(I know I missed the chance to get this in as a new Oscar category - maybe next year)
It seems that there's a growing trend in comedy movies.
First, a zany, offbeat movie comes out and everyone (except you) goes to see it.
Then for the next several months all you hear are the catch phrases from the movie.
Finally, when it's on DVD, pay-per-view or HBO, you finally sit down and watch it - and it really seems to disappoint.
But then it happens...
...you find yourself quoting the movie now, too.
And over time it seems funnier and funnier.
I've had enough conversations to know I'm not alone in this, but I want to know what you, the great unwashed (and even a few of the lightly rinsed) feel about it:
Has it happened to you?
What movies come to mind?
Which movie was either
(1) the first to demonstrate it or
(2) demonstrates the "it'll be funnier later" phenomenon better than any others?
Shall it be known as...
..."The Fargo Effect?"
..."The Python Effect?"
..."The Napoleon (Dynamite) Effect?"
Anyway, weigh in. Give examples, discuss the abstractions of the whole thing, or just throw in the name of the movies that you think fit. Leave them as comments here, over at the facebook fan page, or - if you're really secretive - e-mail me.
I'll post a survey with the front runners to see which film gets the great honor.
UPDATE: Current films under consideration...Get your nominations in now - first round voting starts soon!
- Fargo
- Napoleon Dynamite
- Step Brothers
Couple things going on here:
ReplyDelete1) Your expectations are probably artificially heightened because everyone is quoting it
2) Watching it by yourself isn't as much fun
3) Sharing the catchphrases with others is that bonding experience that makes comedy better
I'm not sure it could be called zany or offbeat, but this was definitely the case with Jerry Maguire for me. I didn't see it for years but heard both "you had me at hello" and "show me the money" repetitively. When I finally saw it, it was the dumbest movie. But now I feel like enough of the "in crowd" to spout those phrases myself - and forget the movie was so lame.
ReplyDeleteOK, I'll give it a try.
ReplyDelete"GOOD MORNING, VIET NAM!" Robin Williams, in the movie with the same name.
Course, for some reason, it doesn't seem to get them laughing, anymore.
Every once and a while I try "GUAM!?" but that doesn't fly, either.
Now, on Funny Bones (Jerry Lewis, Oliver Platt, Lee Evans, and Leslie Caron)(Geez! Really!? A movie with all those people in it? The same movie?)(yes, and more! Ian McNiece, Oliver Reed, Richard Griffiths...wait! wait!...get to the funny line that I do from the movie....)
"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm gulp, burp. MMMMmmmmmmm"
(Lee Evans doing an impression of eating a fly.