The King of Comedy

[baumer]

Discuss

[Jack Nevada]

Oh god, I'm afraid to say what I think about The King of Comedy, everyone loves it. Okay, here we go:

 

Its not a very good movie. Its flabby, its ugly to look at, it feels forced and there's no sense of urgency or any atmosphere. Also Robert DeNiro is miscast to almost a comical degree. He just doesn't fit, not at all. 

 

2/5

 

 

inb4 CoolioD1: Your taste still sucks!

[CoolioD1]

Like Taxi Driver's goofier brother. Some of Marty and DeNiro's most underrated work. Jerry Lewis is also just as funny deadpan as he is with his OTT shit.

[Jack Nevada]

I dont mean to sound disrespectful, but Sandra Bernhard has to be the most hidious actress I've seen.

And if you come to defend her and call her beautiful you are lying.

[CoolioD1]

Aw come on. Why you gotta bump up the thread just to say that? That's just straight-up dickish.

[Michael Gary Scott]

Yeah thsts kind of mean

[Crusader]

If the ever make a definitive top 10 underrated films list this one should be on it 

 

Amazing 

 

9/10 

[luna]

scorsese was on fucking form in his early years. brilliant and ridiculously uncomfortable.

 

88

[Jake Gittes]

My favorite of his films after Goodfellas. Fucking brilliant, eerily phophetic film with possibly De Niro's best performance ever. 

[RobinHood26]

Its good not great. 

 

B (84/5)

[mattmav45]

Rupert fucking Pupkin.  What a name, what a name.  More importantly, what a character.

 

A discussion cannot begin without mention of Robert DeNiro here.  At the height of his career, he was an actor that could immerse himself into any role.  In this instance, he takes on the role of a crazed celebrity fanboy, and what a role it ultimately is.  At times as viewers we come across a film that simply would not be the same without the lead performance at its disposal.  Thankfully for the viewer, such is very much the case here.

 

This is my type of film in many ways.  Take subject matter that while funny on the surface, has varying depths of darkness lying underneath.  There is no denying the inherent creepiness that comes with celebrity worship and obsession.  The idea of an individual being so empty or leading such an unfulfilled life that one has to vicariously live through others is a fascinating subject.  Of course, what better man to take on such a subject than that of Martin Scorsese.

 

While taking on the subject of celebrity worship, this is a film that can also be viewed as a descent into madness.  It's clear that Rupert is not well at the beginning, but circumstances are set in motion that bring him over the edge.  Specifically, an encounter with his idol Jerry Langford gets his delusions going into overdrive.  Things ultimately reach a boiling point when Rupert meets up with fellow obsessor Masha.  Suffice to say, the delusions leap off the screen, and unfortunately for the character of Jerry Langford, they find a home in his celebrity persona.

 

Of course, it all comes full circle with the ending.  In the end Rupert's crazed antics achieve exactly what he wanted all along.  One cannot find a more scathing commentary on celebrity worship and society.  Of course, at this point, with the explosion of social media, this has only gotten much worse.  Perhaps Scorsese is simply pointing out that at a certain point, it's best just to sit back and get amused by all the nonsense.  As a viewer, I was more than happy to sit back and oblige here.