Crosstalk: Is Improvisation Ruining Film Comedy?

York99 · Post by **York99** » June 9th, 2007, 11:14 am

sara_anm8r wrote:
arthursimone wrote:I like the shout-out to Joe vs the Volcano as an example of the power of the singular writer... Shanley's one of my favorites
i LOVE this movie, but no one I know has ever admitted to loving it as well. High five simone!!

I have often called JVTV the second most misunderstood movie of all time.

arthursimone · Post by **arthursimone** » June 9th, 2007, 12:15 pm

We should have a Joe vs the Volcano viewing party
actually... sunday movie night when it happens again!!

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » June 9th, 2007, 12:17 pm

I haven't seen it since it was in the theater. Yes, we must view this en masse.

acrouch · Post by **acrouch** » June 9th, 2007, 1:23 pm

I love that movie as well.

York99 · Post by **York99** » June 10th, 2007, 5:30 pm

I do have to say that I love Abe Vigoda as much as the next guy, but the orange soda thing always seemed really stupid to me. The rest of the movie: gold.

ratliff · Post by **ratliff** » June 11th, 2007, 12:49 am

"That outfit's wearing you, Felix."

I think one problem with the improv/not improv debate is that improvisers use the word "improv" to refer to a very specialized form of theater in which certain principles are observed, whereas the average person defines "improvisation" as anything that's not prescripted or preplanned. I would have to go with the average person on this one, and by the broader definition even ad-libs would have to be considered improvisation. Obviously, there's a distinction to be made between completely improvised work, work in which the beats are sketched out beforehand, and work which is scripted but with improvised additions. But I think only improvisers, actors, writers, or filmmakers would be interested in such a distinction.