. Sorry, I mistook it as referring to both films.
June 30, 2009 9:05 PM
Anthony Balducci has written a great (and lengthy) piece talking about the combination of comedy and pathos, using many examples from a variety of comedians and films.
While no animated films are discussed, the combination is certainly present in animated films and the pitfalls that Balducci discusses frequently show up.
posted by Mark Mayerson at 12:11 PM on Jun 26, 2009
"Comedy and Pathos"
3 Comments -
Well I thoroughly enjoyed that. It seems to me that animation always has never been able to combine comedy and pathos successfully too often; it always is done in a clunky fashion, as in too many animated features to name. The only two exceptions that come to mind are DUMBO and FEED THE KITTY.
And while I disagree with his dismissal of BELOW ZERO, I'm sure Stan Laurel would have agreed with his negative assessment. Laurel was always negative over comedians trying to evoke 'something more' in their work, absolutely despising things of Chaplin's like THE GREAT DICTATOR.
June 26, 2009 9:07 PM
His dismissive comments in that paragraph are actually directed at Air Raid Wardens, not Below Zero.
June 30, 2009 12:32 AM
me no read well. Sorry, I mistook it as referring to both films.
June 30, 2009 9:05 PM