Laughter is contagious for a reason. When we watch a comedy movies, our brains are actually rewarding us. As we chuckle at the awkward humor of Meet the Parents or crack up over the antics in Bridesmaids, our neurons are firing away.
The Comedic Techniques Behind Belly Laughs
A good comedy keeps us in stitches by using certain tried-and-true techniques. The first is an exaggeration. Comedies often exaggerate situations and characters to make them seem ridiculous. Think of the over-the-top slapstick humor in movies like Dumb and Dumber or the outrageous antics of characters like Borat.
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Hyperbole, or extreme exaggeration, is also common. When a comedy describes something as the “funniest thing ever” or the “most boring place in the universe,” they’re using hyperbolic language to make us laugh.
Parody, satire, and spoofs make us chuckle by mocking familiar movies, TV shows, books, or public figures. Films like Blazing Saddles, Airplane!, and Scary Movie spoof the Western, disaster, and horror genres respectively.
Finally, comedies often rely on awkward moments, embarrassing situations, and cringe-worthy humor. When characters humiliate themselves or get into uncomfortably funny predicaments, we can’t help but laugh, even if we feel a bit guilty about it! The humor in shows like The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm comes from constantly putting characters into awkward and uncomfortable situations.
The Neuroscience of Laughter: Why We Can’t Help but Chuckle
Laughter activates the reward centers in our brain, like the ventral striatum and the nucleus accumbens. These areas are also triggered by other pleasurable experiences like food, sex, and drugs. No wonder we can’t get enough of funny films!
The social nature of comedy also plays a role. When we hear others laugh, like in a crowded theater, our brains activate areas involved in social bonding and relationships. We feel connected to others in that moment of shared joy.
Some genres like slapstick comedies with over-the-top physical humor make us laugh the hardest. They activate the motor cortex in our brains, the area responsible for movement. We can almost feel the pain of the pratfalls and clumsy accidents on screen.
Of course, a lot depends on personal taste and nostalgia. Comedies from our teenage years or college days often still make us laugh the most. They’re firmly woven into our memories and sense of youth. The familiarity itself triggers pleasure.
Why Do Certain Movies Make Us Laugh So Hard?
Comedy movies make us laugh for several reasons. Our brains are wired to find humor in the unexpected and absurd. When a movie catches us off guard or presents an exaggerated take on familiar situations, it tickles our funny bones.
Some of the hardest laughs come from jokes we don’t see coming. When a movie abruptly changes course or does something ridiculous, it activates our brain’s pleasure centers. The surprise and nonsense of Monty Python films, for example, tap into this. Their bizarre and silly antics never fail to get a chuckle.
Familiar Yet Exaggerated
The best comedies often draw from relatable situations and characters but then take things to absurd extremes. They hold up an exaggerated mirror to the trials and tribulations of daily life. We see versions of people we know in silly scenarios we can imagine but wouldn’t dare experience ourselves!
This is why genre spoofs like disaster movie parodies are so funny. They take familiar formulas and tropes and crank them up to 11. By both emulating and mocking the conventions of a genre, they create the perfect comedic blend of familiar and absurd. We get the satisfaction of recognition along with the delight of seeing something overblown and ridiculous. When done well, the result is comedic gold.
In the end, comedy movies bring us together and make us happy in a very scientific way. Laughter really is the best medicine, and comedy is the spoonful of sugar that helps it go down. The neuroscience of hilarity proves it.