In Radio Underground, I am really struggling to find just the right tone. Early versions of the film played it all far too much for laughs and I don't want to make light of Tom's situation, because then the audience wouldn't be able to connect with him emotionally. However, I also didn't want to lose the sense of humour either; after all, the very core of the film is founded on a joke I made to Aaron. I tried to think of another film which has just the same tonal balance that I'm thinking of. Then I thought of Stanley Kubrick.
Kubrick has always been a massive influence on me, but I'll not go into all the reasons because you can find that all over the internet. However, one aspect of Kubrick's work that I have always loved, but seems to have slipped under most people's radar, is Kubrick's sense of humour.
I watched a video essay by The Discarded Image called Deconstructing Funny: Stanley Kubrick. Here is a link to the video followed by some notes from it:
-Perhaps Kubrick's most iconic shot is this one, of Jack Torrance shouting "Here's Johnny!" at his wife through the hole he has just axed through the door as he tries to murder her. Why is this so impactful? Because it's a moment of comedy inserted at the peek of a severe act. Referencing a comedy talkshow as you are attempting murder completely throws the viewer off. Kubrick makes you feel at ease when you laugh, only to set you up for discomfort. Suddenly, it's not so funny anymore.
-Kubrick's sense of humour shines through across his entire body of work. It's almost as if his films just can't keep a straight face. Whatever the subject, no matter how serious, there's a joke hidden in there somewhere. It's a human impulse to laugh at our own tragedies. The world can be crazy sometimes. So maybe responding with humour is only being honest.
Many people say that Kubrick is indifferent to human suffering, however his love of beauty suggests that he was in fact a sensitive soul. The common thread throughout all of his films is his dark and wicked sense of humour. In his earlier films, you can see how he uses signage to comment humorously on the events unfolding on screen.
Kubrick doesn't just employ irony, but post-irony. Is something meant to be funny or serious? Well in Kubrick's case, often it's both.
The essay says a lot more than this, I'd recommend checking it out.
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