EntertainmentMoviesComedy MoviesIs it just me, or was the silent era the best for comedy?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentMoviesComedy MoviesIs it just me, or was the silent era the best for comedy?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Lordprice/Alamy)
Think of silent cinema and chances are a number of images will come to mind. Count Orlok’s shadow on the stairs in Nosferatu (1922), perhaps, or the cityscapes of Fritz Lang’sMetropolis(1927). But sooner or later you’ll likely imagine a scene from one of the era’s many comedies.
Given that silent films rely on visual storytelling and the odd intertitle, it makes sense that comedy was so central to cinema’s creation. Clowns and mimes knew the power of a good sight gag, so it was only natural that such traditional forms of performance translated to the screen, with iconic results.
Take Safety Last! (1923), for example. Though more than 100 years old, it has lost none of its power to elicit guffaws and gasps in equal measure. Perhaps most famous for the finale – which sees Harold Lloyd scale a department store building and dangle from a giant clockface – the film has become a kind of shorthand for the madcap stunts and physical comedy that defined the genre.
Speaking of physicality, who can forget Buster Keaton? In an age of weightless CGI, the sight of him balancing on the front of a careering steam engine inThe General(1926) still wows, as does the spectacular train wreck scene in the film’s climax.
Sure, laughs can be found in clever wordplay or more modern affectations such as gross-out gags, awkward cringe-com and taboo-breaking shock. But with its endless invention, silent comedy will always reign supreme. Or is it just me?
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”