In California, we have Hollywood, in India, Bollywood. In Nigeria, the heart of African comedy movies is called Nollywood. In terms of the numbers of films produced, Nollywood is one of the largest film industries in the world. South Africa and Yoruba (West African tribe) also have bustling cinema industries. For the cinema buff who wants a peek at how the rest of the world lives, African film comedies is a great place to start.
"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.
A combination horror/comedy film, "The Mangler" (1995, South Africa) finds its way here via an list of the most popular comedy films to come out of South Africa. The main character is a folding machine in a commercial launderette that is by evil spirits. Based on a story written by Stephen King, "The Mangler" was directed by Tobe Hooper. The film was unappreciated by the critics, but with a story line like that, how could anybody want to miss it?
The Yoruba tribe is an ethnic group of people from southwestern Nigeria and Benin in West Africa. They have evolved their own genre in African cinema. In "EKO ONIBAJE" (2014), featuring Mistura Asunmo and Bolaji Amusan, a man seeking greener pastures joins a group of entrepreneurs whose "business" is defrauding people by pretending to be disabled.
Strictly speaking, not a comedy, but one of the most significant African films ever made, Yaaba (Burkina Faso, 1989) depicts one of the most troubling dilemmas of modern life in Africa. This is the conflict between modernization, meaning taking on western characteristics, and maintaining its own cultural identity.
Another less than funny but not insignificant film was "The Nightingale's Prayer" (1959, Egypt). One of the most salient movies ever made by Egypt, the story is about gender inequality in Arabic culture. Directed by Henry Bakarat, the film represented Egypt in the "Best Foreign Language Film" category in the 32nd Academy Awards in 1960, although the film was not accepted as a nominee.
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.
A combination horror/comedy film, "The Mangler" (1995, South Africa) finds its way here via an list of the most popular comedy films to come out of South Africa. The main character is a folding machine in a commercial launderette that is by evil spirits. Based on a story written by Stephen King, "The Mangler" was directed by Tobe Hooper. The film was unappreciated by the critics, but with a story line like that, how could anybody want to miss it?
The Yoruba tribe is an ethnic group of people from southwestern Nigeria and Benin in West Africa. They have evolved their own genre in African cinema. In "EKO ONIBAJE" (2014), featuring Mistura Asunmo and Bolaji Amusan, a man seeking greener pastures joins a group of entrepreneurs whose "business" is defrauding people by pretending to be disabled.
Strictly speaking, not a comedy, but one of the most significant African films ever made, Yaaba (Burkina Faso, 1989) depicts one of the most troubling dilemmas of modern life in Africa. This is the conflict between modernization, meaning taking on western characteristics, and maintaining its own cultural identity.
Another less than funny but not insignificant film was "The Nightingale's Prayer" (1959, Egypt). One of the most salient movies ever made by Egypt, the story is about gender inequality in Arabic culture. Directed by Henry Bakarat, the film represented Egypt in the "Best Foreign Language Film" category in the 32nd Academy Awards in 1960, although the film was not accepted as a nominee.
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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