Sergio Leone once told Martin Scorsese that “The King of Comedy” was Scorsese’s first mature movie. There was no fancy camera moves or cutting in what I find to be one of Scorsese’s most disturbing movies. Over at The New Yorker, Richard Brody picks “The King of Comedy” as his DVD of the week. I haven’t seen it in years but I get the willies just thinking about it. Maybe it’s time to check it out again.
Rupert ranks high as a film superstar. Jerry and Sandra terrific. If you ask me, works better today. Very Scorsese, but also a very european feel. A noir in color.
I love love love King of Comedy. It didn't do well, and I honestly think it was ahead of its time, thematically. In 2010, I don't think anyone would think the premise ludicrous. Also, as Scorsese has noted, it threw people off - "Okay, it has Jerry Lewis but it's not funny? Wait, it's funny but its not *really* a comedy?" "It's a DeNiro-Scorsese movie without graphic violence?"
DeNiro and Lewis are fantastic. Great soundtrack too - Talking Heads, Van Morrison, Rickie Lee Jones, et al.
I'm glad people are writing about it as I think it's a movie that will rank higher in the Scorsese canon as time passes. Better to be King for a night than schmuck for a lifetime.
One of my all time faves! De Niro and Lewis are brilliant, Sandra Bernhard is nightmare-inducing. Rupert Pupkin and Jerry Lundergard from "Fargo" are my picks for losingest-losers in all American film.
When Sandra says that she covers the waterfront I finally got the theme of the song by Billie Holiday.
3) Dustin Hoffman in "Straight Time" would be on the list but far less amusing.