Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Muriel's Wedding

I have just watched the film Muriel's Wedding on television (my first time
to see it in Italian) and am still flummoxed as to how it is that in every
video store I have ever visited in a variety of countries, this film is to
be found in the 'Comedy' section.
Whilst liking the film immensely, I find nothing vaguely comedic about it at
all. Is it just me?
Off my chest.
My thanks for allowing me a 'mini-bang' (totally non sexual in
connotation)
Abba rules of course, but that is another issue altogether.
--
I remain, as always, ecc., ecc.,
Bambi
dtb

 wrote in message 8m7er6$24i$4...@nslave2.tin.it...

Dear Bambi,
I'm afraid to say that also in the Internet Movie Database is classified as
Comedy/Romance, and also in the Mereghetti Movie Guide (something like
'commedia frizzante con laceranti buchi neri su conflitti familiari' if I
remember correctly, it was read to me yesterday evening, while commenting
the movie).
IMHO, in the crooked mind of critics, a movie is automatically a comedy, if
in one hour and a half, you can have a single good laugh.
Apart from this, and premising that I have not seen the movie in its
entirety (this means, believe it or not,  the beginning and the end
yesterday evening, bits of the central part one year ago on Tele+), it seems
to me that P.J. Hogan inserted on purpose some comedy gags in the movie
(e.g.
the final scene, when the heroines get on a taxi and  the insulted angry
friend snarls
"E sono bellissima" with an unmistakable comedy effect).
And I feel also that is almost impossible to permeate a movie with Abba
songs without obtaining a slight comedy bias.
On the other hand, the dramatic elements in the movie are not questionable.
In conclusion, I think that it would be pointless to blame your average
video store even in the case of a classification in the Cartoon section.
About more serious movie taxonomists, like Mereghetti, they give indeed a
more complex judgement, that can be easily reversed in " film drammatico su
conflitti familiari con improvvisi sprazzi di frizzante commedia",  without
shifting too much the classification itself.
IMHO, Mariel's Wedding :-) fits at least in the following categories:
Cult Movie
Movie causing a subtle and distant pain somewhere in the chest
Movie with Rachel Griffiths
Movie with Toni Collette (gee, you wouldn't recognize her in Velvet
Goldmine)
"Dedicato a tutti quelli che stanno scappando" movie
Movie containing refences to future Olympic Games (courtesy of Mereghetti).
Royally appreciated movies
Well, now I look at the pile of lines above and I think I have exaggerated a
little.
In sum, I find this movie vaguely comedic and I like immensely the bits that
I have seen.
In order to have a complete vision,  I will purchase the videocassette, if
only I'm able to find the right section in the video store:-)
Warmest regards
Giorgio

Movie containing refences to future Olympic Games (courtesy of Mereghetti).
Gee! I did get the taxi cab sporting the "Sydney 2000" flank line!
Anyway, it was my third time with it. How about a black comedy?
-- 
Isa
Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching
http://web.tiscalinet.it/alfabeto_auschwitz/

Buongiorgio wrote a lot about Muriel's Wedding which in the interest of
saving band width I have mostly cut.....
Dear Giorgio,
Firstly, I think I ought to apologise in that I sat down and posted my
message regarding Muriel's Wedding in a somewhat heated frame of mind. I
should have been clearer in stating that whilst overall I do not see the
film as a purely comedic one, there are without doubt moments of jocularity
within the film. I should not have written that I saw nothing comedic in it
at all, for it is untrue.
You are right overall of course, but I am still distressed that things - in
this case films - have to be defined and marketed in one, easy-to-grasp
package for a supposedly not very switched on public who otherwise would not
be able to grasp say for example, a two word classification.
Truly the first time I saw the film, I literally missed most of it
as I was so thrown off balance by my expectations. Everything had led me to
believe I was in for a comedy in the broad definition of the word which I
interpreted as meaning a barrel of laughs every minute that when the
lacerating scenes kept unfurling, I was in a complete tizzy.
When I re-rented the film a short while later, and knew what to expect, it
went much better at least as far as my being able to concentrate and enjoy
the overall experience.
You say:
    > And I feel also that is almost impossible to permeate a movie with
    > Abba  songs without obtaining a slight comedy bias.
and on this of course, we are in total agreement and I have to confess it
was initially, the sole reason I thought to view the cinematic work.
    > IMHO, Mariel's Wedding :-) fits at least in the following categories:
    > Cult Movie
Agreed and at this stage of the film's life, it has, as all cult movies
must, gathered to itself a fairly devoted following, myself included
    > Movie causing a subtle and distant pain somewhere in the chest
Also agreed and not forgetting , appunto, moments of pain as a result of
laughter (the scene where the two US marines burst out of the bedroom to
save Mariel (..) from her 'attacker' and the ensuing confusion, had me in
stitches...even if from great mirth we are unexpectedly thrust into dramatic
mode by her flat-mate's collapse)
    > Movie with Rachel Griffiths
'nuff said
    > Movie with Toni Collette (gee, you wouldn't recognize her in Velvet
    > Goldmine)
Alas, I've not seen this
     >"Dedicato a tutti quelli che stanno scappando" movie
LOL
    > Movie containing references to future Olympic Games (courtesy of
    Mereghetti).
Numerous  references and ...what a coincidence, she marries an Olympic
hopeful
I think Isabella has it wherein I would like to think that video stores (and
Movie Databases and the like) have a slightly broader section of categories
available and whereby it is allowed that the public is capable of grasping a
concept such as a 'black comedy' will have its share of laughs, but not
only.
Trust me, when you do venture forth and rent the film for your viewing
pleasure, I am confident you will find it under comedy unless you are able
to work magic and cause a major revolution in the system.
Happy viewing.
--
I remain, as always,
Bambi
dtb