Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) - Television Comedy

Curb Your Enthusiasm is an improvised American Comedy television series produced and broadcasted by HBO and premiered in October 2000. It has been written by Larry David directed by Robert B. Weide and stars Larry David himself as well as Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines and Susie Essman. The series follows the fictionalized version of Larry David and his life as a television writer and producer in Los Angeles and New York City later on.

We have been shown the first episode of the first season of Curb Your Enthusiasm named as ‘The Pants Tent’ aired on the 15^th October 2000. In the premier of the episode, Larry joking refers to his wife Cheryl as “Hitler”, which offends his manager Jeff’s conservative Jewish parents. Larry’s wife Cheryl sets him up with her friend, but the bunch up in Larry’s trousers resulted in many misunderstandings,

Within the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, they are being followed around, living their everyday life with dull humour and more adult content involved. We come across an awkward situation at the cinema with Larry and Cheryl’s friend, as well as seeing shaky handheld camera work. There is also casual conversation with Larry with his boss at work and we also hear upbeat and quirky music being played. The most comedy that was created was with the awkwardness, the awkward situations and silences.

Everybody Loves Raymond (1999) - Television Sitcom

Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom directed by Will Mackenzie and started in 1996 to 2005, which stars Patricia Heaton, Ray Romano, Brad Garrett, Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts. Many situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of the creator & producer Phil Rosenthal, Romano and the writing crew. The main characters on the show are based on Romano's and Rosenthal's real-life family members.

The show is about the life of the Italian-American Raymond Barone, who is a sportswriter for the Newsday and lives with his family in Lynbrook, New York. Raymond doesn’t take many things seriously, just making jokes in every situation no matter how problematic or series it is and avoids responsibilities around the house, which leaves everything to his wife Debra. Raymond’s family; parents Marie and Frank and his older brother Robert lives across the street from Raymond’s family. Debra’s constant complaints about her husband’s family is a running joke throughout each season.

While watching season 4 episode 8 from Everybody Loves Raymond (1999), I have seen many sitcom conventions throughout the episode “Debra’s Workout”. In this episode, Ray gets jealous when he finally sees Debra’s new aerobics instructor. We hear exaggerated audience laughter at all kinds of situations as well as Raymond’s parents getting involved in their marriage. 

Realistic situations in this episode include everyday things, such as; washing dishes, going yoga, exercising, and the family environment, which includes brushing their teeth. With these realistic situations within the sitcom helps the audience who is watching to escape their own lives with the problems they see within the program. 

Rome, Open City (1945) - Realism

Rome, Open City, also known as Roma, Citta Aperta is a black and white Italian War drama film based on a true story written by Serigio Amidei and directed by Roberto Rossellini in 1945. The film also consists of on screen English subtitles. It is set during the Nazi occupation in Rome in 1944 and was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar at the 19^th Academy Awards. 

Rome, Open City has largely used non-professional actors. There has been no set used but different plots as the central characters die.

The Real locations and non-professional actors used within Rome, Open City have been used to help with the realism. Through the film, we see a handheld camera being used in the football sequence to help the audience feel more involved with what is going on within the film. There also is ordinary and working class people and a partly improvised script to help connect to the lives of the audience.