Comedy film

A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through the amusement.[1] Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the oldest genres in the film—and derived from the classical comedy in theatre. Some of the earliest silent films were comedies, as slapstick comedy often relies on visual depictions, without requiring sound. To provide drama and excitement to movies, live music was played in sync with the action on the screen, by pianos, organs, and other instruments.[2] When sound films became more prevalent during the 1920s, comedy films grew in popularity, as laughter could result from burlesque situations but now also dialogue.

Comedy, compared with other film genres, places more focus on individual stars, with many former stand-up comics transitioning to the film industry due to their popularity.[3]

In The Screenwriters Taxonomy (2017), Eric R. Williams contends that film genres are fundamentally based upon a film's atmosphere, character, and story, and therefore the labels "drama" and "comedy" are too broad to be considered a genre.[4] Instead, his comedy taxonomy argues that comedy is a type of film that contains at least a dozen different sub-types.[5] Comedy is a genre of entertainment that is designed to make audiences laugh. It can take many forms, including stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, sitcoms, and comedic films. Comedy often uses humor and satire to comment on social and political issues, as well as everyday life. Many comedians use observational humor, in which they draw on their own experiences and the world around them to create comedic material. Physical comedy, which uses gestures, facial expressions and body language to create humour, is also a popular form of comedy. The genre of comedy is known for its ability to make people laugh, but also make them think, and it can be a reflection of society and its issues.