The Madcap Redemption Comedy
Egon, my hero…I know the kind of movies I’ve done, and I know the kind of movies I’ve been doing, but when people have asked me the kind of movies I want to do, I’ve always had a hard time putting the genre into words.
I’ve called it “smart stupid movies” or “comedies about something” or “thematic idiocy”. None of those phrases comes close, however, to the accuracy of a line I read in an interview with the most excellent Harold Ramis.
He calls a movie like Groundhog Day a “madcap redemption comedy”.
Bingo.
Not all of his madcap redemption comedies are great. One is kind of bad, actually. One is good. Groundhog Day is absolutely brilliant. Frankly, I’d happily put my name to a thousand bombs if only to be associated with one Groundhog Day (Ramis shares screenplay credit with Danny Rubin).
What I love about the phrase “madcap redemption” is that it shines a light on why I love comedy so much. While I love a good spoof movie (duh), comedies that allow us to laugh at the tragedy of our own existence…and then give us hope that idiots like us can win…well, that’s my kind of story.
It’s nice that William Wallace can paint his face blue and white, kill a field full of Englishmen and then get his guts ripped out and die for our sins, but there’s something more illuminating about Bill Murray learning that just because life is meaningless doesn’t mean we are, individually, without purpose.
Why? Because he’s not a superhuman. He’s an all-too-human. He’s us. The heroes of comedies are shlumps like me and you. That’s why I love Tootsie and The Ref and There’s Something About Mary more than I like, say, MASH or Being There or Dr. Strangelove.
Don’t get me wrong. I like those last three movies a whole lot. It’s just that I’ve always found good satire to be thought-provoking, good spoof and farce to (hopefully) be gut-busting, and good madcap redemption comedies to be just…wonderfully satisfying.
Granted, this is all personal preference. On the other hand, I’ve been lucky enough to work on some madcap redemption comedies in the past (all yet to be produced), and I’m working on one right now that is getting made (no, not Scary Movie 4…if you bug me about which one, I’ll tell you in the forum), so I hope this begins a trend.
More to the point, I hope that Ramis’ definition actually catches on as a genre-definer. These kinds of comedies should be made more often.
Next up…a belated report on that WGA East/West compromise. Following that, a bunch of Q&A’s, and then hopefully another production-related article or two, as I’m now back in Vancouver.
During the world series, I ended up with a Ghostbusters DVD with Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman and some producer doing commentary. I ended up watching the entire hour and a half and missed a pretty good game.
I couldn’t turn Ramis and Reitman off.
I also think a lot of Blake Edward’s work, especially the early stuff (do know you THE PARTY? It inspired one of my works) carries a lot of what you’re talking about - they’re comedies, but there’s something more to them - I’m not sure if it’s about redemption for him, but there’s definitely a weight upon the work that’s a good load to lift, as opposed to a light weight confection.
And let’s not forget MEATBALLS, that film rocked.
Hands down Ramis is responsible for some of my greatest memories of comedy and how I perceive what is funny. There is such a brilliance to all of these:
Back to School Ghost Busters Stripes Caddyshack Meatballs Animal House
Look at that list, daunting huh? The were all made back to back from 1978-1986. I guess Second City was really on to something…
I really, really hope that “Madcap Redemption Comedies” as a defining term DOES NOT catch on. Probably due to the fact that it is totally and completely unnecessary.
Most comedies (the good ones anyway), all have elements of Madcap and Redemption. If they don’t, it’s probably not a very well structured comedy. This doesn’t include the “spoof” genre, of course. That’s a whole other ball of…cap.
From “Some Like It Hot” to “The 40 Year Old Virgin”, they’re all comedies where the protaganist must be redeemed in some way or another. Character arc, anyone?
Groundhog Day is not a Madcap Redemption Comedy. It’s a comedy. No more, no less. And I loved it too.
For some reason Groundhog Day was in this weird rerun cycle over here. Every time I saw it would be on, I decided not to watch it.
But then I did. At least three times. You can’t just not watch Groundhog Day.
Craig,
Do I detect a note of anti-intellectualism? Why are Dr. Strangelove and MASH reduced to “thought provoking” while Groundhog Day gets to be “wonderfully satisfying”? Why should more Groundhog Days be made instead of more MASHes? It can’t be boxoffice based. MASH did better.
I am a huge Ramis fan, but I can honestly say I found neither Strangelove nor MASH less satisfying than Groundhog Day or Ghostbusters.
Perhaps it is, as you say, ultimately just a matter of personal preference.
More importantly, I am very glad to hear you’re devoting your tremendous mind to working on this kind of comedy. I have a feeling your version of the genre will slice it in a way we have not yet seen. Can’t wait to see the results.
Hey Craig —
Congrats on “Creature Feature.” Saw on Done Deal that you’ll be producing. Sounds like a clever idea.
Just because it’s my personal battle cry, and also because not one of you has, I have to throw in a Madcap Girl Redemption comedy or two. Private Benjamin, Broadcast News, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Muriel’s Wedding. Thelma & Louise, of course, though that does some tonal flip-flopping and is actually available in the action section at Blockbuster. What’s most important is that she not get the guy in the end, lest he become the redeemer and we confuse ourselves with romantic comedy, a whole different ball of genre.—JGTH, “THINGS THEY WON’T TELL YOU IN FILM SCHOOL”
Does “Liar, Liar” count as a MRC? Or is it more of a slapstick morality tale?
Liar Liar is definitely a MRC.
Smart Stupid Movies is a great way to sum it up, actually. Though Madcap Redemption gives it a very elegant and layered label. As for differentiating between the Dr. Strangeloves and the Meatballs, I take your point, as there is a difference between intellectually satisfying - and physically satisfying - and nothing feels as great as a gut busting laughing fit in the middle of a smart stupid movie. They’re the movies I deeply enjoy. Like in Sullivan’s Travels, when the “director” finally has his eureka moment and sees the immense value of making comedies - they are gifts to the world. Groundhog Day is a movie I love, and have an odd history with, as I wrote a competing film for New Line at the same time called “12:01” about a man caught in a repeating day - and my project was canned right after I handed in my script to a fantastic response. Groundhog Day was already in pre-production and New Line didn’t want to go up against it. Then, oddly, four months later they called back and said hey - we’ll make it as a tv movie. My response was - “are you joking? I mean - great!” And so now it lives. Craig, I took a six week hiatus from my blog “screenwriterbones” to finish a new script and have returned from my cave ready to hand my script to my agents. I see I’ve been dropped from your links. I’m not dead, however, and would appreciate a re-appearance if you’re up for it. best, phil.
out of curiosity, has anyone asked you which madcap redemption comedy you worked on that IS being produced?