One of the immediate things I'm thinking of when watching the film, and thinking of slapstick in general, is what keeps it slapstick and not cruelty? I think part of that is in how we categorize the activity: I notice people in the forum are using words like mischief in reference to the boy rather than mean.
Although there is misfortune, we don't believe the person on the punchline part of the gag is really suffering, in the permanent, irreparable sense, making him part of the joke that we can all laugh at together. The sprinkler in the face made me think of Daffy Duck having Elmer's gun go off in his face: Daffy is hurt but not 'really' hurt so we laugh.
Towards this, the second film seems to bear this out better to me, with the spanking of the first one seeming to bring it more in line with seriousness; punishment as consequence; reality. While the first one keeps it in slapstick land throughout, with the "joke" continuing through the whole film.
Of course, the first one may depend on the audience and on how spanking is viewed. seems like I remember a great many katzjammer kid strips where the end panel was a spanking that presumably was supposed to be funny and still part of the 'joke'.
Discussion of the First Slapstick Film: "L'Arroseur Arrosé" (1896)
in OUCH! A Salute to Slapstick
Posted
One of the immediate things I'm thinking of when watching the film, and thinking of slapstick in general, is what keeps it slapstick and not cruelty? I think part of that is in how we categorize the activity: I notice people in the forum are using words like mischief in reference to the boy rather than mean.
Although there is misfortune, we don't believe the person on the punchline part of the gag is really suffering, in the permanent, irreparable sense, making him part of the joke that we can all laugh at together. The sprinkler in the face made me think of Daffy Duck having Elmer's gun go off in his face: Daffy is hurt but not 'really' hurt so we laugh.
Towards this, the second film seems to bear this out better to me, with the spanking of the first one seeming to bring it more in line with seriousness; punishment as consequence; reality. While the first one keeps it in slapstick land throughout, with the "joke" continuing through the whole film.
Of course, the first one may depend on the audience and on how spanking is viewed. seems like I remember a great many katzjammer kid strips where the end panel was a spanking that presumably was supposed to be funny and still part of the 'joke'.