Expert: Barbara L. Baker - 12/6/2004

Question
Dear Professor Baker
I am currently writing an article about black humor/political satire in 1960s american cinema. Among my case studies are such films as MASH, Lolita, Strangelove, The Producers, Bonnie and Clyde and Alice's Restaurant, but I would also like to probe some lesser known/overlooked/underrated works in that same genre. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance   Best Regards Jonas  

Answer
Dear Jonas:

You have an interesting list of films. It is interesting to me how the idea of black comedy has changed over the years--although the genre has been around since at least the 1930s, it has mutated to include films that were never meant to be black comedies, but, like Shakespeare's tragedies, had comic moments in them. I will say I'm pretty open to what can be counted a comedy, but in my classes I do try to distinguish between dramatic films with lots of comedy and comic films with lots of drama/horror/thrills, etc. I say this because when it was released, Bonnie & Clyde was NOT considered a comedy by most critics and viewers (I certainly didn't see it that way).  It does have ample comic moments, so given today's criteria, where Fargo is also considered a comedy (mostly because the Coens insist it is), I guess a case can be made for it.

Having said all that, I tried to be somewhat open in my listing of what might be black humor/political satire of the time period.  My list definitely includes some lesser known and underrated choices (a few are pretty cheesy but I've included them, too).  Keep in mind this isn't exhaustive, but what I know about (I've asteriked those I really like).

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies (1963)--the uncut version, if you can find it.  A horror comedy with Roman Polansky.

The Loved Ones (1965)--black comedy about funerals.

*The President's Analyst (1967)--great political satire, with elements of black comedy. James Coburn stars.

O Dad, Poor Dad (Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad) (1967)--black comedy about a family vacation with corpses, starring Rosalind Russell.

Greetings (1968)--black comedy/satire on the movie-making business, like the Monkees on acid, as one reviewer put it.

Wild in the Streets (1968)--political satire & black comedy.

*The Magic Christian (1969)--satire & black comedy; although set in the UK with British actors (Peter Sellers, etc.), it is from an American novel by Terry Southern.

If you are willing to go into the early 1970s, you'd find even more good selections:

Catch-22 (1970)--the counterpart to M.A.S.H. but blacker

Where's Poppa (1970)--crude black humor with George Segal & Ruth Gordon.

Gas-s-s-s, or It May Become Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It (1970)--Roger Corman's take on apocalypse (chopped to hell by the studio, much like the Polansky film above)

Brewster McCloud (1970)--Robert Altman's black comedy with Sally Kellerman & Bud Cort.

*The Hospital (1971)--satire/black comedy about hospitals, with George C. Scott

*Harold & Maude (1971)--cult black comedy/romance, with Ruth Gordon & Bud Cort (my all time fave)

Hope this list helps you out.