Is the Romantic Comedy Dead or just in a Coma?

Started by SGOS, February 14, 2017, 09:43:26 AM

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SGOS

I got wondering about this and ended up posing a question to Google.  15 years ago, they almost dominated the theaters.  At one time, I would have seriously said the romantic comedy was my favorite genre.  I could watch the best ones over and over again (still do), fully knowing the ending (which was always the same ending, but no matter).  But I've noticed they rarely show up at the box office now, and when they do, they don't even strike me as all that good, and I was wondering why. 

Here is a long article, and I admit I skimmed and skipped much of it, but it does offer some insight as to what happened to romantic comedies.  It also corrects some of my own misconceptions about movie goer demographics, and verifies some of my suspicions, one being that the studios took a good thing, and tried to take it on a different track, perhaps realizing the formula, though successful, was formed from very narrow parameters.  In addition, competition from Marvel and DC superhero bock busters don't account for the lack of current interest either.  There is always interest in a good movie.  But someone has to make the movies good enough to get people to the theater.

THE LIST OF SUSPECTS

Teenagers?  Nope, they just don't buy that many movie tickets.
Men?  According to the article, nope, although I didn't understand the reasoning on this one.
Bad scripts?  Yeah, probably a real factor.  But not the writers fault; Studios lost their focus.
Stars?  Nope, the talent is still there.  It just doesn't want to be associated with box office poison.
Superheroes?  Kind of.  But driven by an odd financial twist; Romantic comedy doesn't launch lucrative franchises.

Sorginak

All movie genres, from my perspective, are not as good as they used to be. 

SGOS

Quote from: Sorginak on February 14, 2017, 09:48:29 AM
All movie genres, from my perspective, are not as good as they used to be. 

I would agree, except for the Marvel block busters, perhaps because of improvements in special effects, or perhaps they've refined the formula.

I remember back in the 50s, when 9 out of 10 shows on TV was a Western, and Roy Rogers even made it to the big screen.  They seem to be coming back some now.  But let's face it, those old westerns were often kind of hokey, and the new ones seem somewhat half hearted. 

Then came an era of cop shows.

Then came the doctor shows.

Then the "jiggle sitcoms" of the 70s, when the networks agreed to work on producing the cheapest shows possible that could still collect advertising revenue.

A lot of comedy used to make me laugh until I couldn't breath.  Now I find myself unemotionally rating the gags for creativity, because they usually elicit no more than a small chuckle.

Mr.Obvious

#3
Never been a fan of romcom, tbh. I don't miss 'em.
Though if the overabundance of animated movies Like The secret lives of pets and cars and 'darker fairytales' Like snowwhite and the Huntsman and Jack and the beanstalk are what fills The void; for the love of god, bring 'em back!
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Baruch

Quote from: Mr.Obvious on February 14, 2017, 11:21:18 AM
Never been a fan of romcom, tbh. I don't miss 'em.
Though if the overabundance of animated movies Like The secret lives of pets and cars and 'darker fairytales' Like snowwhite and the Huntsman and Jack and the beanstalk are what fills The void; for the love of god, bring 'em back!

The audiences are fickle ...
Have a fried pickle ;-)
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Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
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Don't do that.

AllPurposeAtheist

#5
It's one of the reasons I still like older black and white movies from the early 60s and back.  I still watch a fair amount of Netflix junk and some Amazon prime along with some of the independent stuff from outlets such as MUBI, but the romantic comedy genre was very limiting. You almost always know the outcome so there is little to no suspense. I could only take so much of Meg Ryan before I began to wish she would jump off the Empire State building.
I love old spy thrillers and the like even if I rarely believe the story lines.
As for comedy give me Joe E Brown and Will Hay any day over the geeks passed off as funny these days..
Joe E Brown in Earthworm Tractors.. Alexander Botts, a natural born salesman..
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Hydra009

#6
Quote from: SGOS on February 14, 2017, 10:18:07 AMA lot of comedy used to make me laugh until I couldn't breath.  Now I find myself unemotionally rating the gags for creativity, because they usually elicit no more than a small chuckle.
I dunno, I think comedy might've just migrated to different genres.  I found Deadpool and Kickass to be hilarious.  Pirates of the Caribbean had some funny moments, too.  Meanwhile, I find most of the films billed as comedies to be aggressively unfunny.  Case in point, virtually everything with Adam Sandler.  If I were locked in a theater playing Jack and Jill, I would find a way to cut off my own head with an armrest.

But to answer the OP:  I've never been a fan of rom-coms (unless Princess Bride counts), so I couldn't say if the genre's dying or not.

SGOS

#7
Quote from: Hydra009 on February 14, 2017, 11:04:31 PM
I dunno, I think comedy might've just migrated to different genres.  I found Deadpool and Kickass to be hilarious.  Pirates of the Caribbean had some funny moments, too.  Meanwhile, I find most of the films billed as comedies to be aggressively unfunny.

Kickass is a stand alone example of why I have to reconsider my previous comment.  While it has enormously funny parts, I'd want to designate its genre like outrageous, but not quite comedy.  Whatever genre that movie is, it might be the only movie in that category.  It's one of a kind, and I had no idea what to expect the first time.  I had seen no trailers, had heard no one talk about it, and for all I knew, it might have been another Kung Fu thing with subtitles.  It might be the one example that best describes the sensation of being metaphorically "blown away" by a movie.  A week after I had seen it at home, I was visiting a married couple on the other side of the country, and we were looking at pay per view choices, trying to decide on a movie.

Now the couple are a pretty classy pair, borderline dignified in many respects, and when Kickass showed up on the menu, I let out a yelp, "You guys have got to see Kickass!"  Well, it was kind of an outburst on my part, and they looked at me like maybe I was nuts, but I insisted, "No, you guys have to see this.  I've already seen it, but you have to see it right now.  I'm up for watching it again."  Here I was; A guest in someone's home absolutely taking charge of their television and the entertainment.  "Don't even bother looking at the rest of the menu," I said.  "We're going to watch this.  I'm settling the discussion right now."

They liked it.  How can you not like it?  It's an amazing piece of work, and I doubt I'll ever seen another movie that has that affect on me again.

Cavebear

Quote from: Sorginak on February 14, 2017, 09:48:29 AM
All movie genres, from my perspective, are not as good as they used to be.

Movie and TV genres change.  When I was young, there were are Westerns.  Then detective shows.  Now fake reality shows.  I never cared for most of them.  OK, I had a Paladin hat once...

All I watch are science and nature and history DVDs these days.  Go ahead, ask about anything of those, LOL!
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