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Thursday, August 2, 2007
Happy to oblige with my top 10 dark comedies
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
I recently enjoyed “You Kill Me.” It brought back memories of the black comedies that I enjoyed so much in the past, such as “The Ruling Class” and “The Loved One.” With a few notable exceptions, most of the comedies that are presented as black comedies seem to verge on the burlesque or gross-out.
Since I highly respect your encyclopedic knowledge, I wonder if you might list some of these genre movies that I might have missed for the past few years.
STEVEN ROSS, Atlanta
Dear Funny Guy,
I have great respect for dark comedies. Often, the darker, the better.
And, my friend Steven, while I have some understanding of your apparent distaste for the gross-out, I must say I simply cannot agree.
Not only are movies like “Reservoir Dogs” overtly violent, they are, in many moments, hysterical.
Not to mention there is the case of “An American Werewolf in London.”
My wife at the time was very much pregnant. I think the correct descriptive word was “overdo.” We went — as we so often did — to the movies, whereupon we began watching said “Werewolf.” Terrifically dark. Terrifically funny.
I recall some scene in which mass murderers stormed into a home and began gunning down a family, when the then Mrs. Smithee tapped me on the shoulder, leaned over and gently whispered, “We need to go now.”
By morning, the wee D.W. Smithee was born.
But, Steven, I pledge to try to refrain from mentioning the over-grotesque in my recommendations.
There were certainly magnificent dark comedies in the 1960s and 1970s — “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Graduate,” “Harold and Maude.” What follows is my top 10 list, in descending order, of some of the more recent dark comedies that I liked best.
10. “They Live!” (1988). Starring, believe it or not, wrestler Roddy Piper battling aliens dwelling among us. If, for some reason, you just can’t chance it, get the funny, giant-worm movie “Tremors” (1990) instead.
9. “Swimming With Sharks” (1994). Reveals Hollywood as the hell it is. If you think the revengeful torture in this movie is off-putting, then clearly you’ve never seen Asian horror movies.
8. “Happiness” (1998). Whoa.
7. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993). Best movie Tim Burton’s ever been involved with.
6. “Go” (1999). Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf and others on a strange all-nighter.
5. “Adaptation” (2002). Brilliant. If for no other reason, see it to realize that Chris Cooper is one of America’s best actors.
4. “American Beauty” (1999). Alan Ball’s nearly pitch-perfect satire of modern American family life.
3. “The Ref” (1994). I watch it at Christmas every year with my once-wee sons D.W. and Cecil B.
2. “Election” (1999). It’s this movie and not “Walk the Line” that should have nabbed Reese Witherspoon her Oscar.
1. “Fargo” (1996). OK, so it is violent. And a little gross. But next to “Some Like It Hot,” it’s the best comedy movie ever.
ALAN
P.S. You get “Hot Rod” undergarments and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
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What’s your favorite food movie?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Big Night,” the lesser known “Dinner Rush,” “Soul Food,” “Eat Drink Man Woman.”
Those are among my favorite food movies. I write about those and more in my special column in today’s Food and Drink section in the AJC. The reason: a new spate of food movies in theaters, including “Waitress,” “Ratatouille” and “No Reservations,” the latter an American version of the fine German food movie “Mostly Martha.”
So what is your favorite food movie? Do you salivate over “Babette’s Feast”? Have hunger pangs during “Tampopo”? Have a special gastronomic place in your heart for “Fried Green Tomatoes”?
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