Taika Waititi: Humanity in Comedy
Taika Waititi on The Set of “What We Do In The Shadows”
Taika Waititi focuses on comedy with hints of drama. He has a way and belief to incorporate joy and happiness on the screen. He also is extremely loyal to his culture and heritage and incorporates it into all of his films. I will explore the impact he had on comedy and how his earlier works, for example What we do in the shadows created a cult following and how his older works are still relevant and still cause for much demand. Additionally, I will be researching how his comedy style and the use of his culture are so influential and how they are represented from his early works to his most recent projects.
Early Work at a Glance
Taika Waititi is from New Zealand and coincidentally, most of his work is centered around New Zealand and Polynesian culture. Because of his time working in comedy groups from university he soon formed a partnership with Jemaine Clement to form Humorbeasts. Their success was fruitful and fast, causing Waititi popularity for his comedy and acting skills. As a result, in 1999 the duo won the Billy T comedy award when they performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002. Because of this partnership with Clement, Waititi also had multiple cameos on television as a wisecracking manager to Clement on the Flight of the Conchords. Soon after he performed on TV's Pulp Comedy, Waititi gained lots of notoriety in festivals thus making him popular and gaining attention towards American film industries. Some popular short films he brought to festivals were Two Cars, One Night (2005) and Tama Tu (2005). In 2007, Waititi developed his first feature film, Eagle vs Shark which starred his former partner Clement. The film was a success and won Best Screenplay at the US Comedy Arts Festival, and Best feature at the Newport Film Festival. When the film was set to premier at the Sundance festival, Variety released an article about Waititi ranking him to one of the directors to watch and continue to watch. His early feature films: Eagle vs Shark, Boy, What We Do in the Shadows, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople all have captured the attention of people outside of New Zealand. Additionally most of Waititi’s films are the highest grossing films to come out of New Zealand by the popularity of it all.
His Style
Humanity is the secret formula to Waititi’s comedy style. Doesn’t that sound so complicated? Although he loves the process of work and mixing that process with chaos. Familiar themes he has used in his work from early short skits to feature films, he has incorporated finding humour out of sadness, making reality stand out, and acknowledging that we are all outsiders. From his earlier feature films, he incorporates the usage of nature and indegenous culture (particularly his own Polynesian descent) and as said before the humanity aspect. As humans we all long for companionship and connection and he does so along with showing his affection for innocence and it reflects on his films.
History of his Culture
As Waititi becomes more popularized in the American film industry, he still keeps to his roots and culture. Because his father is Māori (the indegenious people in New Zealand), Waiti represents that culture in his early work to really showcase New Zealand and all its facets along with incorporating that culture into his future work especially when he is working with the Hollywood film industry. This culture is focused on impeccable hospitality and welcoming people which is called Manaakitanga. They are also focused on Kaitiakitanga which is a meaning for respecting and guarding the natural world. The Māori have a great love and appreciation and for those that enter New Zealand make a promise of some sort to acknowledge their culture of appreciating the environment. This is easily translated through Waititi’s work of what he grew up with. Excusing What We Do in The Shadows, his other feature films have a great appreciation for nature or the environment signifies a deeper meaning and importance to the plot The Māori and overall, the New Zealand culture take pride in supporting each other and really sticking with each other. This was because during the two world wars, New Zealand had a lot of casualties. This loss brought the country together and brought a sense of “mateship” and made the loyalty to each other a prized possession. This is additionally seen in Waititi’s work because he continues to represent his country and culture through his work. He has his loyalty to creating and his country in mind because that is what is valued back in his homeland.
Eagle vs. Shark (2007)
The film follows Lily and Jarrod who are each considered social outcasts in their own way. Lily works in the fast food industry, meanwhile, Jarrod works in a video game shop. They meet at Lily’s work and she is enamored by him. Lily sees a thrown away flyer for a party (dress as your favorite animal) at work that Jarrod gave to a coworker and Lily decides to go with her brother. From this party, Lily and Jarrod start dating.It is revealed that his grand plan is to get revenge on his high school bully and beat him up.
Lily and Jarrod Cuddling up Together
As said above, Waititi invests in making humanity the central theme for comedy thus their social awkwardness and their problems so funny when you don't know what else to do. It is so expertly explained when Lily says "Life is full of hard bits, but in between them is some lovely bits." This shows how the movie is filled with lovely bits even though this is a story about two people who have unresolved anger and are holding in a lot of hurt and pain. Lily and Jarrod, both face deadpan humor along with encouraging the awkwardness between the two. In the animal party scene, the two barely make eye contact until a shared interest is made but it is still awkward. When Jarrod is talking about himself and his hobbies he starts to get haughty and seems like a child saying he’s the fastest kid in his grade and starts running really fasts. He makes daring jokes especially when he shows a candle of a bomb and says “it should go to the muslims.” Continued through this scene is a very awkward shared kiss and both are so hesitant. The appeal to pathos and recognizing that people laugh when it is an awkward situation of real hardships are revealed. It is shared that Jarrod’s mother and brother are “dead” along with Lily being orphaned and being left alone and affected for the rest of her life. They both share a sense of loss and create humor through it that is conveyed throughout the film. Jarrod is a funny character to observe because of his unresolved issues with his high school bully and the role his brother plays over him to create a rough and “neglected” family life. This then leaves him in this adolescent state that is comical to watch.
