What is Slapstick Comedy?

Over the years, many different film genres have developed and evolved, especially when it comes to comedies. One such genre, slapstick comedy, could be called both a genre and an element of other comedy movies and films, too. But what is slapstick comedy and where did it come from?

What is Slapstick Comedy?

Slapstick comedy dates back to the early days of film, particularly to black and white silent film days. Early slapstick comedy films that frequently come to mind when someone asks, “What is slapstick comedy” include The Three Stooges and Charlie Chaplin. But neither of these examples provides a true definition of slapstick comedy.

Slapstick comedy is a genre of film that involves low-humor style scenes that include mild comic violence that centers around pratfalls.

For example, in The Three Stooges, things like slapping each other, falling down, and otherwise creating potential for minor injury was key to the comedic elements of the show.

Although slapstick comedy is typically considered a low comedy, the amount of laughs that typically occur as a result of this type of film genre are typically incredible.

Slapstick comedy is often referred to as “physical comedy,” because of the physical nature of the main comedic events that take place on the screen. It’s really more about the action than it is the words and in many early slapstick comedies, there were very few words if any.

How Slapstick Comedy Originated

Over the years, there have been many other instances of slapstick comedy aside from The Three Stooges, in fact, physical slapstick comedy actually dates back much further than even television comedy ever could.

The term “Slapstick” comes from the two-pieced paddle that actors once used to imitate and accentuate the impact of hitting another actor during the scene.

The two boards slapped together to cause a slapping sound that would pique the interest of the audience and make the physical occurrence appear so much more involved.

Examples of Slapstick Comedy

Several examples of slapstick comedy come to mind over the years. Before television, slapstick comedy was enjoyed in performing theaters through the 1800s and continued to be an essential element of American shows.

Along with The Three Stooges, slapstick comedies the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy were also very popular among their time.

More recently, “Jackass” a television show and movie that was filmed for MTV represents slapstick comedy of the 1990s or the 2000s, proof that when something is as funny as physical slapstick, it never dies.

Jim Carrey also showed amazing slapstick comedy in 2000 when he mercilessly beat himself up again and again in Me, Myself, and Irene. 

So, when you ask, “What is slapstick comedy?” the best answer is, that slapstick comedy is an amazing mesh of physical harm or the potential for violence or danger that occurs for the comedic actor providing just enough tension for the audience but maintaining control and safety despite it all.

Slapstick comedy is a genre that is humorous, engaging, and particularly paradoxical but incredibly funny too.