I would like to prelude this post with these facts about me;
I read Sex Criminals. A good friend suggested I read it, so I did. I am not a
comic reader. I have never really read a serious comic (unless you count
newspaper comics) and I don’t see much of the appeal. I don’t like creating
them and I just have never been attracted to them. I will read them when I am
required to, but if given the choice, I will often go for a novel.
Keeping these things in mind, I am not really sure what to
say or compare this comic to. However, I
saw why my friend suggested that I read this comic. I love humor and especially
breaking the fourth wall and that was honestly my favorite part of this whole
comic. In case you did not read this comic, let me explain. There is a part
where the main character (Suzie) is out with her boyfriend (Jon) and the song
‘Fat Bottom Girls’ comes on the radio. She comments about how this is ‘her jam’
and she starts to sing. The background changes from the billiards place to her
imaginary music video and everything; but they could not get the rights to the
lyrics. So instead of her ‘singing along’ (aka them writing the lyrics) they
cover the already placed speech bubbles with post-it yellow squares and a
different font. They explain their situation and how maybe it’s all timing,
maybe price and how at this part they were ready to call up a band member and
it’s a lot of babble. I love it. I laughed so hard and just love when the
fourth wall is broken successfully. I find it hysterical and the best thing a
director could do for a funny movie. Again, I am sorry that I do not know any
comics, but I do know movies!!
So first is my personal favorite, ‘How the Grinch Stole
Christmas’. This is the remake with Jim Carey and Cindy Lou goes to the
Grinch’s house to be the holiday cheermister. The Grinch tries to scare her off
but she isn’t frightened, causing him to break the fourth wall (skip to about
:48)
Next is a ‘Saved By the Bell’ clip. This show is probably
the most similar use of freezing time to break the fourth wall and just
freezing time in general when compared to the comic. Zack is able to move to
save himself.
Another one of my favorite movies that breaks the fourth
wall is ‘Blazing Saddles’ (and every other Mel Brooks films). This is a cowboy
movie and this is the climax fight scene between the good guys (a safe town put
into the hands of a black sheriff in hopes that he would fail and the town
would collapse) and the bad guys (the ones who sent the black sheriff to ruin
the town to buy it for the railroad). They cut away from the western theme and
bring us into another set, to have the cowboys break into these sets and other
places during their fight (skip to :50).
Finally, there is the spoof horror move, ‘Return of the
Killer Tomatoes’ with a young George Clooney as the lead actor. This clip is a
little longer, but it’s particularly funny. Ultimately, half way through the
movie, the director stops everything because they run out of money. You back
out of the hall scene to see the set and people working on set and after some discussion,
George Clooney has the idea of product placement. This is really great because
after they start re-shooting, it is just like a commercial, promoting Pepsi,
Nestle, Kellogs and others, but they continue this trough out the rest of film with different logo and brand stickers
placed in very obvious areas and it’s just great.
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