3x3: movies that break the fourth wall

Do The Right Thing and 25th Hour – Two mirror image scenes from Spike Lee (no visual pun intended) of voicing the unspoken - both for and to the audience.

Is that the only moment when Ralphie actually breaks the fourth wall? I could have sworn there were other moments where the character and the narrator kind of “sync up”.

I know I listed it, but I’m throwing it in anway:

My #1 would be Goodfellas

It’s not as good as the Blazing Saddles wall cracking IMO, but I do love the exchange in that scene.

Both Wayne’s World movies break the 4th wall. They aren’t particularly noteworthy examples IMO, but I thought I would throw it out there.

Ooh good one, why didn’t I think of that? I like how everyone in the courtroom freezes tableau style as he walks through talking to us.

My 3 are taken already:

  1. Spaceballs
  2. High Fidelity (sorry, Tom)
  3. Goodfellas

But I kind of wanted to put up a dishonorable mention. Kindergarten Cop sprang to mind immediately last week when Mr. Dingus announced the 3x3 topic. I haven’t seen it in over ten years, but when I was a kid I must have seen it a dozen times. For some reason. Anyway, the plot follows Schwarzenegger’s efforts to stop some grotesque parody of a custody battle. A mafia stereotype wants to kidnap his son so they can live together in familial bliss. There’s a scene when the villain is talking with his overbearing mother before pulling off their dastardly deed. Evil mom has obtained enough pediatric medicine to cure or kill an elephant.

Mafioso: Aw, ma, you made me take all this stuff when I was a kid and I never got sick!
Mafiosa: That’s why you never got sick.

Then the mafia guy looks right at the camera.

Mafioso: Now how can you argue with that?

And not before or after is the fourth wall addressed, never mind broken. Why did director Ivan Reitman decide to give that character such power over our suspension of disbelief? Was the scene intended to explore the nature of evil, the subtle power of matriarchy, the use of logic even by the criminal element, or the abuse of logic? I don’t know but it’s the only thing from that movie that stuck with me.

Well, that and “It might be a tumor,” but that line was safely confined by all four walls.

Suck it:

http://www.sprocketholed.com/the-things-the-play/

Thanks, Gordon. Didn’t want that one to get left out.

The theater lobby scene with Marshall McLuhan immediately sprang to mind when this category was announced.

The Woodman had Larry David breaking the fourth wall almost continuously in Whatever Works, but nowhere did that film measure up to Alvy Singer’s exo-parietal digressions.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch - I thought the projector was breaking down. I was maybe fourteen and I was still super pissed! Then when I got it home on VHS I’d completely forgotten that part and, goddammit, my VCR broke and - oh yeah. This part again! Best of all, it was completely different on VHS. There isn’t a special one made for DVD, but a fan went ahead and made his own.

Amelie invites viewers to spectate on her life the way she spectates on others. And just like she tries to avoid getting too involved, all we can do is sit back and watch the show. Also, she’s goddam adorable.

The Simpsons Movie - “If you ask me, everybody in this theater is a giant sucker!” Homer points directly at the viewer. “Especially you!”

My favorite breaking of the fourth wall was the first one I ever saw. I remember thinking simultaneously ‘Hey, that’s funny!’ and ‘Hey, that’s cheating!’ – from Airplane, when Striker is getting dumped by his girlfriend. When she walks away, he turns to face the camera, waits a beat, and says ‘What a pisser.’ I didn’t know they were allowed to do that!

Oh, I remembered two others:

Alternate 2) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Johnny Depp is in a convention of ultrasquare District Attorneys. The presenter, L. Ron Bumquist, is talking about the atrocious effects of drugs such as marijuana and the depravity of the dope fiend. Depp stares at the camera, at us, as if to say, “Can you believe this horseshit?” Of course by the end of the movie Depp and his lawyer Del Toro were pretty goddamned depraved.

Alternate 1) Gremlins 2: The New Batch. I think Fincher took the idea of Tom’s #3, that Tyler Durden or one of his acolytes is IN THE PROJECTION BOOTH from this movie. The little monsters are getting so crazy that not even eating Leonard Maltin (who is in the process of panning Gremlins 1) can sate them: they rip up the film and attack the very theater in which you sit. Only wrestler/actor Hulk Hogan, who is also in your theater, can restore order. Maybe it’s a reference to Persona.

[In the video release it’s John Wayne who saves the day.]

{edit: damn, bahimiron beat me to the New Batch.}

I’ll try to come up with three not mentioned -

Support Your Local Sheriff - an often overlooked movie with James Garner. The wonderful character actor, Jack Elam, talks to the audience at the beginning of the film and then quickly gets into character when the credits begin to roll.

Reefer Madness - marijuana addiction can happen to children of hers, or his, or (points to the camera) YOURS!

Rocky Horror Picture Show - the criminologist discusses the tragic case with us, the audience, as well as Frank N Furter addressing us at least once as well.

I forgot Annie Hall. That may have been the first time I saw someone break the fourth wall. I still love that scene at the movie theater.

I thought 24 Hour Party People’s breaking of the fourth wall worked really well, especially for the type of movie it was.

“I don’t want to say too much, don’t want to spoil it. I’ll just say one word: Icarus. If you get it, great. If you don’t, that’s fine too. But you should probably read more.”

The scene where they pointed out all the real musicians was great too.

Mel Brook’s is certainly a frequent wall breaker. A couple of my favorites are from pretty much the funniest movie ever made: Young Frankenstein.

Marty Feldman is a repeat offender in Young Frankenstein. The old “Damn your eyes!” from Dr. Frankenstein and Marty turns to the camera (presumably) and deadpans “Too late” is a classic. Also, just a couple minutes before that is the scene where Marty’s resting his head in the display of heads marked “One year dead, 6 mos. dead, etc” and sings “Iiiiiiiiii ain’t got nobody!” When asked why he’s down there, he replies “I heard music and just followed it down. Call it… a hunch!” whereupon he points to his hunchback, turns to the camera, gives us a big smile, and a “Bah-dum-ching!” (rimshot).

My favorite though is maybe a somewhat forgettable and less notable break. It’s when the little girl runs out of flower petals to throw in the well, and says “Oh dear, what shall we throw in next?” and Peter Boyle turns to the camera and gives the most classic deadpan. I dunno, I thought Peter Boyle’s expression was just priceless. The joke’s really not that funny, if not a little disturbing, but whenever I think of a deadpan-look-to-the-camera break, I always think of that scene and Peter Boyle.

I’m a HUGE sucker for Magnolia. I know a lot of people hate it, but I love all the moments where the fourth wall is broken: the cast singing the song, and then the smile into the camera at the end.

Kuffs
Kill Bill
Home Alone

Sweet merciful crap! How could I forget that one. Great choice.

Reminds me of In the Mouth of Madness. The movie ends with the movie.