Probably “What We Do in the Shadows” is the most obscure title of all time, as it gives no hint that it’s a mockumentary about Vampires. “Stakes” would have even been better. (*when one of the writer’s last names has the funny words of wait titi, there’s no excuse for an unfunny title:)
But that’s nagging, as this is a cute fluffy piece written by Jermaine Clement, so funny in the HBO series Flight of the Concords. My favorite line (the movie co-written by his co-star Taiki Waititi*) of the film is elicited by the Alpha male in the werewolves gang, Rhys Darby, when he chides his fellow wolves, “We’re werewolves, we’re not swearwolves!” Priceless.
After finishing a rather depressing New Yorker article about our apathy re. financial inequality “Richer and Poorer” by Jill Lepore March 16, 2015 (‘fun fact’ from the article, our f.i. is “greater than in any other developed democracy is not much disputed”(26), the only real choice these days is comedy.
As a culture, there doesn’t seem to be any personal responsibility any longer (also mentioned in Lepore’s article), hence most dramas seem absurdest to anyone with a moral high ground and common sense. Watching House of Cards seems to be simply acknowledging how dystopic our political system has become. Kevin Spacey admitted so much on Charlie Rose recently, saying that after a show had been shot and life was imitating art, that he thought for sure someone would accuse them of simply writing non-fiction.
Even Jon Stewart has given up on satire making any difference.
Life ain’t a cabaret old chum, it’s pure absurd comedy. Thank you to Clement and Waititi for allowing me to escape briefly to grab a giggle.
