Movies - Your favorite Black Comedies

[The new erato]

Seeing Bad Santa every Xmas is kind of the only Christmas tradition I honor.

[Todd]

Seeing Bad Santa every Xmas is kind of the only Christmas tradition I honor.

John Ritter's finest work is in this film.

[George]

Seeing Bad Santa every Xmas is kind of the only Christmas tradition I honor.

One of my favorites, along with Fight Club, which has already been mentioned. 

[Scarpia]

One of my favorites, along with Fight Club, which has already been mentioned. 

Fight Club, a comedy?

[George]

Fight Club, a comedy?

That's correct.

[vandermolen]

Definitely Dr Strangelove and The Ladykillers (Ealing version - don't know the other one) also Fargo - but not sure it's a comedy!

[karlhenning]

Definitely Dr Strangelove and The Ladykillers (Ealing version - don't know the other one) also Fargo - but not sure it's a comedy!

I'm working with ya here!

[Sergeant Rock]

I see that you are still too much of a wuss to dare argue my tastes, which would force you to drop your asinine relativist facade. As expected.

I hope you appreciate my consistency    You're right. I'm never going to argue with you. Life's too short to indulge in such a monumental waste of time.

Sarge

[Scarpia]

I hope you appreciate my consistency    You're right. I'm never going to argue with you. Life's too short to indulge in such a monumental waste of time.

Sarge

See, genius, JdP. 

[Scarpia]

That's correct.

Well, if fight club is comedy, I have to change my answer.  My favotire black comedy is Gandhi.

[karlhenning]

My favorite black comedy would be Ghandi: Fight Club

[MN Dave]

Well, if fight club is comedy, I have to change my answer.  My favotire black comedy is Gandhi.

It's nearly as funny as the ending of Old Yeller.

[listener]

DEATH AT A FUNERAL     2007   British     directed by Frank Oz
WE'RE GOING TO EAT YOU   1980   HK      Tsui Hark
HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS    2001  Japan     Takashi Miike

BAD SANTA and the Ealing LADYKILLERS would be on my list had they not been already listed.

[Scarpia]

My favorite black comedy would be Ghandi: Fight Club

I thought that was a new video game for iPad.

[offbeat]

Heartbreakers was one of my favourite black comedys in particular Gene Hackmann playing a W C Fields type characteur who has an obsession with smoking - so funny 

[DavidRoss]

Shallow Grave

[DavidW]

Shallow Grave

Yes!!!

[jowcol]

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf -- it starts out with some comic aspects, but gets darker very quickly.  I love both the play and the movie.  Not sure if it would considered a comedy by a long shot-- but some parts are very funny.

I'd also echo Brazil-- what a great movie.

Also would agree that Strangelove has to be the definitive Black Comedy.

Black Comedy is not a weird a hybrid as one would think.  If you are familiar with Bergson's theory of laughter, there are some very dark currents involved-- in that we tend to remove the human-ness of what we laugh at.   


http://www.authorama.com/laughter-1.html

[karlhenning]

I'd also echo Brazil-- what a great movie.

You're a good man in a tight corner.

[Brian]

Another one that flew right over my head. 

Yeah, I liked the acting and cinematography in A Serious Man, not so much the ending. And I really didn't like Burn After Reading very much, aside from some witty lines and a brilliant performance by Brad Pitt.

I want to throw in a good word for Keeping Mum, a recent British comedy in which Maggie Smith answers the question, "What if Mary Poppins were a serial killer?" Yes! Also starring an intentionally dull Rowan Atkinson and a creepy, creepy Patrick Swayze.