Must not have been in very wide use. Maybe it was more of an industry term? I was surprised he had to explain what it meant, and it wasn’t like he was acting like the Marlowe character was stupid, but more as though the term wouldn’t be familiar to the audience.
I don’t recall hearing the term “sitcom” in general use until the 70s at least. I can see how people in the TV industry might have used it as a sort-of shorthand before that, however. I don’t think many folks would have been familiar with the term in 1969.
Even “situation comedy” is such a technical, insider term that I wonder how much ordinary viewers described a show as that, even in the 50s and 60s. I would have called a show a comedy and let it go at that.
“What’s ‘Mister Ed’ about?” “It’s a comedy about a talking horse.”
I believe Mad magazine routinely used the phrase ‘sitcom’ during the 1960s, but I don’t know how to check that.
Google Ngram viewer showes the term first being noticeably used circa 1965 and rising slowly and smoothly after that, so that indicates the term was being used before 1970, if not as much as in subsequent decades.
Searching on Google Books brings up several uses before 1970, including one in Life magazine in 1964 and 1870. It’s used in entertainment magazines like Cue, Communication Arts, and Broadcasting (in 1957). There’s an appearance in 1960 is – for some reason – Chemistry and Atomic Structure.
So it was used in the 1960s (and they wouldn’t have used it without defining it if they thought people wouldn’t understand it). But it didn’t really become common until after 1970.
Not sure about appearances in Mad.
I have just watched Sing, the animated movie about a singing competition. When it came out I wasn’t interested, the trailers painted it to be something akin to the horrible reality shows I hate, but then the reviews and response has always been positive, so I figured one day I’d probably get around to seeing it. And now I have.
It was outstanding. I completely loved it. Great performances, great writing, and great animation. Can’t ask for more than that.
I’ve liked pretty much all the movies that Illumination have made, so I should’ve had more faith.
That would explain why they defined it in a 1969 movie (which was probably made in 1968).
And was probably targeted to a demographic old enough to expect Bogey in the role.
Miracle on 34th Street: another Christmas classic that holds up pretty well.
There is a Sing 2 if you are interested.
Decent Poiroit, with the absolute worst movie music EVER. It is a murder mystery and sounds like a lame 80s romantic comedy.
The Grey Man on Netflix. Reliably entertaining but implausible stunt man’s wet dream with Ryan Gosling as a super assassin (the good guy) and Chris Evans as a repulsively slimy bad guy. If you ever had any doubt that Evans is sick of playing Captain America, just watch this film.
Watched another on my Christmas Movie List, this time it was A Muppet Family Christmas, a classic that needs no introduction. It’s not streaming anywhere officially, so I just saw it on YouTube where I found an upscaled high def version. Twas good.
My favorite is Mona on the stand, explaining how the "two yutes’ " car couldn’t have left the tire tracks found at the crime scene, especially when Vinny says “Is that it?” and she replies, “No, there’s moah.” If you can watch that scene and not fall a little bit on love with Marisa Tomei, then yes, you are indeed aroace.
I thought that was some weird typo. TIL.
The Seventh Victim 1943. Kim Hunter’s first movie role. Fairly lame Satanists* in Manhattan plot, but the Val Lewton (producer) touch is obvious in a sequence showing a woman being menaced by a killer through late night (very early morning?) Greenwich Village streets. Great chiaroscuro photography.
I did like the ending scene, with Mimi (the consumptive?..wondered if that was a reference to La Boheme) leaving her apartment for the first time in the film to go dancing, and the subtle-ish sound effect from the locked room.
*The Satanists were called Pilate-ists for some reason. I know Pilates has been around since WWI, but I was surprised to hear that term used.
My latest five:
Onada
A recent historical drama about one of the last Japanese soldiers to surrender after WWII, an officer who held out in the wilds of a Filipino island until 1974. Overlong but well-acted and mostly interesting.
The Game
Terrific, well-crafted mindfuck thriller, directed by David Fincher. Michael Douglas plays an investment tycoon who gets a birthday present like no other from his wastrel younger brother. I’d seen it when it first came out in 1997; it still holds up very well indeed despite some plot holes.
Street Gang
Heartwarming documentary about the creation and early production of Sesame Street, with interviews with many of the cast and crew and some interesting behind-the-scenes stories.
A Muppet Christmas Carol
A fun little musical adaptation. Michael Caine plays it absolutely straight as Ebenezer Scrooge, even surrounded by a cast of Muppets including Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Mrs. Cratchit and Gonzo as… wait for it… Charles Dickens.
We’re No Angels
A 1955 comedy with Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray as three escaped convicts from Devil’s Island trying to hide out with, and eventually help, a local shop-owner, his wife and their daughter. Slow getting started, it eventually picks up steam and ends up pretty funny if you don’t mind two murders along the way.
Yes, this is one I’ve enjoyed even though I didn’t think I would by the description.
Ghosthouse. Don’t watch it without Rifftrax or similar company. Terrible and worth mocking! Also caught The Kennel Murder Case. Pretty decent Philo Vance film.
The Banshees of Inisherin on HBO Max. With a little time and research I think I could eventually untangle the tortured allegory but it plays just fine as good old fashioned tragedy. Fine performances and clever absurdism, but my takeaway was just an unpleasant sadness.
I was disappointed and Martin McDonagh is one of my favorite writer-directors. In Bruges is probably in my top 10 movies of all time, that is how impressive I found it. Seven Psychopaths is amazing and Three Billboards was great in its own way as well.
Banshees was only good, but not great. A Martin McDonagh movie is, at this point, something I look forward to more than a year before it is released and with this one featuring the same pair as In Bruges, I probably hyped it up too much first.
Yeah, it was nice. Both Gleeson and Farrell did a great job.
I know Martin McDonagh is a playwright and this probably is more like a play than a movie.
:shrugs:
A Christmas Carol, with George C. Scott as Scrooge. One of my favorites.