The iconic comedy Edgar Wright calls “supernaturally funny”
English filmmaker Edgar Wright has been one of the most interesting voices in comedy for a while now. At a time when comedy movies were struggling to utilise the full potential of the cinematic medium by heavily relying on dialogue, Wright revitalised the genre by incorporating his hilarious visual language defined by a unique dynamism.
Evident in iconic projects such as the brilliant Cornetto trilogy and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Wright’s movies constantly refer back to the purely visual origins of cinematic comedy during the silent era. For the latest edition of the BFI Sight and Sound poll, the Last Night in Soho director listed his personal list of all-time favourites. While he described them as “perfect”, Wright also admitted that the selection is ever-changing and highly subjective.
Wright wrote: “Individual taste and any personal attachments are inherently subjective, so rather than wrestle with the ultimately incomparable merits of acknowledged classics, I found myself creating a list of films that were perfect in my eyes. The list could change tomorrow and feature a whole other ten films, but this is not any fickleness on my part. It’s more due to the whole galaxy of other classics out there to enjoy, as this 100-strong list will no doubt prove.”
In addition to paying tribute to one of his favourite horror comedies in film history – An American Werewolf in London, Wright also singled out a Coen brothers production as a highlight deserving of universal praise. Titled Raising Arizona, the 1987 gem stars Nicolas Cage as an ex-convict who gets married to a police officer. Following their chaotic life of misadventures and strange quests, it’s a movie packed with whimsical delight.
Wright explained: “Making comedy is hard. When a film is very funny, the word ‘effortless’ is often used. But this denies the fact that any great comedy is a Herculean task that requires screenwriting, performance, direction, composition, astute editing, and, frankly, every department of the crew to hit a bullseye on a moving target. That Raising Arizona also features exceptional action raises that difficulty level to ‘insanely ambitious’. Let’s please describe this, and any classic comedy, as ‘supernaturally funny’.”
Cited by many as one of the Coen brothers’ finest achievements, Raising Arizona had a significant impact on the contemporary landscape of comedy. While the celebrated filmmaking duo’s eccentric sense of humour was initially attacked by some critics, the movie’s reputation has only grown in the years that have followed.
Watch the trailer below.
