# Black Comedies
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 17, 2004, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834 "2004-06-17T07:28:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/1 "2004-06-17T07:28:10Z")
After watching _Igby Goes Down_, a movie about an assholish teenager feuding with his domineering mother and stuffy older brother while trying to find a life more suited to his personality than the priveleged one he was born into, I came to realize how much I loved the subgenre of black comedies – otherwise serious dramas that is interspersed with sardonic humor.
Even though there are only four movies I can think of off the top of my head that I might include as a dark comedy (this; Death to Smoochy; The Good Girl; and maybe Donnie Darko), I feel a special kinship with these kinds of films and want to find more to watch them as well.
Does anyone have any particular gems that they would like to share? It would be much appreciated.
---
### Author:  [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/2 "2004-06-17T07:36:03Z")
The 1955 version of **The Ladykillers** is a superb black comedy, wotth tracking down.
---
### Author:  [@cmason32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmason32)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/3 "2004-06-17T07:47:41Z")
Hmm… would the Thin Man movies be considered black comedies? I enjoyed those quite a bit.
Could also try [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_comedy).
---
### Author:  [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/4 "2004-06-17T08:03:05Z")
A UK TV series rather than a movie but you should also check out **The League of Gentlemen** - available on DVD import I am sure.
Films - well what about \*\*Dr Strangelove \*\* - contains one of my very favourite lines when I scuffle breaks out in the nuclear shelter war room, “Stop! Stop it! You can’t fight in the War Room…”
Ah the irony…
---
### Author:  [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/5 "2004-06-17T09:58:18Z")
> [@Aesiron](#):
>
> **Black comedies**.
I came in here expecting a thread about _Soul Plane_ and _White Chicks_.
---
### Author:  [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/6 "2004-06-17T16:54:25Z")
The off-beat film “Heathers” is one dark comedy you should check out.
---
### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/7 "2004-06-17T17:02:53Z")
Two Danny DeVito movies come to mind: [The War of the Roses](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098621/combined) and [Throw Momma from the Train](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094142/combined).
---
### Author:  [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/8 "2004-06-17T17:03:06Z")
**Shakes the Clown**.
Bobcat Goldthwait plays an alcoholic party clown. Robin Williams is the leader of the questionalby sexual orientationed mimes. Great flick.
---
### Author:  [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/9 "2004-06-17T17:06:03Z")
> [@Tangent](#):
>
> I came in here expecting a thread about _Soul Plane_ and _White Chicks_.
No, those are “urban” comedies (even the ones set in the suburbs).
---
### Author:  [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/10 "2004-06-17T17:06:03Z")
[Kind Hearts and Coronets](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041546/), yes; [Bedknobs and Broomsticks](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066817/), no. [The Loved One](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059410/), yes; [The Love God?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064606/), no.
---
### Author:  [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/11 "2004-06-17T17:16:52Z")
Fargo, Female Trouble and much of Quentin Tarantino’s output both as director and writer.
---
### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/12 "2004-06-17T17:17:33Z")
[The Bed Sitting Room](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064074/) is finally being released to the public. This 1969 post-apocalypse film - directed by Richard Lester, based on a play by Spike Milligan, starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore - is so black that it makes _Dr. Strangelove_ seem like a Adam Sandler comedy.
You can also check out Cook and Moore’s earlier _Bedazzled_.
Other good oldies include _The Wrong Box_, _Harold and Maude_, _Catch-22_, _Eating Raoul_, _M_A_S_H\*, _The Ruling Class_.
There are hundreds of them. Let’s see if I can find a good listing.
The [Black Comedy](http://www.fye.com/catalog/moviesSubCategory.jhtml?itemId=100315&navAction=jump) category at FYE has hundreds listed and it’s a very good listing, sortable by title, director and release date.
---
### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/13 "2004-06-17T17:28:53Z")
[Eating Raoul](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0083869/)
"It’s amazing what you can do with a cheap piece of meat if you know how to treat it. "
[The Ruling Class](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0069198/):
“How do you know you’re God?”
“Simple. When I pray to Him, I find I am talking to myself.”
[The Wrong Box](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0061204/)
“My father was a missionary. He was eaten by his Bible class.”
[Bedazzled](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0061391/) (The Peter Cook/Dudley Moore version, not the awful remake)
“Everything I’ve ever told you has been a lie. Including that.”
---
### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/14 "2004-06-17T17:30:12Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#):
>
> [The Bed Sitting Room](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064074/) is finally being released to the public. This 1969 post-apocalypse film - directed by Richard Lester, based on a play by Spike Milligan, starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore - is so black that it makes _Dr. Strangelove_ seem like a Adam Sandler comedy.
Really? That’s one film I’ve always wanted to see.
---
### Author:  [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/15 "2004-06-17T18:07:35Z")
I second the vote for Heathers; perfect black comedy.
My favorite is still _The Last Supper_ going by the criteria you set. If you like vignettes, _Four Rooms_ is fun.
---
### Author:  [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/16 "2004-06-17T18:15:47Z")
Great suggestions here. Also try:
[Harold and Maude](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067185/)[Arsenic and Old Lace](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/)
---
### Author:  [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/17 "2004-06-17T18:22:44Z")
A couple of directors who seem to specialize in black comedy: Neil LaBute ( **In the Company of Men** , **Your Friends and Neighbors** ) and Todd Solondz ( **Welcome to the Dollhouse** , **Happiness** ). Each has made other movies, but those listed here are the ones I’ve seen. I find them dark.
---
### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/18 "2004-06-17T19:05:49Z")
I especially liked **The Election** with Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick.
Every character had their dark side.
---
### Author:  [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/19 "2004-06-17T19:26:16Z")
Seek out **Drop Dead Gorgeous** , a mockumentary about a beauty pageant in a small Minnesota town. It makes fun of everything from Christian gun-enthusiasts to anorexia to mental retardation to … well, you should just see it; it’s like watching _Fargo’s_ deranged stepchild. Oh yeah, and that Kirsten Dunst is pretty easy on the eyes.
I’d also recommend an overlooked HBO gem called **The Second Civil War**. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a sort of Dr. Strangelove for the late 90s. Very funny, very sharp, very much off the radar.
---
### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834/20 "2004-06-18T02:12:59Z")
Thanks, everyone. This will be bookmarked for later use when I finally get around to subscribing to Netflix.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-comedies/250834.md?page=2)