Boy (2010)
Boy (James Rolleston) in “Boy”
Set in 1984 near the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand. The narrator and title character revolves around 11 year old maori villager Boy. Boy lives with his Gran and his little brother Rocky because his mother died at birth and meanwhile his estranged father is off in prison. His father, Alamein, shows up from finishing his prison sentence and swoops Boy and Rocky up into his life and forces the kids to help him look for his lost treasure. Boy uses his obsession of Michael Jackson and imagination to create those that are absent in his life to be these heroic people. But as the story goes on, Boy's expectations of his “heroic and amazing” father turn out to be wrong as he faces the harsh realities of life.
This film is very personal and gives an insight to Waiti’s childhood and his culture. He chose to film in his hometown because it's where he grew up and it would bring back familiar feelings along locations and characters based on real people. This helps give a true insight of boyhood and growing up. It also cultivates the appreciation for nature and ruralness of the village and how the culture appreciates nature by making it a huge part of Boy’s daily life. Additionally, he set the film in the 80s because it was not only a coming of age time for him growing up but for New Zealand and the Maori culture. That time was important for New Zealand time rather than the early 2000s or 2010s because the maori culture was now becoming more socially popular and they were finding themselves and representation. In the same interview he discusses his approach to filming in a New Zealand perspective and that Americans are on the outside looking in and not truly understanding things. He says that their approach is not to fall into the cliches or the same traps and that situations are particularly parodies. Which can explain why we take traumatic situations that affect a person and make light hearted fun or comedy from it. He calls it a “New Zealand approach to coming of age film.” For the thriller scene he incorporates a lot of the Maori culture. He does so by getting the kids and choreographed the dance. To which is described as fun and a very Maori thing to do because the culture loves singing and dancing and telling stories. History has been told through spoken word and dance.
Boy’s Vision of His Father (Taika Waititi)
In the scene where Boy’s brother, Rocky, is sitting at his mother’s tombstone. You can see where Waititi makes light of the sad situation and celebrates the mother’s life instead of wallowing in her death by having the tombstone brightly decorated. Because of his loss and absence of his father, Boy has taken responsibility and an intelligence over his life. Although he has taken on this baggage, he still is a child who is imaginative and has great expectations. That is why he is so obsessed with Michael Jackson and envisions his absent father just like him. He also upholds his father in this image that he is so great. In the beginning of the film where Boy explains his life story and cuts to scenes of him explaining it. When describing his father the scenes “show” how he is a master carver, a deep sea treasure diver, the captain of the rugby teams, and holds the record for punching people in the face with one hand. These short clips are comical in his expectations of his father and each cut of Waititi, who plays the father, either always starts or ends in a thumbs up to just prove that it is confirmed in Boy’s expectations. It is the failure of those expectations that show the hardships and how he was raised in a small rural village that show the cracks of his imagination and then layering comedy to soften the edges of those hardships and finding acceptance through the disappointment and pain.
What We Do in The Shadows (2014)
This mockumentary follows Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav who are vampires in modern day society New Zealand. It shows their struggles of living with each other and accomplishing modern day tasks. Their other flatmate, Petyr, turns a human hipster named Nick into a vampire. Nick then influences the vampires to become more in with the times and understand society more. Through Nick,the vampires meet his best friend named Stu who helps the vampires accept humans and not see them just as food.
Viago (Taika Waititi) and Deacon (Jonny Brugh) Getting Ready For a Night Out on The Town
What makes this mockumentray unique is that not only is it post the Twilight craze, the film makes one joke but does not base their entire mockumentary on making fun of it. Instead, it is a horror comedy that “treats its horrific subjects with, somehow, the utmost respect and seriousness, while still playing up the stereotypes that make vampires naturally funny, to begin with. The key to the film is that we’re laughing with the vampires instead of at them.” What We Do in the Shadows refers to its former stereotypes portrayed in film before Twilight are exaggerated. A stereotype that is seen and parodized is how vampires are unable to see their reflection. So, as the flatmates prepare to go out to clubs to get food they each draw each other and what they look like since they cannot see their reflection. The drawings are bad and as out of place they look to society they still feel great and head out. Co-creators Waititi and Jemaine Clement create this witty and fresh take on vampires and still add humanity and sadness throughout the film. It humanizes and allows the audience to sympathize with the vampires. This sympathy is seen near the end of the film when “Deacon sits down and explains to Nick the inherent tragedy of being a vampire. You live forever, sure, but you have to watch all your human friends grow old, get sick and die. It’s a moment offset by humor, but it’s a moment that still feels quite heartbreaking.” This mockumentary that is set in New Zealand and causes such empathy and hilarity is still referenced today and has even caused a huge cult following thus leading into a television show.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
This film follows orphaned “bad egg” Ricky Baker who arrives to a new set of foster parents who are almost off the grid and rely solely on nature. After first connecting with his foster Aunt and finally feeling home he does not create that same relationship with his Foster Uncle, Hec. That is until his foster Aunt dies suddenly and it is just Hec and Ricky left together. As a response to her death Hec and Ricky set off into the New Zealand bush to escape child services and the law from taking Ricky back into state custody. The two must find a way to survive and acknowledge their differences. Which it then turns into a bond and they finally connect and acknowledge their grief.
