Response to blog post #5- Talladega Nights
I cannot count the times I have seen Talladega Nights over the years or heard quotes from all parts of the movie. There are so many aspects of this movie that make it hilarious and I think that is why it is so popular. The actors that are in it like Will Ferrill and Sacha Cohen Baron are important, but also just the jokes that are made throughout make it what it is. There is incongruity shown throughout the entire movie especially in the scene you mention. The way they portray Jesus as this ordinary little baby and the things they pray for are quite comedic and unexpected. Another scene that represents this is when Ricky Bobby crashes during the race. This should not be funny because it is a dangerous crash, but they make it a funny scene which is what makes it incongruous. After Ricky crashes, everyone is in suspense when all of a sudden Ricky gets out and starts yelling that he is on fire. He just starts running around like a crazy person and rolling on the ground and then begins taking off his clothes. He yells ““Help me Jesus! Help me Jewish God! Help me Allah! Help me Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise use your witchcraft on me to get the fire off me! Help me Oprah Winfrey!” Just the fact that there actually is no fire makes it hilarious and then his buddy jumps on him and starts trying to put it out all while the announcers are making comments about the nonexistent fire and just having this discussion off to the side without any true worry. They take something that would normally be taken seriously and turn it into a joke.
I agree with what you said about incongruity being a common theme throughout the movie. I also love the scene where Ricky thinks he's on fire. Another very similar scene is later in the movie when he decides that he can no longer walk. He says something to his crew chief about hoping he has two sons who grow up and lose the use of their legs so he will understand. The crew chief responds "don't you put that evil on me Ricky Bobby!" I use that quote way too often.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that there's so much really dark material in the movie even though it is really absurd and goofy in many ways. I wonder if that's part of the appeal and that, again, it's the emotional aspects of comedy that create strong affection for it.
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