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Rant-Comic Book Character Style Directing of Actors/Films

71.117.229.79

What's with the popularity of films in which the actors come off a two dimensional characters, or as comedy parodies, in films that otherwise seem to be covering serious topics?

Kubrick used black comedy, and pulled it off perfectly in his films. Lean made fantastic epic films that we could take seriously, yet he could inject some humor without undermining the whole film...and indeed, it usually enhanced the film. The characters had depth and subtlety.

I've seen way too many new films that either asks us to take the film more seriously than it warrants, or the film is undermined by making the characters comical. The characters are all black and white...a throwback to films from decades ago.

It's like film making has taken a huge leap backwards. Is this a reflection on the viewing audience, the lack of skill and understanding of film makers, or both?

Some very poplular contemporary film makers are guilty of this. I won't name names, but I have the feeling most here know the directors. Last night my wife and I watched "Australia", which finally compelled me to write this rant.

Rod

Follow Ups:

You mustn't watch any Asian, European, or Scandinavian films. American "art" - tinear 21:16:20 10/18/09 (0)
films have entered a very repetitive, homogeneous period. I blame Sundance with its message and feel-good preferences. They wag the dog in this country as far as alt-filmmaking.
Answer - director Baz Luhrmann...(nt) - mkuller 11:30:56 10/18/09 (2)
(nt)
- RE: Answer - director Baz Luhrmann...(nt) - Rod H. 11:51:32 10/18/09 (1)
  Yep, he's taken this "style" to a new level, but I see it in varying degrees in the work of many other film makers.
  It's more exaggerated in Baz's films, which drove me to ask.
  Is there a name for this style, other than a few negative terms I could come up with?
  
  Edits: 10/18/09 10/18/09
  - Try "kitsch stereotype humor" for size? Maybe it's an Aussie thing... - mpathus 23:40:58 10/18/09 (0)
    ...? Naw, John Waters did this decades ago.
    
    I liked it in "Strictly Ballroom", because there it inhabited a comedy of stereotypes.
    
    In "Australia" it seemed over the top in places for sure, considering the film's overall "epic" ambitions. I guess Baz just couldn't restrain himself from wanting us to see silliness, so he manufactured some?

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