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What's with the French sense of humor?


Dmitry

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So French people are considered to have a peculiar sense of humor, which some might call primitive. I'm trying to recall even a handful of really good French comedies...nothing contemporary jumps to mind. Maybe some Moliere...but that ain't movies. Granted, I don't speak French, so maybe I am missing on some really clever French jokes.

 

 

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2 hours ago, alankin said:

They love Jerry Lewis.  Explain that.

Remember comedian Steve Landesberg's routine about Jerry and the French?: (bad French accent) Jerr-y Lewees. The man is a geniees! Remember that movie when he said 'Dean, uuuuuhh'? A geniees!

Or something like that.

I hope people don't go PC on me, or my French colleagues get offended. It's just a joke---and not mine at that.

Edited by fasstrack
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3 hours ago, Dmitry said:

So French people are considered to have a peculiar sense of humor, which some might call primitive. I'm trying to recall even a handful of really good French comedies...nothing contemporary jumps to mind. Maybe some Moliere...but that ain't movies. Granted, I don't speak French, so maybe I am missing on some really clever French jokes.

La Cage Aux Folles

The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie

Amélie

The Dinner Game

Delicatessen

The Visitors

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13 minutes ago, GA Russell said:

I remember my favorite time in a movie theatre.  It was the spring of '72.

We watched a double feature of two new French comedies:  The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe and The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob.

I spent three hours rolling in the aisle.  My date didn't laugh once.

I remember Rabbi Jacob. Hilarious. Saw it at the famed Kent Theater in Midwood, Brooklyn when it came out.

Edited by fasstrack
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How about Bertrand Blier's movies?  Get Out Your Handkerchiefs, etc.

The French have a wonderful sense of humor.  Their sensibility is very different than Americans, though.  Try comparing Pardon Mon Affaire to the Gene Wilder remake The Woman In Red.  The Wilder film seems club-footed compared to the original.

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2 hours ago, johnblitweiler said:

doesn't  Jacques Tati make you laugh?

I remember going to see "Mon Uncle" when it came out. My friend and I laughed at the first thing and didn't stop throughout. Saw it again recently -- still liked it, but it didn't make me laugh as much or in quite the same way. Perhaps it was that I could see this time a certain politique to it that bordered on smugness.

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15 hours ago, sonnymax said:

La Cage Aux Folles

The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie

Amélie

The Dinner Game

Delicatessen

The Visitors

Well, I'd say that The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie is a satire more than a comedy, although I suppose it can be both.

I have seen  dozens of French comedies in my lifetime, from the early years on..De Funes movies, Pierre Richard, some of them are funny for sure., others are poor.  Richard, in particular, seems to have been playing the same role for decades. Tati never made me crack a smile. Is he considered the French prototype to the English Mr.Bean? 

One can define the British humor, but what is the gist of what the French humor represents? Back to Jerry Lewis?

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/07/french-love-jerry-lewis-paris

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check out the films of Quentin Dupieux. the funniest french writer/director in recent years. i'd say that his movies are in the comedy / absurdist category.


Nonfilm (2001)  on

 Uploaded by the director. with english subtitles. 

 

Steak (2007)

Rubber (2010)

Wrong (2012) *

Wrong Cops (2013) *

Realite (2014) **

 

* english language

** mostly english language

 

 

Edited by l p
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On 22 January 2016 at 2:06 PM, Dmitry said:

I couldn't express it better than this - A strong theme of sarcasm and self-deprecation, often with deadpan delivery, runs throughout British humourhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_humour

 

No mention of expat British comedians Stan Laurel, Charlie Chaplin and Bob Hope, though.

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