The Farrelly Brothers

Quatre Mains

- what is the story with these clowns? All their films feature different physical and
mental disabilities/anomalies as a basis for humour.

Me Myself and Irene - schizophrenia, albinos
Shallow Hal - Obesity
Stuck on You - Siamese Twins
Something About Mary - Downs Syndrome (Mary's bro)

- now I can handle the odd joke about these things but I have to draw the line at this. I can picture these 2 idiots going through medical dictionaries looking for "inspiration" for their next script. I can't understand why society today deems stuff like racist jokes as reprehensible (which is fine by me) but then finds it ok to laugh at these people. How must families of people who have Downs or Schizophrenia feel when they go thru all their hardship and then see these derisory films being released and becoming huge hits?


Neil:mad:

ykt0di9url7bc3

I suppose the Brothers hgad that plan all along...now some people wont like it and some people will love it....

When i was reading your post i was reminded about "One flew over the cuckoo's nest" albiet a great film, randall patrick MacMurphry does take the piss quite a lot in the hospital...No doubt the film got some criticism for its content......

I quite like the Farrelly brothers films...but i dont really see where they insult the disability for homour..i see them putting special people into funny situations and createing funny situations involving these people and it works quite well...

some of the actors have been amazing in thier roles

flogen

I see your point brock, but in you could argue that they arent really insulting people with these disorders, in films such as shallow hal, the point was that image is not important (hurl) and all that.
They brothers actually won an award from a disability org. in the US for the fact that they have alot of disabled people acting in their films, and that they bring the issues to the fore (such as Me, Myself etc.).

I guess they feel that theyre not using the disability as an insult, just making light of the situation the way people slag their mate over their big ears etc.

Flogen

Quatre Mains

- granted there are a lot of handicapped actors in their films, some of whom are just placed in the background or whatever, and this is great. And yes some of the humour is funny and while referenceing them, is not aimed at the 'different' people in the film. For example Matt Dillon playing cards against the down syndrome lads for money is hilarious. But the albino-slagging scene in MM+I was pure low brow, and using schizophrenia as a basis for humour was a bit off, as the reality of that disease is no funnier than that of cancer IMO.
What annoys most is that All these films eventually show the afflicted person to be a 'goodie' as an front to let them spew out a load of low humour. At least in Scary Movie 2 the slagging match between the lad in the wheelchair and the man with the mad hand was upfront, and didn't have a patronising 'moral' behind it telling me that handicapped people are all special.


Cheers
Neil

ykt0di9url7bc3

so what did you think of "One flew under the cuckoos nest"?

Quatre Mains

- I enjoyed it. I can see the similarities you are eluding to, but I think
OFOTCN was making a point about the negative effects of institutionalisation
at the same time, whch is a bit more valid than 'freaks are nice people too, ya know',
moral of the Farrelly Bros tales IMO

Right will have to leave it at that as work is over for the week and I have no internet
(and no carpet or curtains) in my gaff yet. Niuce talking to you flogen and SearrarD

Cheers
Neil

BlitzKrieg

personnally films by the farrelly's are like scary movie and airplane and mel brooks films. When i see them i see the story taking place in a OTT world (more obvious with scary movie and mel brooks films) and therefore i turn my mind off to any good or bad messages in it.

Yes the farrelly films are less slapstick then the others but the characters are completely slapstick themselves and the fact that all characters are taken the piss out of completely regardless if they are 'special' or not. I havnt seen stuck on you, but i have seen shallow hal and theres something about mary and i feel the characters not handicapped in any way are much more pathetic looking then those who are.


If you want to be precise about it you can stick a message at the start saying the film takes place in a alternative world where its all OTT. but then why?

jonno

I have no problems with their movies. I also beleive they set out to do this in their movies. But they are comedies and should not be taken up the wrong way. They are just making light of the situation as someone mentioned. I suppose thats why they get by the film censorship board because it is not insulting to people with disabilities. They are representing those people in their work whereas it can be said about most other film makers never represent diabled people in their work.

Nevertheless I can see why ssome people might find them offending in certain ways but if so then don't go to see their films anymore.