Comedy

  • Roberto Rossellini – La macchina ammazzacattivi (1952) (DVD)

    1951-1960ArthouseComedyFilm BlancItalyRoberto Rossellini

    Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader wrote:
    This rarely shown early film by Roberto Rossellini (1948), one of his few comedies, anticipates with remarkable prescience the conceits of Godard and others about photography in the 60s. A professional small-town photographer finds that he has the power to kill his subjects by taking their picture, turning them into statues of themselves. Rossellini left this project before it was finished, and it was edited and released a few years later without his approval–but it still comes across as a remarkably suggestive fable.Read More »

  • Lindsay Denniberg – Video Diary of a Lost Girl (2012)

    2011-2020ComedyFantasyLindsay DennibergUSA

    Synopsis
    A rock and roll horror fantasy where we meet the immortal Louise and her beloved Charlie. Unfortunately, due to Louise’s supernatural origins, every man she sleeps with must die! Charlie was Louise’s first love from the 1920’s, who she accidentally killed before realizing what she is: a descendant of Lilith, the mother of all demons! This race of women must feed on the souls of men once every full moon, or else they will menstruate to death. Now a hundred years later, Charlie returns reincarnated, and Louise must struggle with staying away from the love of her life, or risk losing him a second time! PMS has never been this deadly!
    (imdb)Read More »

  • Martin Sulík – Záhrada AKA The Garden (1995)

    1991-2000ArthouseComedyMartin SulíkSlovakia

    Jakub’s life arrived at a dead-end. He leaves his job, and gets into conflict with his father. The trouble just grows by his relation with a married woman. Breaking out, Jakub realizes the pleasures of the countryside in the old garden of his grandfather. He finds true love with an angel, and encounters various exciting moments of his new free life. Strange visitors arrive, and he wont get back to town anymore.Read More »

  • Muriel Box – The Truth About Women (1957)

    1951-1960ComedyDramaMuriel BoxUSA

    Plot ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
    In comfortable dotage, baronet Humphery Tavistock (Laurence Harvey) recalls a lifetime of romantic entanglements to his wide-eyed son-in-law. Tavistock has come to the conclusion that women are a riddle wrapped in a mystery surrounded by an enigma, and his reminiscences bear this out. Among the baronet’s many amours are a suffragette, a harem girl, the wife of a diplomat who “demands satisfaction”, an American heiress, a bohemian artist and an army nurse.Read More »

  • Costa-Gavras – La Petite Apocalypse AKA The Little Apocalypse (1993)

    Arthouse1991-2000ComedyCosta-GavrasFrance

    The Little Apocalypse is a 1993 French comedy film, an adaptation of Tadeusz Konwicki’s novel, directed by Costa-Gavras. It was entered into the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival. It follows the trials of a Pole who lives in France who wants his written work published. Unable to get anywhere, he starts to enlist help from others, resorting to some unusual extremes.

    Synopsis:
    An unknown Polish writer can’t publish his novels, so his ex-wife decides to help him and get some of the profit for herself. She finally finds a publisher, but there’s a strange single condition that could cost the writer his life.Read More »

  • Rudi Bach – Pantoffelhelden (1912)

    1911-1920ComedyGermanyRudi BachSilent

    Quote:
    After reading a pamphlet urging everyone to go to war, Werner falls into disagreement with his future father-in-law. A number of friends dress up as soldiers and give the father-in-law a letter in which he is summoned by the army. At his border post he is captured by ‘the enemy’.Read More »

  • John Carpenter – Dark Star (1974)

    1971-1980ComedyJohn CarpenterSci-FiUSA

    Quote:
    As the directorial debut of John Carpenter, Dark Star has achieved a degree of cult status over the years. It’s no masterpiece by any stretch and the acting, dialogue, and pace are a bit stale, but this spacey 1974 parody of Stanley Kubrick’s classics, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dr. Strangelove, is intriguing in that it features many of the elements that became staples of Carpenter films: a simple but effective score, anti-establishment sentiments, blue-collar characters, and a downbeat ending. Taking inspiration from 1958’s It! The Terror from Beyond Space, Carpenter began the film while attending USC in 1970 and later expanded it to feature length. He was assisted significantly by future screenwriter Dan O’Bannon (who later wrote the very similar Alien), whose multiple credits on the film include a starring role. One scene featuring O’Bannon’s character Pinback playing a game in which he stabs an ice pick between his fingers was later used by James Cameron in Aliens. O’Bannon’s most impressive contribution to the film, however, were his special effects, which are startling for a film with such a low budget.Read More »

  • Gabriel Aghion – Pédale douce (1996)

    1991-2000ComedyFranceGabriel Aghion

    The film discusses how to save a marriage when one is surrounded by heterosexual as well as homosexual people.

    Adrien is a successful businessman but gay. To help clinch a deal with an ultra-straight banker, Alexandre, Adrien persuades his close friend, Eva, who runs a gay bistro, to pose as his wife at a dinner party. Alexandre is intrigued by Eva and pursues her on her home ground, leading others – including his wife – to think he must be secretly gay. Adrien meanwhile becomes jealous of Alexandre’s interest in Eva and does his best to prevent their nascent affair.Read More »

  • Bob Chinn – Hard Soap, Hard Soap (1977)

    USA1971-1980Bob ChinnComedyErotica

    Two housewives feel strongly inclined to solve sexual problems of others. This comedy is a takeoff on the then-popular TV series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

    Starring: Laurien Dominique, Candida Royalle, Ken Scudder, Jon Martin, John Holmes, Joan Devlon, Blair Harris, Paul Thomas, Peter Johns, Carl Regal & Joey Silvera.Read More »

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