MASH (1970)

 Robert Altman's "MASH"

Not only did it launch the careers of many of its stars, 1970's black comedy "MASH" also launched the career of its director, Robert Altman. It even went on to be adapted into a television comedy, one that would be far more in the cultural memory than its respective film source. One of the reasons for the film's success, and perhaps its biggest, is its sense of irreverence - an irreverence that was absent in studio films during the days of the Production Code. That is, up until the Production Code was replaced with the Motion Picture Association film rating system in 1968.

"MASH" centers on a group of medical personnel stationed on the front lines during the Korean War. Beyond the mutilated bodies they must operate on, the film's main focus is on the shenanigans and hijinks of its less-than-dignified officers. This is where the comedy comes into play - surrounded by the aesthetic of authority and war, these ragtag members of the armed forces can't help but to be anti-authority, and downright disrespectful of any and all forms of respect and reverence. 

This level of black comedy and irreverence were relatively new to the American cinematic scene. Thankfully, the disillusion of the Production Code and the implementation of the MPAA allowed for more raunchy, dark, and taboo subject matters in films by simply slapping the rating of "R." "MASH," because of its comedic liberties, felt like an unexpected release of pent-up debauchery.