“Absurdism is a philosophical perspective which holds that the efforts of humanity to find meaning or rational explanation in the universe ultimately fail because no such meaning exists…. Absurdism implies a tragic tone and feelings of frustration that arise out of the contradiction between the human quest for the meaning of life and its inaccessibility.” —New World Encyclopedia
Storytelling often brings humans to the edge of what makes us most uneasy. Existential crisis is a common worry throughout civilization. The theme of the absurd—and the reminder to live life rather than seek to understand it—is seen in many stories. Though it’s rooted in pointlessness, there is significant room for humor in the absurd and a closer look often reveals a deeper commentary on life. Of course, these movies exhibit aspects of other genres as well, but these films also use odd, zany, bizarre scenarios to allow viewers to laugh at the futility of finding meaning in life.
“I looked up at the mass of signs and stars in the night sky and laid myself open for the first time to the benign indifference of the world.”
— absurdist philosopher Albert Camus, The Stranger
Being There (1979)
Peter Sellers—who some might consider the king of the absurd—stars as an illiterate, addled man who loses his job as a gardener when his employer dies. Through a series of unlikely events, the unassuming man of plants finds a position tending the grounds of a powerful politician. Without knowing it, he becomes an influential presence in Washington, D.C.. The absurdity of a simpleton holding all the power and being completely unaware of it highlights just how strange popular influence is.
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
War is always absurd, even when there are clear reasons for disagreement. The peccadillos of military decisions become minute and asinine—both meaningless and meaningful. A million small moments in a war room somewhere could mean life or death for thousands of people.
Dr. Strangelove is a very dark comedy that underscores the absurdity of war, especially in the hands of those removed from its consequences. The entire movie snowballs into one of the most absurd finales ever filmed.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
This one has become a cult comedy classic for its endearing and awkward characters. An odd group of teenagers tries to navigate the world of high school and friends, all while dodging the even stranger adults in their lives. Though they struggle to fit in, their encounters are constantly juxtaposed with the likes of a traveling Tupperware salesman and a strip mall taekwondo ‘instructor’ who both clearly peaked in high school and have been chasing the nostalgic popularity ever since. Yet, somehow our heroes manage to embrace the absurdity and thrive within it.
Last Year at Marienbad (1961)
Some will argue with me here, insisting that Last Year at Marienbad is a surrealist piece of modern art, not absurdist, but hear me out. The story, which is really just a faded edge of an outline, centers around a man who sees a woman he thinks he knows. He remembers meeting her, but did he?
As he tries to convince her, the film recreates his memories in a stylistic fashion. In addition to the surrealist imagery, the movie underscores the ephemeral nature of time, of meetings, of relationships. It is absurd for the discussion to even happen between these two—it won’t change anything. It seems to remind the viewer that even if there is such a thing as objective truth, it would be meaningless to human existence. But if all of this sounds too philosophical, it’s also gorgeous to look at.
Airplane (1980)
Using the spate of 1970s disaster movies (some better than others) as a genre for parody, it points out the absurdity of blockbusters like the Airport series and Poseidon Adventure, as well as the pointlessness of trying to control fate. When you boil it down, Airplane is a room full of strangers with no useful skills trying to land a plane. And (spoiler alert) it is ultimately safely landed by an autopilot blow-up doll… not any of the well-meaning passengers on board.
It is in this bizarre microcosm that the comedy thrives. The writer/directors pack in puns, visual jokes, and pure silliness into a hilarious movie.
Originally written for DVD Netflix