8 Comedic Situations

As you probably know, Mun Mun is a master at comedy writing and has had many plays produced by the Bustown Kids and the Stuffed Animal Players of Holmby Avenue. You've probably wondered, "How can I write the next breakout comedy of the season?" Mun Mun has a trick for you. Just pick one theme from this list that hasn't been done in a while. Everyone will have forgotten about that type of comedy and it will seem fresh all of a sudden.

Each type of comedy is followed by feature film examples. You may argue that 6 and 7 can be conflated. My answer to that is "Fuck you! You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Persuasive, huh?

COMEDY TYPES

1. FISH OUT OF WATER (Conflict comes out of character confronting new world)

Private Benjamin
Moscow on the Hudson
Crocodile Dundee
Sleeper
Bananas
Beverly Hills Cop
Local Hero
Austin Powers(1)
Back to the Future
Zelig
Ace Ventura (?)
Trading Places
Men In Black
Sister Act
Shanghai Noon
Beetlejuice
Cats and Dogs
School of Rock
Elf

2. THE DOUBLE LIFE (Conflict comes out of character hiding something)

Tootsie
Dave
12th Night
Mrs. Doubtfire
Big
Housesitter
Houseguest
Liar Liar
Paper Moon
Some Like it Hot
Camp Nowhere
Being John Malkovich
The Birdcage
The Truth About Cats and Dogs(?) (I never actually saw this movie)
My Best Friend's Wedding
City Lights
Deuce Bigelow
The Nutty Professor
Maid in America

3. THE OBSESSIVE QUEST (Conflict comes out of character going to outrageous lengths to get one thing they want)

Pee Wee's Big Adventure
The Blues Brothers
Something About Mary
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Groundhog Day
A Christmas Story
Saving Silverman
Ed Wood
Young Frankenstein
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Hannah and Her Sisters (?)

4. FOOLS/INNOCENTS IN CHARGE OR IN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION (Conflict comes out of character's naively gaining or wielding power)

Being There
The Jerk
Clueless
The Producers
This Is Spinal Tap
Home Alone
Ishtar
Foul Play
The Pink Panther
The Man Who Knew Too Little
Strange Brew
Buster Keaton shorts (most)
Who Am I?
Airplane
Duck Soup (?)
Bruce Almighty

5. LOSERS VS. THE NORM (Conflict comes out of characters' seemingly hopeless attempts to win while being true to themselves)

The Bad News Bears
Meatballs
Caddyshack
Coconuts(?)
Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion
Animal House
MASH
Revenge of the Nerds
Stripes
Ghostbusters
Muriel's Wedding
The First Wives Club

6. THE ODD COUPLE (Conflict comes out of opposites joining forces)

The Odd Couple
Harold & Maude
Rush Hour
Silver Streak
Romancing The Stone
Toy Story
Analyze This
Broadway Danny Rose
French Kiss
Green Card
Bulletproof
Say Anything
Jade Scorpion
Scared Straight (and other Martin & Lewis movies)
Midnight Run

7. ROMANTIC COMEDY (Conflict comes out of two characters' denying their need of each another. Yeah, I know - the odd couple is possibly just a subset of this one, so I need to rename it)

Bull Durham
His Girl Friday
The Goodbye Girl
Irreconcilable Differences
Annie Hall
Four Weddings and a Funeral
When Harry Met Sally
Look Who's Talking(?)

8. COMING OF AGE (Conflict comes when character's past role in life no longer fits changing self)

The Graduate
Little Darlings
Breaking Away
Diner
The Breakfast Club
Sixteen Candles
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Postcards from the Edge

I'm not sure where a satire, such as Brain Candy, fits. I didn't really like Brain Candy, so I don't feel like watching it again to figure it out.

Mun Mun suggests you write an “Obsessive Quest” comedy. Just make sure the main character wants something weird, like a fancy bicycle or a BB Gun. Of course many movies combine types, but I'd say usually there is one central conflict in a comedy that works. I think, for example, the main story of Hannah and Her Sisters is an obsessive quest (the Michael Caine and Barbara Hershey storyline), but the subplot with Woody Allen and Dianne Wiest is an Odd Couple.

Does this qualify as a "paradigm"? Maybe it is a scheme. Gotta go. Milo wants treats.