Saturday, September 20, 2008

Weird Science

I had forgotten that Monkey Business was on the Fox Movie Channel this afternoon. Cary Grant plays a very absent-minded scientist who discovers (thanks to some shenanigans from his lab chimps) a formula that makes people temporarily youthful again, making them act like teenagers.

One of the things I thought about is how science in the movies is rarely seen in comedies. There's also Fred MacMurray's The Absent-Minded Professor -- and frankly, I wonder how much the producers of that movie were ripping off Monkey Business.

Obviously, there's lots of science fiction. I've also mentioned how Hollywood has a dystopic view of science and the future. And there's also the horror movies with mad scientists.

But why so little crossover between science and comedy? I really don't know, and don't have much idea.

What's your favorite marriage of science and comedy in the movies?

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