What Your Favorite Comedy Films Say About You

Screwball Comedies
If you prefer screwball comedies, you may be the sort of person who strives toward class equality in society. Screwball comedy fans are often those who subscribe to folk wisdom rather than scientific or highly intellectual ways of problem solving. Also, you may go to the movies to feel better about your own life, as the solution to any obstacle put forth in the screwball comedy is often apparent to the audience before it becomes clear to the characters. In short, you find it easier to avoid unnecessary complications if you avoid thinking too deeply when there is an easier and more obvious solution to a problem.

Screwball fans may be talkative and friendly as well as socially assertive. Women may enjoy screwball comedies more than men. Women are often forced to work hard both inside and outside the home and therefore are under more pressure to solve problems practically. It also helps that the woman in a screwball comedy is usually smarter than her male counterpart. Screwball comedies often hinge on snappy dialogue, so their fans may be more language oriented rather than spatially oriented. Examples of modern screwball comedies include Two Weeks Notice, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Big Lebowski. Classic examples include Some Like it Hot and Bringing up Baby.

Slapstick Comedies
People who prefer to solve problems using science or math may be fans of slapstick humor. Slapstick humor relies less on dialogue than it does on action, and can be actually be understood easily no matter what language the characters speak. If you like slapstick you may avoid becoming emotional in the face of adversity, as this type of comedy is understood by the logical part of the brain. This may be why men are stereotyped as slapstick fans as these are more traditionally considered male characteristics.

You may also be less likely to try to tell jokes yourself than someone who likes screwball comedy. Socially, slapstick comedy fans tend to be less assertive but possess more of an even temper. They also relate to the world in a visual way and are actually likely to be nonviolent, despite the violence inherent in slapstick. Slapstick fans may also enjoy solving difficult problems for relaxation, and choose hobbies like working on cars or home improvement. Modern slapstick films include There's Something About Mary and other Farrelly brothers movies as well as the early films of Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey. Cartoons such as Ren and Stimpy and Looney Tunes also use slapstick humor. Obvious classic examples are The Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy movies.

Dark Comedies
Fans of dark or black comedy may be concerned with larger sociological problems such as war and other political issues. If you like the darker side of comedy you may be the sort of person who prefers to stand back and observe all the sides of a situation before attacking a problem. You also might be somewhat distrustful of people until you get to know them and may prefer a small group of friends.

Black comedy fans may use the internet for social interaction rather than going to parties. You may be apt to use an unusual solution to a problem that you face and are good at "outside the box" thinking. You probably go to the movies to obtain food for thought rather than for escapism, and may prefer to watch DVDs at home rather than going to the theater; this is both because of the limited availability of dark comedies at the multiplex as well as the preference to avoid large groups of people. Modern black comedies include Fight Club, Election, Fargo and Heathers; classic examples include Harold and Maude, The Graduate and Dr Strangelove.