The King of Comedy (1983)

From my favorite movies..

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

"The King of Comedy" is a knockout dark comedy that remains quite relevant in our current celebrity-worshipping North American pop culture. It shows what happens as Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro), a 34 year old hopeless nerd, is desperate for fame and fortune. A struggling stand-up comic, he tries and tries to endear himself to the nations' # 1 comedian / talk show host, Jerry Langford (a well cast, and excellent, Jerry Lewis). When the celebrity ultimately gives him the big brush-off, Rupert and his unhinged friend Masha (Sandra Bernhard, in an impressive breakthrough performance) abduct Langford.Working from an engaging script by Paul D. Zimmerman, master filmmaker Martin Scorsese is able to say a lot about the nature of celebrity. Even today, we do have a climate where people can be famous for no really good reason, yet still milk the situation for everything that it's worth. It also makes you think about peoples' priorities, and misplaced confidence in whatever "talent" they possess. As we can see from Ruperts' big moment in the spotlight, his material just isn't that great. (Although I personally got a chuckle out of the line, "her alcohol contained 2% blood".)It's all enacted with a fair amount of realism, a healthy amount of attention paid to the real-life machinations of the talk show world (both Johnny Carson's and Merv Griffin's series were used as influences), and some absolutely great performances by De Niro and Lewis. The supporting cast has no slackers, either: Bernhard is clearly relishing her role, De Niro's lovely then-wife Diahnne Abbott is appealing as a bartender whom he tries to romance, real life 'Tonight Show' producer Frederick De Cordova is solid as the producer of Langfords' fictional show, and various real life stars have funny cameos as themselves. Members of The Clash have bits as "street scum"; Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (in her film debut) is an extra in the opening crowd scene.Darkly humorous without ever being too, too outrageous, "The King of Comedy" is one of those films that's continued to look good and resonate, almost 40 years later.Eight out of 10.

Maybe it's the title that throws people off. Or De Nero's inept attempts at stand-up. Or that Scorcese's film provides Jerry Lewis with his best role in decades, maybe ever. Whatever it is that makes people look for something funny in this movie, they're bound to be disappointed. Because this film is a character study of a sociopath and his accomplice, and how the dumbed-down culture whose fringes they inhabit is so devoid of critical thought that they accept De Niro's shtick as laugh-worthy.This is Scorcese's most passionate and searing film, more terrifying than Taxi Driver because of the banality of its protagonist's evil. Rupert Pupkin is every bit as crazy and narcissistic as Travis Bickle. And like Taxi Driver, the commission of a very public act near the end of this film turns outcast into hero. The glorification of Pupkin in this film and Bickle in Taxi Driver reflects the whims of a society that has lost its way, seduced by consumerism and celebrity. And there's nothing funny about that.

The King of Comedy was billed as a "dark comedy," but it didn't reach the levels of absurdity needed to be genuinely comedic. The movie had tremendous potential to be either very funny or very suspenseful, but it maintained a much too moderate approach to be either.The character of Hubert Pupkin was intended to be comedic; Pupkin instead was written and played as fairly likable and moreover, relatable. Yes, he's an adult living in his mother's basement (something that wasn't trendy in 1986) and yes, he has an elaborate fantasy life that motivates his actions, but there were moments in which many viewers could empathize with him. His repeated efforts to get his comedy routine heard by Jerry Langford, followed by the repeated brush-offs by Langford's staffers are very reminiscent of many job applicants' attempts to get an interview, only to be e-mailed a form letter stating "Although your credentials and accomplishments are admirable, we have chosen to pursue applicants who are better suited to the position...." The audience is led to both pity Pupkin for his lack of insight, but admire him for his persistence. Pupkin isn't so comedic when he looks like a great number of people in the audience who have succumbed to the popular message of "follow your heart.... follow your dreams..." without regard for the consequences.The character of Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis) is sadly underdeveloped in the movie as well. The character isn't given a lot of lines, so there is no way the audience is led to either like him or hate him. Other than the "mob of fans" scene at the start of the movie and the interaction he has with the obnoxious woman on the telephone, we don't see Langford as being continually oppressed by the demands of a voracious audience. Langford is shown as attempting to be gracious to Pupkin and his other star-obsessed fan, Masha, both of whom take his polite responses as invitations. Even though he has little material with which to work, Jerry Lewis transitions from comedian to serious actor very well in this role.The ending is also not all that satisfying. Pupkin gets his wish - to appear on Langford's program - by kidnapping Langford using a toy gun. He delivers his comedy routine, which is primarily a recitation of an abusive, dysfunctional childhood, to the incomprehensibly wild applause of the audience, and he is arrested. His fame ultimately comes not from his performance, but from the book he writes about kidnapping Jerry Langford and the media focus on that event. Pupkin is neither a hero, nor is he a villain. All in all, The King of Comedy was unfulfilling. Had Pupkin been written to be a little more sinister, obsessive and driven, this would have been an excellent thriller. Had Pupkin been less likable and without the pathos, it would have leaned more toward the comedy it was intended to be. As it is, it merits the audience reaction it received when first released: "What was that we just watched?"In many ways, the movie was ahead of its time. The theme of "fame at any price" is much more relevant in today's "Youtube" and "reality TV" environment, where people with no noticeable talent become "stars" through unabashed self-promotion (the Kardashians) or feats of incredible stupidity (the criminals who post their criminal behavior for all to see). With a little retooling, a talented screenwriter could redo this movie for today's audience and develop it to fulfill it's potential.

Perhaps I had too high expectations, but this movie really disappointed me.I love the setting, and both Deniro and Lewis knocks their performances out of the park. Every scene they have together is brilliant, and I would to be in the room during all the improvisation that went on. Especially Lewis is fantastic in this movie, even though it probably was not hard for him to play this character.I also like how dark this movie is. I knew it was a dark comedy, but I expected it to be dark in a different way. But here also lies the problem I have with this movie, because there's literally no character in it to relate to or root for. During the first half of the movie, "Jerry" is the closest you get to sympathetic. I don't mine that Pupkin is, well, crazy - and not really that he goes as far as he does. But somehow there's no joy in watching him do his thing, even though Deniro plays the part really well. Maybe he plays it to well? Movies like that as meant to be uncomfortable, but there's also meant to be something there to latch on to, and I just couldn't find it in this movie.The last part of the movie, which I won't spoil, redeems is and makes it worth watching. That's more a straight forward comedy though, with several funny scenes and some good character moments. I'm not skilled enough as a watcher to know what went right in the last part, or what I'm missing in the first, but either way the movie disappointed me. Despite all it has going for it.