7mo ago

Ridley Scott Defends 'The Martian' As a Comedy

www.indiewire.com

Ridley Scott: No One Realized ‘The Martian’ Was a Comedy

Ridley Scott explained how studios didn't realize 'The Martian' was a comedy.

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6mo ago

Ridley Scott Defends 'The Martian' As a Comedy

www.indiewire.com /news/general-news/ridley-scott-the-martian-comedy-1235084242/

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6mo ago

Ridley Scott Defends 'The Martian' As a Comedy

www.indiewire.com /news/general-news/ridley-scott-the-martian-comedy-1235084242/

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7mo ago

Ridley Scott Defends 'The Martian' As a Comedy

www.indiewire.com /news/general-news/ridley-scott-the-martian-comedy-1235084242/

33 comments

The book was a comedy as well. Tons of great dry jokes. The two are not mutually exclusive.
- There's a chasm between being funny and being a comedy. Comedy is a genre, and I'd argue doesn't strictly even need to be very funny, if at all.
  
  Yeah the old timey definition of a comedy is a story that starts sad but gets better, while a drama is the opposite
- Just shove it in sci-fi/fantasy, easy
How did no one realise this? Like half the movie at least is black humour
- [Insert standard explanation about the worldwide decline in media literacy here]
- 100% of the movie is about being stranded a la castaway. Does turning your volleyball into a friend make that a comedy or is it sad?
  
  Depends how it's directed, acted and edited
"Mark Watney: Space Pirate"
- The reasoning he went through on that was hilarious. It's definitely something that a person stuck on Mars would think about.
- Like Iron Man!
It’s a farce: “a light dramatic composition marked by broadly satirical comedy and improbable plot”. It’s played straight. The stakes are serious. It should be a tragedy. But then there’s a literal turning point when they turn around to rescue Watney, and it’s ridiculous.
- The book makes it make a lot more sense. He actually reasons through what he is doing, and why. The line "I'm going g to science the shit out of it" is practically the mantra, and demonstrated again and again.
  The film basically takes this and strips out all the 'boring science' stuff. What's left, while still a good film, is a shadow of the source material.
  
  I’m hopeful they’ll do Project Hail Mary justice.
Maybe it was behind-the-scenes commentary? I recall that one of the goals from the author was that they keep the "positive" outlook. Like, there are plenty of stories of people losing their minds after being stranded.
This would be different.
The book is hard sci-fi and excellent.
The movie is dumb shit and screwy. The only way this change of tone and content is justified is by realizing that they switched genres and turned it into a movie.
- The book is highly comedic.
  
  Yes but it never breaks the science in the name of comedy. Using the other astronauts' poop to fertilize went against the book just so he could make an extra joke. The Ironman scene was also ridiculous and unnecessary.
  The movie didn't need to dumb down for a few extra gags.
This is my favorite book and favorite movie. So I really must wonder, did they read the script? Mark literally makes dirty ASCII art that is broadcast across the earth.
- Have you read "Project Hail Marry"? His' 3rd book I think it's better than The Martian.
  
  Aren't they turning that into a movie at the moment too?
  
  I haven’t yet, but I have it on my book shelf! It’s definitely gonna be in the next few books I read!
Will have to re-watch. I don't remember much because I'm old.
- Screw watching the movie. Read the book or better listen to the audiobook its freaking awesome! I own both but end up listening to the audio version rather then reread the book.
  
  The film is great as its own thing, but the book is excellent and Wil Wheaton’s narration is perfection.
Did you see Matt’s disco lips? Definitely comedy.

33 comments