Ricky (Julian Dennison) and Hec (Sam Neill) Stopping to Catch Their Breath Seconds After They Start Running
As said before, Waititi is inspired by using sadness and cultivating humor. To embrace bad experiences and how precious innocence and childhood is. In both Boy and Hunt For Wilderpeople, they both explore adolescents and how pivotal it is to be a kid and how we as adults should not lose that. In this film in particular it explores the relationships of a boy who has been subjected to the stereotype that he is a “bad egg” and that he will constantly be moved into home after home or juvenile detention and a detached widow who is deeply connected to nature and being alone. Because they are on the run from the law these two people form a unique relationship of survival and understanding each other's hardships. In the film there is a scene where the duo decide to continue their mission and start aggressively running as the music starts playing pounding dramatic music to add ambiance. But since Ricky is constantly reminded that he is inexperienced and fat and that Hec is old and injured the two stop 5 seconds later catching their breath before agreeing to briskly walk instead of sprinting. Thus, the music turns into the same music but more softer and jazzy to match their pace. In the end of the film they each learn from each other. Ricky finds a new purpose in his life and rejects that “bad egg” stereotype; and Hec gets over his stubbornness and ability to form a relationship (especially with Ricky) and leans into his childish side.
As said before Ricky experiences the hardships of being Maori and the stereotypes that fall under it. Waititi Does an excellent job in describing the treatment New Zealanders sometimes put on the Maori culture. Jonno Revanche and Justine Sachs claim how “In New Zealand, as in many other countries, the primary victims of the prison–industrial complex are Indigenous; indeed, the criminal justice system upholds white supremacy by criminalizing and disproportionately arresting, charging and incarcerating Māori. “This fuels the reason as to why Ricky is so apprehensive to go back into the world and not in the bush. This is because they would use these stereotypes and give little care to Maori kids and favoring caucasions. Ricky relates this to his best friend, Amber, who died due to abuse and neglect and he assumes it is because of their shared culture.
Bringing His Style into the Future of his Work
Waititi broke into the Hollywood movie industry by directing Thor: Ragnarok (2017) , Jojo Rabbit (2019), and many more upcoming movies such as Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and many more involvements in the industry. Since breaking into the mainstream Hollywood gaze, Waititi has continued his devotion and loyalty to his culture and humor style by incorporating it into his work. Not only has he worked to cast indigenous people, “He brought his Indigenous sensibilities to it by asking producers to ensure there were Indigenous trainees in every department.” In every film he has done and continued to do so in his work there is a sense of innocence and child-like play because not everything can be taken so seriously.“He elevates survival by bringing that pathos and humour and resilience to those stories, so I would say it’s a very Māori story.” That’s the beauty of it all, the loyalty to his culture and consistently representing it and staying true to his style and allowing us to see sadness and the hardships in an entirely new lens.
Works Cited
Dempsey, Dylan Kai. “'We're in a Very Cool Place Right Now Where Hollywood Is Running Out of Ideas': Taika Waititi on Breaking All of the Rules.” No Film School, No Film School, 12 Sept. 2018, nofilmschool.com/2018/09/taika-waititi-master-class.
Graham-McLay, Charlotte. “'We Can Make It Here': Taika Waititi Urges on Indigenous Talent after Oscar Win.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 10 Feb. 2020, www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/10/taika-waititi-first-maori-oscars-2020-indigenous-new-zealand.
Kyliekp1. Interview with Taika Waititi on Making Kiwi Film 'Boy'. YouTube, YouTube, 23 Jan. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EsmSgG_NZI.
Morgenstern, Joe. “Kiwi Comedy 'Eagle vs Shark' Is Endearing, Odd.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 15 June 2007, www.wsj.com/articles/SB118186395464336075.
Perkins, David. “What Are the Characteristics of Taika Waititi's Filmmaking Style?: Read: The Take.” What Are the Characteristics of Taika Waititi's Filmmaking Style? | Read | The Take, 22 May 2020, the-take.com/read/what-are-the-characteristics-of-taika-waititis-filmmaking-style.
“Taika Waititi.” NZ On Screen, NZ On Air, www.nzonscreen.com/profile/taika-waititi/biography.
Zigler, Brianna. “How 'What We Do in the Shadows' Made Vampires Cool Again.” Film School Rejects, 15 June 2019, filmschoolrejects.com/what-we-do-in-the-shadows/.