African comedy movies is a fascinating and quirky genre of foreign films. Major players are Nigeria's Nollywood, Yoruba, a people from West Africa, and South Africa. Measured in terms of sheer numbers of films released, Nollywood is one of the world's biggest contributors.
"Four Forty, Part I" (Nigeria, 2012) is something of a conundrum. Set in a dusty village in Nigeria, where most of the action takes place on wooden benches and tables outdoors, it is hard to see where the funny is. The story is based upon a bored, middle aged man who takes advantage of a wheelchair-bound teenage girl. Two months later, we see her following him around, weeping copiously. Her parents dump her on him unceremoniously. Maybe the punch line will be revealed in Part II.
One of South Africa's overwhelmingly popular contributions to the genre is "The Gods Must Be Crazy" (1980). Here, we discover the story of Xi, whose tribe is isolated its members are blissfully unaware of the existence of the world beyond its borders. The leading role of Xi is played by a man who became Namimibia's most famous actor, N!xau, whose previous career was as a bushfarmer in Namibia, died in 2003 from an illness acquired while hunting for guinea fowl.
The Mangler (1995) is a South African/Australian horror film discovered on a list of most popular comedies with origin in South Africa. A folding machine in a laundry is possessed by a demon from hell. The film was directed by Tobe Hooper and based on a story of the same name written by Stephen King. The original short story may be found in "The Night Shift, " King's inaugural collection of short stories. The critics panned the film but, based on the provenance and the synopsis, how can anybody not want to see it?
The West African Yoruba tribe has evolved into a force in African cinema. The latest release to come from Yoruba is "EKO ONIBAJE" (2014, Yoruba), featuring Bolaji Amusan and Mistura Asunmo. Here, a man seeking personal growth allies with a group of businessmen whose product is defrauding innocent people by posing as disabled persons.
Burkina Faso's "Yaaba" (1989) does not meet the classical criteria of a comedy film but it is one of the most significant to come out of Africa. It illustrates a modern conundrum of having to choose between modernization, and hence westernization, and retaining its own cultural identity.
"The Nightingale's Prayer" from Egypt (1959) also does not meet the strict definition of a comedy, but then Four Forty is a comedy without any laughs. Here we have the story of gender inequality amongst the Arab nations. Directed by Henry Bakarat, the film is based on the Taha Hussein novel.
One particularly awesome facet of African comedy movies is you don't have to book a ticket to Mombassa to see them. Many films are easy to find online for direct streaming. Who knows? Maybe someday, someone find the funny in Four Forty.
"Four Forty, Part I" (Nigeria, 2012) is something of a conundrum. Set in a dusty village in Nigeria, where most of the action takes place on wooden benches and tables outdoors, it is hard to see where the funny is. The story is based upon a bored, middle aged man who takes advantage of a wheelchair-bound teenage girl. Two months later, we see her following him around, weeping copiously. Her parents dump her on him unceremoniously. Maybe the punch line will be revealed in Part II.
One of South Africa's overwhelmingly popular contributions to the genre is "The Gods Must Be Crazy" (1980). Here, we discover the story of Xi, whose tribe is isolated its members are blissfully unaware of the existence of the world beyond its borders. The leading role of Xi is played by a man who became Namimibia's most famous actor, N!xau, whose previous career was as a bushfarmer in Namibia, died in 2003 from an illness acquired while hunting for guinea fowl.
The Mangler (1995) is a South African/Australian horror film discovered on a list of most popular comedies with origin in South Africa. A folding machine in a laundry is possessed by a demon from hell. The film was directed by Tobe Hooper and based on a story of the same name written by Stephen King. The original short story may be found in "The Night Shift, " King's inaugural collection of short stories. The critics panned the film but, based on the provenance and the synopsis, how can anybody not want to see it?
The West African Yoruba tribe has evolved into a force in African cinema. The latest release to come from Yoruba is "EKO ONIBAJE" (2014, Yoruba), featuring Bolaji Amusan and Mistura Asunmo. Here, a man seeking personal growth allies with a group of businessmen whose product is defrauding innocent people by posing as disabled persons.
Burkina Faso's "Yaaba" (1989) does not meet the classical criteria of a comedy film but it is one of the most significant to come out of Africa. It illustrates a modern conundrum of having to choose between modernization, and hence westernization, and retaining its own cultural identity.
"The Nightingale's Prayer" from Egypt (1959) also does not meet the strict definition of a comedy, but then Four Forty is a comedy without any laughs. Here we have the story of gender inequality amongst the Arab nations. Directed by Henry Bakarat, the film is based on the Taha Hussein novel.
One particularly awesome facet of African comedy movies is you don't have to book a ticket to Mombassa to see them. Many films are easy to find online for direct streaming. Who knows? Maybe someday, someone find the funny in Four Forty.
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