So what comedic works have you seen that you didn’t know were comedies at first?
I was a really young kid when I first saw the 1960s Batman, and I took it very seriously. I was older but hadn’t discovered the type of humor found in the Hitchhiker’s Guide trilogy, and, to this day, I think I take it more seriously than most, even though I now get all the jokes.
Well, the entire “mockumentary” genre hadn’t overstayed its welcome when This Is Spinal Tap came out, so while everyone thought it was funny, there were some who genuinely thought the movie was serious (real) as opposed to a complete fictional put-on.
I was impressed with the first callback or two to the original Boondock Saints in its sequel, Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day. But then there were so many constant self-references that I started to get annoyed at them. Then, about a third of the way in I figured that they were doing it on purpose for parodic/comedy purposes (although it’s not a comedic film overall.)
I have this weird brain quirk where sometimes I’ll be watching something that I *know *is a comedy, but my brain interprets it as perfectly serious. It’s like my filter for sarcasm just disappears (which is weird, because sarcasm is basically my first language) and every crotch hit all I can think of is the physical pain it would cause, and banter between friends becomes hurtful and shaming.
I cried - CRIED - my way through Naked Gun. Swear to Og.
Back when the movie “Heathers” first came out, I went to go see it on the recommendation of a friend of mine. I had no idea going in what the movie was about, and spent the first half of it trying to decide if it was a comedy or not.
I don’t think I truly understood what The Fifth Element was until I saw it the second time. I didn’t know anything at all about it going in, and the early scenes where the spaceship fires upon the ‘evil’ and is destroyed isn’t played for laughs. Also, the effects are pretty damn good and often for a ‘funny’ movie. In my first viewing, as the movie progressed, I saw funny moments in what I thought would fairly straightforward homage to 50’s sci-fi and retro-futurism. When Ruby Rhod escapes the bombing with Willis and company, I audibly groaned. When will they get rid of this annoying twit and get on with my action/sci-fi movie!? Turns out it was an homage played mostly for laughs.
I was in 9th grade when I saw “Dr. Strangelove.” I don’t know at what point I realized that it was a (black) comedy–but I definitely got it by the time Slim made his dramatic exit.
Also, not exactly in the spirit of the OP, but. . .
The season that most of the Old Guard of SNL were leaving, Buck Henry was the host for the last program. He introduced the cast who would be replacing the regulars for the next season. Well, none of them actually were there the next season, and I wondered why. Found out relatively recently it was just a gag. I don’t think I ever saw that one in reruns. Maybe I would have caught on earlier.
Not a movie, but Phil Hendrie’s radio show is based on this premise. He’ll have on a “guest” who is so extreme or annoying that first-time listeners simply must call in to confront the guest. As it happens, Phil is both the host and the guest. The comedy comes from the both the extreme views of the guest and the outrage from naive callers.
ZORRO, THE GAY BLADE. Bear in mind that I didn’t know what “gay” meant. So: Zorro’s son tries to carry on dad’s legacy, and gets haplessly injured in his first attempt? Sure. I mean, why not? That’s probably what would happen to you. So of course his dandy brother needs to step in – and his brother’s crap with a sword, so he whips men instead? Yes. I’m fine with that. Indiana Jones is probably crap with a sword, too. And now he’s turning down the rescued woman who throws herself at him? Oh, yeah, his injured brother met her first, probably has dibs on her. And now he’s putting on makeup and a dress? Master of disguise. Brilliant strategy. Heist ensues, right? I’m pretty sure Robin Hood would do that. It all makes perfect sense.
Came home one night pretty wasted and turned on the TV. Andy Kaufman was doing his Tony Clifton bit, I hadn’t heard of Andy Kaufman, I totally bit. I was incensed about that asshole on TV insulting the audience for months.
It’s been said that Stanley Kubrick *deliberately *told Slim Pickens that the film was a completely serious action/drama while he was shooting it. Kubrick had an incredible knack for getting the right performance out of an actor. He sort of did the same thing to George C. Scott, he did dozens & dozens of different takes of scenes, each time having Scott go a little bit more over the top, but telling him that these more outrageous takes would never actually be used. Supposedly Scott was very pissed off to find that he was lying to him, that it was Kubrick’s intention all along to use them. Either way, it’s still one of the funniest films ever made.
This is probably more than an hour in, but anyone would be figuring that out once Ruby Rhod comes on the scene. I was rolling on the floor from his schtick.
I don’t think “Big Trouble” is really a comedy, it’s more of a light-hearted homage to some kinds of Chinese fantasy kung fu pictures, combined with American tough-guy action movies.
Roddy
Evil Dead II.
I mean, I was laughing all through out that movie, but I was thinking it’s only funny to me (and my friend watching it with me) because I had a twisted fucked up sense of humor. I figured most people watch that movie and genuinely thought it was scary.
It wasn’t until they got to that scene where Ash had to cut off his hand, he had to use a book to keep his demonically possessed hand in place. The title on the book was “Farewell to Arms” I finally caught on and realized these guys are clowns.