Breaking the Fourth Wall

[Kay_Cee]

Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I remember a cold open before the credits, Will is sitting on the couch, and after some dialogue, he says to the camera, “If we’re so rich —”, camera pans up past studio walls to the lights, “— how come we ain’t got no roof?”

Loony Tunes. Did it all the time. Bugs Bunny saying, “Of course, you know this means war.” Elmer Fudd saying, “Be vewy vewy quiet, I’m hunting wabbits!” In one cartoon, Yosemite Sam is banging on a door, yelling, “Open it! Open the door!” He looks out the screen, and says, “You’ll notice I didn’t say, ‘Richard’.”

Excellent examples! There’s also the ending of “What’s Opera, Doc?” in which Bugs Bunny says to the audience “Well, what did you expect in an opera? A happy ending?” And Wile E. Coyote holding up signs to the audience that said stuff like “Yipes!”

 

[John_Lazarus]

I also remember a lot of the Flintstones, when they would show a particular critter-powered contraption (like a small bird with a long beak used as a sewing machine) which would stop in its travails to say to the camera, “Ehh, it’s a living.”

I seem to remember a set of British political miniseries about an MP (later PM) named Francis Urqhart (who was referred to generally behind his back as “F.U.”). There was a lot of narration and exposition done directly to the camera.

In an episode of Police Squad! with Leslie Nielsen, after the bad guy is caught, Neilsen’s character makes some witty remark to his partner, they both laugh, and reach out for a congratulatory handshake, ending the scene in freeze-frame. The credits start to roll.

Only the bad guy starts to look around in surprise, everyone is still frozen in place. He brightens, and tries to make his escape, running toward the camera – straight into the fourth wall. The scene truly ends with him desperately trying to claw through the see-thru wall toward the camera. Brilliant.

 

[Mark1970]

I seem to remember a set of British political miniseries about an MP (later PM) named Francis Urqhart (who was referred to generally behind his back as “F.U.”). There was a lot of narration and exposition done directly to the camera.

The series was House of Cards, based on a novel by Michael Dobbs.

Edit: There were actually three series. The first, House of Cards, was based on the novel. The following 2 series were To Play the King and The Final Cut. The third series ends with the death of Francis Urqhart.

 

[tee_eff_em]

Shakespeare often broke the 4th wall - I think in comedies more than dramas.

This time-tested dramatic device is called an aside.

tee

 

[Belshazzar]

In the movie Better Off Dead, Lane Meyer (John Cusack) is despondent after his girlfriend Beth dumps him. His ex- girlfriend is dating the captain of the ski team, his math teacher, and even the mailman.
After a disastrous day at school, he comes home and you hear an episode of the Flintstones on TV. Lane hears Barney Rubble calling out to him; “Hey there, Lane. I know this is a little awkward, me being a cartoon and all; I was just wondering how you’d feel if I took out Beth?”
“Uh, hee, hee, hee, hee…”

At which point Lane throws his ski goggles at the TV.

 

[AnnieHall]

The movie The Big Short did this a few times. They’d break away from the plot and bring in random celebrities to explain some of the terminology/concepts. There were also a couple times when the audience was addressed to mention if the story had been tweaked or if something that seemed unbelievable had actually happened in real life.

I thought it added in some humor to the movie, and also helped the story be easier to follow, without requiring the film makers to figure out a way to organically explain confusing information within the story.

 

[tee_eff_em]

…

…You know there is a fourth-wall-breaking film with the same name as one of our correspondents…?

It seems to me a frequent device of Woody Allen, at least in his early films.


tee

 

[MrZoom]

Here’s an extensive list of examples of “breaking the fourth wall” in Disney productions.

disney.wikia.com/wiki/Breaking_the_Fourth_Wall

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Funny, “breaking the fourth wall” came up in a meeting today. Anyway…“The Office” did this so well. I pull a Jim face about once a day at work.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

I don’t remember the specifics but when there was a different Becky on “Rosanne” or the old one came back there was some reference. Not suprising since Joss Whedon was a writer on “Rosanne” is his approach to breaking the fourth wall is an art form.

 

[tee_eff_em]

I don’t remember the specifics but when there was a different Becky on “Rosanne” or the old one came back there was some reference. Not suprising since Joss Whedon was a writer on “Rosanne” is his approach to breaking the fourth wall is an art form.

Haw! Earlier today, on another thread:

Ooooooh, never was a fan of the show, but I am told the actress playing one of the daughters on *Roseanne *left the series for a time and another actress played the role until the original returned. At some point in all this (I think after the return), the Roseanne character, disgusted with some action or other of the daughter, glares at her and says “You can be replaced, you know”

tee

 

[seagal]

Funny, “breaking the fourth wall” came up in a meeting today. Anyway…“The Office” did this so well. I pull a Jim face about once a day at work.

I’m not sure The Office would qualify since it’s supposed to be a pseudo-reality show.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Haw! Earlier today, on another thread:

Originally Posted by tee_eff_em View Post
Ooooooh, never was a fan of the show, but I am told the actress playing one of the daughters on Roseanne left the series for a time and another actress played the role until the original returned. At some point in all this (I think after the return), the Roseanne character, disgusted with some action or other of the daughter, glares at her and says “You can be replaced, you know”

Thanks for filling in the blanks. I thought the line was clever.