Book

Specters of slapstick & silent film comediennes

Hennefeld, Maggie, 1984- author

Overview

\"In Specters of Slapstick, Hennefeld focuses on silent film comediennes and the function of the female body in early slapstick. Laughter is a kind of grating against the absurdity of society, argues Hennefeld. But while male bodies in slapstick tried to violently fight or \"escape\" their surroundings--slipping on a banana peel and falling, for example--female bodies exhibited a fluidity that reflected an attempt to morph into their changing surroundings. In one slapstick film, a maid humorously cuts off her limbs in order to finish all her household chores in time. In others, women transform into fairies or spiders; all underscore an attempt to assimilate their bodies to the demands of changing environments. This eradicates the traditional opposition between performer and audience, making the \"laughing spectator\" a more active part of the film experience. As Hennefeld analyzes early slapstick film historiography in light of this theory, she examines larger themes like the evolution of gender, the body, and their place in cinematic comedy\"-- Provided by publisher.

• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Subject: Comedy films History and criticism. / Silent films History and criticism. / Women comedians. / Women in motion pictures. / Human body in motion pictures. / Sex role in motion pictures.
• ISBN: 9780231179461, 9780231179478, 9780231547062

Item info:

1 item available

1 item total in all locations

Holdings :

Call Number	Copies	Material	Location
PN1995.9.C55 H46 2018	1	BOOK	GENERAL