The Comic Mind

Comedy and the Movies

By: Gerald Mast

Write A Review

Paperback | 15 September 1979 | Edition Number 2

At a Glance

Paperback
377 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.11 x 16.74 x 2.5

Paperback

$131.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $33.00 with

Ships in 15 to 25 business days

Although books on the comedies of the silent era abound, few have attempted to survey film comedy as a whole-its history and evolution, how the philosophical visions of its greatest artists and directors have shaped its traditions, and how these visions have informed both the meaning and manner of their work.

Blending information with interpretation, description with analysis, Mast traces the development of screen comedy from the first crude efforts of Edison and Lumiere to the subtlety and psychological complexity of Annie Hall. As he guides the reader through detailed discussions of specific films, Mast reveals the structures, the values, and the cinematic techniques which have appeared and reappeared in comic cinema.

The second edition of The Comic Mind treats the comic developments of the 1970s in terms of the traditions of film comedy set forth in the first edition, including a discussion of the evolution of Jacques Tati and the emergence of Mel Brooks and Woody Allen as the two greatest American comic stylists of the seventies.

"The most comprehensive study of film comedy yet written in English. . . .The book's extensive index with references to companies from which 16mm prints of many of the cited films may be rented will be of great value to the film teacher and audiovisual librarian."-Choice

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Arts & Entertainment Film, TV & Radio Specific Films Film Theory & Criticism Dance & Other Performing Arts

Introduction
Assumptions, Definitions, and Categories
Comic Structures
Comic Thought
Comic Films--Categories and Definitions
Primitives
Jests, Tricks, and the First Comic Personalities
Mack Sennett
Chaplin and Keaton
Chaplin: From Keystone to Mutual
Chaplin: First Nationals and Silent Features
Chaplin: Sound Films
Keaton
Other Silent Clowns
Harold Lloyd
Harry Langdon
More Fun Shops
Sound Comedy
Sound and Structure
Ernst Lubitsch and Reneacute; Clair
Jean Renoir
The Dialogue Tradition
The Clown Tradition
The Ironic Tradition The Case for Comedy
Notes
Selective Bibliography
Distributors of Comic Films
Photo Credits
Index
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

The Comic Mind

Comedy and the Movies

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Dance & Other Performing Arts

Dawn of the Firebird

The most anticipated revenge high fantasy of 2025

Fawlty Towers: Fawlts and All

The Sunday Times bestselling 50th anniversary celebration of the nation's beloved sitcom

Average at Best

A memoir from the creator of Pub Choir®

Road Show Wisdom

Lessons from the Circus of Life (41 Full-Color Cards and 180-Page Full-Color Guidebook)

Bottom of the Pyramid

A Memoir of Persevering, Dancing for Myself, and Starring in My Own Life

Inkdeath

Inkheart

Mao's Last Dancer

The Beloved Australian Classic

The Colour of Revenge

The Colour of Revenge PB

The Anatomy of Story

22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller

Wicked

The Grimmerie, a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hit Broadway Musical

The Black Bird Oracle

The exhilarating new All Souls novel featuring Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont

The Happiest Refugee

My Journey from Tragedy to Comedy

This Is Fine Talking Figurine

With Light and Sound!

The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book

Mind-Blowing Magic Tricks for Everyone

50 Step-by-Step Card, Coin, and Mentalism Tricks That Anyone Can Do

Speak to Achieve

How to Build Connection, Deepen Trust, Captivate Audiences, and Achieve Results

The Star Wars Archives. 1999-2005. 45th Ed.

40th Edition

Musicals

The Definitive Illustrated Story

Afterthoughts

or Some Pistachios Won't Open â" Wisdom for the Unreflective

Sanford Meisner On Acting

Vintage Vintage

"Sex and the City"

Kiss and Tell

Desert Dreams

The Music, Style, and Allure of Coachella

The Moon's a Balloon

The Guardian's Number One Hollywood Autobiography

Cunk on Everything

The Encyclopedia Philomena - 'Essential reading for these slipshod times' Al Murray

This product is categorised by