Topic: Brickfilm of the Week: The Letter (Mar 6, 2015)
This week’s Brickfilm of the Week is The Letter by James Maduzia.
Comedy is a strange, fickle beast. Everyone has different opinions on what is funny, and what isn’t funny. Different styles of comedy come and go, but if you’ve ever sat in a film class or movie theater and watched the old classic films by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, you’ll realize that good old slapstick will always entertain. The Letter is the perfect encapsulation of classic slapstick in LEGO form. Released in 2003, this brickfilm quickly became an instant classic, and has often been cited in articles about brickfilming. James Maduzia made one other brickfilm Zero Gravity Rebellion, also a classic, and was interviewed by Brickfilms.com. While he only made two brickfilms, they both made a big impact on the brickfilms community.
SPOILERY DISCUSSION BELOW!
The story of The Letter is dead simple: a man must deliver a letter. But the tricks and trials the man goes through to deliver said letter is what makes this film a classic. By foregoing dialog and relying just on visual gags and comedic timing, The Letter transcends languages and even age barriers. The Letter is a great brickfilm to show people who are curious about brickfilming, because it doesn’t rely on inside jokes, or hard-to-follow rapid dialog, or potentially offensive jokes (unless your audience is sensitive about kicking cats). It’s pure slapstick, just like Keaton, Chaplin, or Mr. Bean.
What are your thoughts on The Letter? What did you like about it? What did you think of the use of humor? Did you have a favorite moment?