Writing the Comedy Movie

Marc Blake is the author of several books on comedy and comedy/sitcom writing. A stand-up comedian and comic novelist, he has had his own BBC radio series and has written for many famous comics and for numerous TV comedy shows.

• Introduction - Why Laugh?1. It’s all Greek to me: Comedy History from Aristophanes to Juvenal Establishing the Basic Tropes and Forms2. Swiftian Satire and Shakespearean clowns: How the Elizabethans Attacked the Great and the Good with Parody and Lampoon3. Wildean Wit: How Comedy Plays Became the Basis for the Comedy Movie 4. Silent Slapstick: How Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd Exploited Visual Comedy 5. Dumb and Dumber: How Laurel and Hardy Created the Perfect Double Act Template6. It Happened one Night: How Zingy Screwball Comedy led to the Rom Com7. Sullivan’s Travels to Team America: Social Satire from the 1940s to the Present Day8. Auteurs from Woody Allen to Sasha Baron-Cohen: One Man, One Vision 9. Here come the Girls: Women in Comedy from Kooky Girl to Leading Actress10. The Subgenres: Fish out of Water and the Coming of Age Comedy11. Road and Buddy Movies, Frat Boy Frolics and Gross Out12. Sports, Military and Ensemble Comedy13. Farce and Black Comedy14. Crime, Caper and Heist15. Satire, Parody and MockumentaryAppendices- Interviews with Directors, writers and Producers- Writing ExercisesFilmographyBibliographyIndex

A solid source of information that combines practical comedy tips in an academic context. The writing style is engaging and oftentimes funny, providing expert analyses with a variety of classic comedy examples taken from the last hundred years ... Provides valuable insight into the comedy industry for those interested in learning about the craft, or perhaps rediscovering their passion for it.