The King Of Comedy (1982)

C. – 109m
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: King Of Comedy
Dir.: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard, Ed Herlihy, Lou Brown, Catherine Scorsese, Cathy Scorsese, Chuck Low, Liza Minnelli, Joyce Brothers, Victor Borge, Martin Scorsese, Tony Randall, Charles Scorsese and Fredrick De Cordova.

An aspiring comedian stalks his idol, who in turn craves his own privacy. Considered a flop at the time of its release this film actually has several things going for it, perfect casting and great direction being a couple of them. This is far from the Zany Lewis films that the public is used to. While this is labeled a Comedy in video stores (how many still exist?), this is actually a drama. At that the humor in this film that does exist makes it a, “black comedy,” or in simple terms, it has a dark sense of humor. Something this reviewer adores.

Trivia: Jerry Lewis suggested naming his character Jerry so that they could get extras without having to pay them while shooting on the streets of New York City. The scene where Rupert (De Niro) shows up at Jerry’s house was largely improvised. The issue Jerry’s “man” had with opening the door was not planned and Jerry was really mad. The reaction you see from him in the film is not his acting but his real anger at the situation. Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop and Orson Welles were considered for the role of the late night comedian. Johnny Carson was the only one offered the role but turned it down. The part obviously went to Jerry Lewis. Lewis said that he wasn’t acting in this film, he was just being himself. Meryl Streep turned down the role that went to Sandra Bernhard. The talk show segments were taped on tape like a real talk show, then transferred to film. The monologue Jerry delivers in it’s full and original form can be seen in the bonus features of the DVD and Blu–ray.

Rated: [PG]
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

The Comedian (2016 / 2017)

C. – 120m
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 – Widescreen
Starring: Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Harvey Keitel, Edie Falco, Danny DeVito, Patti LuPone, Charles Grodin, Cloris Leachman, Lucy DeVito, Billy Crystal, Brett Butler, Ben Hammer, Jessica Kirson, Jim Norton, Jimmie Walker, Richard Belzer, Freddie Roman, Stewie Stone, Gilbert Gottfried, Hannibal Burgess, Bill Boggs, Sheng Wang, Ryan Hamilton, Aida Rodriguez, Dov Davidoff and Nick Di Paolo.

An aging “Insult Comedian” finds love. The film has a few belly laughs but is ultimately an indie film drama. The uneven flow of the film upset several comedians in the film and in Hollywood in general. If given more time and a better director, this could have been great. As it stands though, it isn’t bad for its kind. Leslie Mann stands out as the brightest performance in the film though. De Niro sleepwalks his way through the material. Still, he is a master of the trade, as are Danny DeVito and Harvey Keitel.

Trivia: Robert De Niro spent eight years trying to get this film made. The idea of the film came to him in the 1970’s. This is none of two films where De Niro plays a comedian, the other was: The King Of Comedy (1983). De Niro wanted Martin Scorsese to direct this as well, but that did not come to pass.

Rated: [R] – Crude Sexual References & Language Throughout
Available on Blu–ray (MOD), DVD & Digital Copy