Explore similarities between noir-slapstick

[ElleRoushan]

I've noticed some similarities between film noir & slapstick that previously I'd never seen. Primarily they involve subversion: class, age, social norms, morality, violence, exaggeration,& others. I'd love to learn how others may think about this, to me, previously non-considered similarities.

[ln040150]

I think creative people are always, consciously or otherwise, trying to subvert social norms, so it is inevitable that we will see these similarities between all genres, ultimately.

[JamesJazGuitar]

I've noticed some similarities between film noir & slapstick that previously I'd never seen. Primarily they involve subversion: class, age, social norms, morality, violence, exaggeration,& others. I'd love to learn how others may think about this, to me, previously non-considered similarities.

 

The documentary on the 3 Stooges that Decades has been showing explained that the early shorts were working class films about the working man getting stiffed by the upper class and how they would even the score.

 

We see a similar theme in noirs where a small time hood goes up against the larger, more powerful mob in an effort to get what he feels is his due.

[ElleRoushan]

The Dog's Life daily Tuesday) doozy seems to contain elements of the mirror gag, I.e., a have vs a have-not, similarly dressed, but the have, plumper & in possession of the capital (food & its means of production---if in a small way ). But there's a see saw effect, the have-not, lacking resources relies on his wits. The police seems to be the protector of property, and the subversive element: the property owner is wacked by the representative of law & order. (hahaha). As a dog lover, I appreciated that the canine pal introduced the tramp to the proper approach in the first place.

[Marianne]

In the interviews with Dr. Wes Gehring in the Week 3 syllabus for Dr. Edwards's course, Dr. Gehring mentions Buster Keaton's humor has having noir overtones. Keaton's stone-faced character likes to keep his cards close to the chest because the world is a dark unruly place.

 

I think this feature about Keaton's humor is readily apparent in two of Keaton's shorts: Convict 13 and Day Dreams. Both are very funny, but the humor is very dark. Convict 13 literally includes gallows humor!