Books like Popular film and television comedy by Stephen Neale


Stephen Neale and Frank Krutnik examine the wide range of comedic forms—feature-length narratives, sketches, sitcoms, variety shows, slapstick, and romance—by linking them to core conventions such as happy endings, gags, and laughter. The authors argue that every comic form involves a deviation from aesthetic and cultural norms, illustrating this with examples ranging from Keaton, Lloyd, and Chaplin’s slapstick classics to Hollywood screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, Monty Python, and contemporary television series like *Blackadder* and *Blind Date*. They also explore the relationship between comedy and institutional contexts, including radio and television programming, and discuss how comedic works subvert expectations to create humor.
First publish date: 1990
Genre: Arts & Culture/Art History
Authors: Stephen Neale
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Popular film and television comedy by Stephen Neale

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