Leather on the outside but a delicate interior
Friday, June 26th, 2009
When exaggerating for comedic effect, it’s important to find just the right level of exaggeration. Our brains automatically filter out information that is too far removed from the credible, with ruins the effect. You have to get the listener to actually consider the plausibility of what you are saying for just a moment, and not just immediately dismiss it. In his review of the new Transformers movie, Revenge of the Fallen, Charlie Jane Anders writes:
The closest thing I can think of to this movie is the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer, which had a similar kind of CG image overload, although it was only five hours long as opposed to ROTF’s nine.
If Anders had used 500 and 900 hours, instead of 5 and 9, there would be no joke.
With art, you can cut even closer to the edge of plausiblity, and the effect goes from comedic to disturbing to funny to sublime.
Shown above is Martinique, by artist Cristina Vergano.
