EDGAR WRIGHT'S VISUAL COMEDY
Visual Comedy is something that many directors play around with to make it their own and Edgar Wright is no exception, taking visual comedic events that many films use but using different techniques to make it his own. Wright plays with the genres that we have seen many times throughout film and uses his own visual comedy to make it unique and interesting, using the genre to tell his own story.
Things Entering the Frame
During important talks or part of the story line that would be too serious on it's own, Wright allows an object to enter the frame. Wright frames this so it is the object and the person's hand, making the sudden interruption gain a laugh from the audience as you don't see the full body of the person interrupting and keep your focus on the main character and the story line, the interruption making it more light hearted and fun to the audience which can make it funny. This technique was implemented in every film of the Cornetto Trilogy, coming in at a time that the audience doesn't expect which can cause the audience to laugh, the sudden arrival of the object being in frame taking the seriousness of the conversation just as it is used in Hot Fuzz.
People Leaving the Frame
Similarly to objects entering the frame, Wright also makes people leave the frame in funny ways to do similar things for the audience. The way people leave the frame and what face they have during parts where the audience may be annoyed with the characters is a great way to make the scene funny to the audience and to keep them liking the characters, a great example of this being the detectives from Hot Fuzz. These two characters would be highly annoying in real life, this technique allowing the audience to laugh at the two characters and to continue enjoying them throughout the rest of the film. This is a clever way to keep the audience interested and liking all of the characters in your film.
'There and Back again' Technique
This technique is used twice in Shaun of The Dead, the first being at the home as he pulls back the curtains to see Zombies before walking back and telling Shaun. The second example of this in Shaun of the Dead is at the Winchester where Shaun turns on the lights to see a horde of Zombies before turning them back off. This technique is comedic to the audience as it shows the danger that the characters are going to face, the characters showing an expression of fear, before they decide to ignore the fact that the danger is there. It's not a technique that is used frequently by other directors and can become comedic to the audience as relief during intense moments in the film, allowing the audience to relax once again.
Perfectly Timed Sound Effects
The use of the perfectly timed sound effects can become comedic relief during intense scenes just as the others do but can also break the silence in the scene where the audience shouldn't be laughing but the chosen sound effect makes it hard to keep a straight face. A good example of this in Wright's film 'Shaun Of the Dead' is when they see the first two Zombies in their back garden, Ed winding up a disposable camera which Shaun knocks out of his hand. This scene is when the two characters first release that they are Zombies, the audience watching carefully as they want to see how the characters will handle the situation as they stand dumbfounded before the sound effect rings through. If it doesn't cause a laugh, it does cause the audience to smile at the stupidity of the character who wants to take a photo of the Zombies.
Action Synchronized to the Music
Action being synchronized to the music is an important element in any Wright film but can also be used for comedic affect. One of the best examples of this is in Shaun of The Dead in the middle of fighting the zombie horde, the landlord walks out and the jukebox plays 'Don't Stop me Now.' The song choice is fairly ironic to the situation they are in as they attack the landlord with pool cues to the beat of the song, once again working a comedic relief to the audience but can also laugh at the irony of the song being played.
Fence Jump
The fence jump fail is a form of comedy and is normally placed quarter way to halfway through the film before the turning point of the film, helping you get into the story line of the film and to understand the line of comedy in these films. This is a clever technique to keep the story line light-hearted and to keep the audience's eyes on the screen, the two actors being a big part of the act as their dialogue together adds to these scenes. 'Hot Fuzz' is most known for the fence jump fail, the first officer acted by Simon Pegg jumps it clearly, and the more funny and less athletic officer, Nick Frost, falls through the fence. It helps underline the personality of the characters that he creates and how they may develop throughout the story, keeping you wanting to watch the film to see if your predictions are correct.
Wright plays with the genres that we have seen many times throughout film and uses his own visual comedy to make it unique and interesting, using the genre to tell his own story.
Edgar Wright uses the genres to focus on his characters, developing them throughout the film rather than over multiple films, showing how the Cornetto Trilogy worked out so well and none of the films could have a sequel as they have all been wrapped up and developed as best as they could. Edgar Wright has stated in an interview that Hot Fuzz wouldn't be able to have a sequel because Nicholas Angel had become the badass cop that he wanted him to and for a sequel would have to diminish this title to be able to invest in a storyline once again.
References
YouTube. (2018). 'The World's End' Interview: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOSpEPxBPsI&t=599s [Accessed 15 Jan. 2018].
YouTube. (2018). Edgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FOzD4Sfgag&index=2&list=WL [Accessed 16 Jan. 2018].
