There's a difference between "funny," where you laugh out loud, and "humorous," where you smile inside. Experimental film/video is almost always the latter. One consistent exception is George Kuchar. I would argue that the man who is the subject of his diaries is not only the funniest human being in the history of the moving image, but is among the funniest in the history of modern western culture.
Humor is of course pretty subjective. For me, "Associations" is the cleverest and most humorous of John Smith's work. Some other experimentalists who are humorous to greater or lesser degrees would include Will Hindle's later films, Martin Arnold, Martha Colburn, Joe Gibbons, Tony Oursler, the early Peter Greenaway, Ernest Gusella, Ant Farm's Media Burn, Miranda July, Arthur Lippsett, Guy Maddin, Andy Warhol, Mark Rappaport, -----Original Message----- From: David Tetzlaff Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 10:19 PM To: Experimental Film Discussion List Subject: Re: [Frameworks] humorous experimental films I'm all for droll humor, but I wouldn't call Wavelength a laugh riot. It's a long wait before Hollis shows up. I think there's a lot of humor in Frampton, especially Hapax Legomena 1-3 [(nostalgia), Critical Mass, Poetic Justice) but it's subtle, and tickles the back of your brain more than boinking your funnybone. Experimental films are rarely 'just' funny. Where you find humor it's often mixed in a very unstable balance with darkness. "How can I shave when I can't think of s reason for living?" Cracks me up every time. Cause I've already been through the angst straight, you know. For American films, some that come to mind: The Geography of the Body, (Willard Maas) which is the rare straightforward comedy. The End, (Christopher Maclaine) which is intermittently hilarious and apocalyptic. Flaming Creatures (Jack Smith) (it helps if you know it's a comedy going in) Hold Me While I'm Naked, Sins of the Fleshapoids and other early George and Mike Kuchar stuff. Oh Dem Watermelons (Robert Nelson) Blonde Cobra (Ken Jacobs) again funny parts amidst a darker vision overall Recreation (Robert Breer) New Improved Institutional Quality (George Landow aka Owen Land) other Breer, Nelson and Landow works also have their share of humor Then there are some experimental films that are more 'fun' than funny, such as Cosmic Ray by Bruce Conner, Roger Beebe's TB/TX Dance, Peace Mandala by Paul Sharits. good luck, (or good yuck) "Let there be rejoicing!" djt _______________________________________________ FrameWorks mailing list [email protected] https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2171 / Virus Database: 2425/5016 - Release Date: 05/22/12 _______________________________________________ FrameWorks mailing list [email protected] https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
