emilyb

Buster Keaton was truly a pioneer in not just slapstick but in the history of films. The stunts he did are incredible and the fact that he doesn't flinch, or hesitate shows how dedicated and professional he was in order to create movie perfection.

It is amazing to see how Chaplin evolved his comedy in just three short years. It grew from just a simple slip on the ground to this complex detailed story with full physical humor. Chaplin had these great ideas and they are choreographed perfectly so that all the elements in slapstick are orchestrated from timing to his reactions. I really enjoyed the video lecture!

I agree with the definitions used. It's almost like a check-list that all slapstick comedies use as common guidelines to follow. I feel like these definitions definitely apply to the origins of slapstick when everything is exaggerated and physical because in a silent film body language was their only tool, but in a modern slapstick it seems to be somewhat subtle because they have the use of dialogue. Just watching Chaplin a pioneer of slapstick and then a modern physical comedian like Chris Farley, from different eras but both used all the slapstick definitions.

This may have already been mentioned, but what I notice with the origins of Slapstick comedy is the physicality and how it plays a major factor. What you clearly see in "L'arroseur Arrose" is how the whole body plays an important role in slapstick comedy and continues to do so to this day. This film has served as a major template because physical comedy seems to be at the root of Slapstick like 'The Three Stooges', Chaplin films, and even in the more modern films (Mel Brooks films as examples).